ABSTRACT
The relationship between the media – in particular TV – and sport with emphasis on the development of globalised broadcasting and the parallel growth of the GSO is critical. We have noted that the majority of the income derived by GSOs from events comes from (1) broadcast rights and (2) the ensuing sponsorship payments made by corporations seeking to exploit the global TV coverage offered. In that sense, we have identified major sources of revenue for the GSOs. A crucial element in understanding these events is that they are the sole means that most GSOs have available with which to raise revenues. As such the GSOs are anxious to avoid competition with other global sports events. Anything less than a global hallmark event has the potential to impinge upon the more localised revenues of the GSOs’ member national federations. In this chapter, we examine the means used by GSOs to gain those revenues and also to offset their costs. While discussing only a limited amount of theory in this chapter (little has been developed), we base a large part of our argument on three particular case studies. These are the Sydney Olympics of 2000, the Rugby World Cup (RWC) of 1999 and, the structure of F1 motor sport.
