IELTS WRITING: CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

Some companies sponsor sports as a way to advertise themselves. Some people think it
is good, while others think there are disadvantages to this. Discuss both sides and give
your opinion.

Corporate sponsorship has always been utilized as a vehicle for advertising the companies
themselves, but furore among the public from recent sponsorship scandals, such as the high-
profile Adscam in Canada, has raised our concerns for the wholesomeness of such corporate
investment made by companies. Some people posit it as beneficial, while others worry that such
sum of sponsored money could have negative ramifications. In this essay I will critically
examine both viewpoints and give my own conviction.

On the one hand, it is contended that sponsorships from corporations have positive bearings on
the sport world. This is predicated on the assumption that in order for sporting events to take
place, millions of dollars of corporate sponsorship is required. This huge sum of money is
earmarked for the mass-production of jerseys for players and football fans, players’ kits and the
renovation and reform of the needed infrastructure for different sporting matches. Without cash
injection from corporate sponsors, the price of a ticket would be extortionate as this would be the
only revenue to cover the costs of the event. If this happens, many people could not afford to
attend, and this would push event organisers to bankruptcy. Furthermore, athletes deserve the
money they need, yet their professional lives are short. Cash injection from corporate
sponsorship would provide this much needed money. This would raise the competitiveness of
sporting events and motivate athletes to strive hard. Champions League, abbreviated C1, for
example, reigned supreme in Europe in terms of the competitiveness and prestige, which partly
come from the colossal winning prize for the champion.

On the other hand, many are of the opinion that the advertising means utilized by corporate
sponsor can have negative ramifications. This could happen when major sporting events derive
sponsored money from corportation that produce products which have negative impact on
people’s health, such as tobacco or alcohol companies. Although mature, well-informed adults
cannot be easily swayed into consuming the advertised products, young children, who are often
impressionable, can develop a positive image with those commodities and start to consume them
under the influence of such sponsored advertising by companies. This means children are
exposed to greater risk of obesity and even premature death, as can be seen in the influence of
Coca-cola and Pepsi adverts towards the general public during Euro 2020.

In conclusion,while corporate sponsorship as a means of advertising can have both negative and
positive impacts, my firm stance is that such investment from companies can be beneficial to the
sport world.