The Challenges Of Media Sponsorship On Sport Development In Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The research study investigated the challenges of media sponsorship on sport development in Nigeria.

To this end, the method used was survey method while questionnaire where administered to the respondents of the study as the instrument of data gathering exercise, the has a great effect in the world of sports.

Sports performance and achievement has been the avenue through which great nations of the world exhibit their supremacy over others through sports development strategy. Effective sports development therefore requires variables like sport policy, sport personnel, sports funding sports program, sport facilities and sponsorship.

The extent to what these variable are met shall no doubt affects the effectiveness of any sports development. Two organization and its employment for specific socio-political objectives.

It was observed that inadequate media sponsorship and corruption are part of the challenges facing sport development.

Therefore, the government should make loud compelling corporate organization to actively participate in sport sponsorship and emulating the sport development policies of the developed countries also create enabling environment for sport development.

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION
  • BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Over the years, sports and sporting activities h as been an important instrument in promoting unity among individuals in a state or country and a means of sustaining peaceful coexistence among nations of the world.

Because of it role in bringing people together regardless of their ethnic, cultural and religions background.

Sport has been building mutual understanding and friendship among individuals other, unifying them together to share the same ideology, belief and faith.

The composition of team or a group in the sports patriotism among individuals but also show case human talents that are visible and obtained in state or a country.

Sport according to oxford dictionary (8^th edition) is an activity that you do for pleasure and that needs physical effort or skill usually done in a special area and according to fixed rules.

With its advert as a means of entertainment some years back, sports has opened up some nations like Nigeria to the international scene by joining recognition through wining of largely by her representative in various sporting events.

The 1998 record set by Nigeria team is a good example in this regard. Nigeria been represented by committed team won, ever since then, Nigeria representatives of various event has been wining laurels for the country thereby relating sport profile in the international science.

Also, Olympic game in atlantic 1996 is another glorious eecord set for the country (Nigeria) when the country won two gold medals as a achievement which makes country name in sport to appear in front in the time of FIFA ranking.

However, sports are a global phenomenon where countries of the world are linked together with the help of mass media.

Because the media is like a vehicle used to convey information to large number of audience simultaneously.

Media has been playing important role in sport development world wide by uniting people of diffeeent culture, language ethic, religions e.t.c together, people also get to unite at various stands where sports are shown or even read in newspaper or through other means of mass media regardless of where they belong.

Mass Media participation in sports has opened up grand for promotion of goods and services because people emerge together to watch a particular sporting event or activities and sales are made by media and sponsors of goods or services whch are believed to be meant for the people watching or reading about a participation programme e.gsport,  football which is the most popular spirit in the world that hve the power to bring different people together to have the same ideology.

With sponsorship role in sport, products are promoted jobs were created and big charges are made in sport events. Sponsorship can be defined as the financial, support or backing up from a sponsors.

According to oxford Dictionary (8^th edition)

Media sponsorship over the years has been the major element that have been keeping sports moving in Nigeria.

With sporting activities being promoted, the moral of participant are boosted as some of those organization not only sponsored but showers encomium in cash and gift to present the country thar really performed well in an event e.g the just concluded under 17 world youth championship in south korea which was won by Nigeria, globacom gave each of the player a sum of 2million naira while the president also gave them three bedroom flat with a national title.

Also the challenges of media sponsorship in Nigeria can be over emphasized. Apart for being a catalyst for development through promotion of both natural and physical resources in the country.

Media sponsorship encourages participant of youth in immoral act e.g armed robbery, adultery, cultist e.t.c

In all this research work is aimed at knowing the challenges of mass  media sponsorship on sport development in Nigeria.

• STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

It is quite obvious that what sport was in the past can not be compared with what it is today. Because, sponsorship has contributed immensely to this changes (that is the changes in sport development) and this has actually has drawn the attention of individuals in one way o the other, directly or indirectly to the sport and its purpose to make a positive impact in the life of people.

The problem of this research is basically to find out the challenges of media sponsorship in sport development through the aids of media instrument.

• RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. To solve the challenges facing the media in sport sponsorship
2. To improve the media development in sport sponsorship
3. To enhance the roles of media sponsorship in sport development.
   • RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4. What are the roles of media sponsorship in sport development?
5. To what effect does the media contribute to the development of sports?
6. What are the challenges the media face in sport sponsorship?
   • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
7. To educate and enlighten individuals and organization in private sector on the enormous revenue which can be generated from sporting events.
8. To enlighten both individuals and organizations on how to use sporting activities to make a good name for their company.
9. To inform and educate people about the immense benefit that can be derived from sport event.
10. To know how to make good use of media instrument for the sport events.
    • SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This research study will be limited to football enthusiasts in Nigeria and the entire fact finding efforts of the researcher will be based on the respondents selected from the population of the study where as the study will also be based on the information offered.

• OPERATION DEFINITION OF TERM

Media: according to Deflus and Dennis in (2000) media are devices used to move messages across distance to accomplish goals.

According to Yisa O.I defined media as the device use to inform, educate, entertain, interpret, create amusement and mobilize the general public.

Sponsorship: according to D.B Oloyede in his book (Advert in 2003) it can be defined as the financial support or backing up from the group of people or an organization on any sport activities.

According to Oxford Dictionary (6^th edition) it is the financial support or backing up from a sponsor.

Challenges: is defined as the problems or obstacles facing someone or an association through the way they think, behaves and plan various activities that will make their work develop.

Sport: is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competively created by (Shally Hancock 2001). The international sports business man issue page 20 in london.

According to (Wikipedia) is a for of usually competitive physical activity or games which through casual or organized participation aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while provide enjoyment to participants and in some cases, entertainment for spectators.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY

         The research is an exercise on the challenges of media sponsorship on sport development in Nigeria.

Over the years sport and sporting activities has been an important instrument in promoting unity among individuals in a state or country and a means of sustaining peaceful co-existence among nations of the world.

Media has been playing important role in sport development worldwide by uniting people of different culture, language, ethics, religion etc. together, people also get to unitr at various stands where sports are shown or event read in newspaper or through other means of mass media regardless of where they belong.

It is quite obvious that what sport was in the past cannot be compared with what it is today. Because sponsorship has contributed immensely to this changes (that is the changes in sport development) and this has actually has drawn the attention of individuals on one way or the other, directly or indirectly to the sport and its purpose to make a positive impact in the life of people.

The objective is to enhance the roles of the media sponsorship in sport development and also to solve the challenges facing the media in sport sponsorship.

The literature review is another aspect in the research project. As its name implies, literature involves the collection of ideas, views and opinion in one’s area of study. The theory slight how the media can be used by he society at large and how media face challenges in every activities on the activities on the event under review. It can be seen that almost everybody who tend to sponsor sport event normally face challenges by the media in sport development.

Pope and vogues (1995) concluded that sponsorship takes time to be recalled and recognized. However, in all of this recall and recognition research has benn placed on the awareness rather than the effect of that awareness.

(corn well, 2008, olson & thjomoe, 2009). Marketing professionals consider sponsorship as an important tool to build brand equity and corporate image.

The method used in this research is survey method. This method has been the appropriate and easiest way of obtaining information from the people about their perceptions opinion and attitude.

The population used in this sample size is two hundred (200) and the data analysis procedure were responses form the administered questionnaire were analyzed and recorded in tabular form using frequent and percentage table.

Based on the data collected, it was concluded that sport sponsorship has really developed and government and corporate individuals should encourage sport development. Also political interference and corruption are part of the challenges media sponsorship is facing so government should create conducive environment for interested corporate sports sponsors.

CONCLUSION

From the foregoing, it is shown that football fans are aware of media sponsorship towards development of sport. But according to some of them the intervention of government in sport programme may lead to the development of sport. Therefore, the corporate individuals should  be given the opportuinity to sponsor sport event without the intervention of government in it.

It is quite commendable that once in a while nigeria has recorded brilliant successes in competitive sports at national and international level. This is but a tip of the iceberg in the desired sports development objectives of the nation, because the success so far is limited to a few sports.

The national objective has been limited by the national sports development initiative. It seems, however that while policy objectives are very clear, corresponding actions seems not be fully on gorund towards goal realization. This perhaps explain the gap between intended sports development golas and actual achievements.

Also, the challenges of media sponsorship in nigeria cannot be over emphasized. Apart from being a catalyst for development through promotion of both natural and physical resources in the country. Media sponsorship encourage participant of youth in immoral act eg. Armed robbery, cultists, Adultery etc.

RECOMMENDATION

        in the light of the above conclusion the following recommendation will be advanced;

Changes are inevitable but not always accepted, emulating the sport development policies of the developed countries; fore example, in nigeria presently there are about 28 sports associations under the ministry of sports, only football has low and a spelt out policy to the detriment of other sports.

Probably this might be the reason why government pay more attention and interest in football and the expense of other sports combined; this is unlike in the developed nations like Britain America, Australia and Germany which have an all embracing policies and laws.

However, despite the determination and dedication of the government to promote sports, it cannot achieve its purpose unless it put in placed sports, it cannot achieve its purpose unless it put in placed sports management experts to be at the helm of affair of sports, this is the only way forward in which sports structure and management will received the co-operation of equally determine and devoted people in sports players/athletes such co-operation can be guaranteed only when these people are directly involved in the organization of sports.

Also the government and private individual are expected to improve sport development by:

1. Increasing their fund of sporting events in Nigeria to serve as encouragement for the participants in order to bring more glory to the nation.
2. Encouraging sponsorship among organizations so as to build for themselves a good name and prestige.

• Creating adequate awareness in sport through the invention of television, radio and providing more airtime for the media houses.

1. Enhancing and uplifting sport activities especially in the whole world, in other to promote sport sponsorship in the country.