Three-Dimensional Kinematic Analysis During Level and Downhill Treadmill Running, Using a Polynomial Method

ABSTRACT

Accurate kinematic analysis of human movement is a significant factor for the improvement of movement performance and for the reduction of injuries. A polynomial method for 3-D analysis was implemented to determine the knee kinematic parameters during level and 9% downhill grade running. The knee kinematic parameters for the level and downhill running were: 20.9 o and 17 o degrees for the flexion angle in foot strike, 36.2 o and 43.1 o for the peak flexion angle in stance phase, and 7.1 rad.sec -1 and 7.4 rad.sec -1 the peak flexion angular velocity respectively. The knee kinematic characteristics, determined using a polynomial method, were within the range of the respective values reported in previous studies, indicating that the polynomial method used is adequate for accurate 3-D kinematic analysis. The results indicate that the knee extensor muscle group is worked over a greater range during downhill running than in level running and furthermore, during the footstrike, the knee flexion angle, in level running is higher than in downhill running, which probably could be affected to the magnitude of the compression forces applied to knee during downhill running.

INTRODUCTION

The biomechanical aspects of running are significant factors for the identification of optimal running mechanics in order to improve the athlete’s performance and to identify the mechanical strategies that can be applied to reduce mechanical overloading of the locomotor system and thus prevent injuries (Nigg, 1985; Subotnick, 1985; Brown and Yavorsky, 1987; Armstrong, 1990; Gross and Napoli, 1993, Herrington, L. 2000 ). The stance phase of gait (walking and running) is a closed chain lower extremity activity that requires coordinated movement between the proximal and distal joints. The lower limb performs many essential dynamic functions ( Ross et al . , 2 004) ., during the stance phase, that enable the body to be propelled forward during gait. In running, as the velocity increases (compared with waking) and the stance phase decreases, there is a double unsupported phase or flight phase and the double support limb phase vanishes (Enoka, 1988). This seems to reflect to the higher proportion of eccentric and concentric muscle work performed in running (specifically, during downhill running). The kinematics and kinetics of the ankle have been extensively documented in previous studies (Kaelin et al., 1985; McKenzie et al., 1985; Soutas-Little et al., 1987; Nigg and Morlock, 1987; Engsberg and Andrews, 1987; Nigg et al., 1988; Kepple et al., 1990). Although the contribution of the knee angle in human locomotion is important and the knee is susceptible to injuries (over 25% of all running injuries reported by Hamill et al. (1992)), there are few previous studies in this field (i.e. Andriacchi, 1990). Cipriani et al. (1995) was determined the kinematic parameters of hip, knee and ankle and evaluated the muscle adaptations in the gait cycle produced by walking backward on a treadmill at 0, 5, and 10 percent inclination. This is a common tool for lower extremity rehabilitation in the clinical setting. There are a few studies investigating the different kinematic characteristics of the knee angle, in order to identify the causes of muscle damage during level and downhill running (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990). Kinematic adaptations during downhill, uphill and level running were measured by Hamill et al. (1984), using a high speed cine camera. In this study, the reported values for the knee flexion angles at heal strike were 15.27 o and 20.06 o degrees for 9% gradient downhill and level running respectively. Similar values for knee flexion angles were reported by Buczec and Cavanagh (1990), using a similar gradient (8.3%).

The main purpose of this study was to apply a polynomial method (Pigos and Baltzopoulos, 1993) for the measurement of knee joint kinematics during
level and downhill running.

METHOD

Instrumentation

A motorized treadmill (Woodway), capable of operating at different speeds and gradients, was used. Treadmills have been frequently used for kinematic analysis in previous studies (Soutas-Little et al., 1987; Nigg and Morlock, 1987; Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990; Hamill et al., 1992; Iversen and McMahon, 1992) and there is no significant difference to overground running, when the speed is less than 5 m.s -1 (Williams, 1985; Williams et al., 1991). The speed of the treadmill belt (length 3.6 m) was approximately 3 m .s -1 for both the level and downhill running. The selection of this speed was based on speeds used in previous studies (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990; Iversen and McMahon, 1992; van Woensel and Cavanagh, 1992) and was used to facilitate the comparison of the results. During downhill running, the treadmill was elevated up using an iron structure, in order to provide a gradient of 9% similar to those used by Hamill et. al (1984) and Buczek and Cavanagh (1990) (Fig. 1).

Figure one and Figure two
A calibration procedure was performed before both run protocols, using a calibration plane with dimensions 2.1 m wide X 1.1 m high formed by aluminum square tubes (Fig 2). Forty seven markers were mounted on the square tubes throughout the calibration plane. The position of every marker was precisely measured from the lower left marker (origin) of the calibration plane (measurement error 0.5 mm). Four additional square tubes (0.5 m length) were positioned perpendicularly on the calibration plane. The edge points of the square tubes were used to determine the 3-D camera position (camera determination points).

The calibration plane was formed by a prefabricated structure using aluminum square tubes. Forty-seven markers were mounted on the square tubes throughout the calibration plane, but only t hirty calibration points was used for this study . The position of every marker was precisely measured from the lower left marker (origin) of the calibration plane (measurement error £ 0.5 mm). Two additional square tubes (0.5 m length) were positioned perpendicularly on the calibration plane (Fig 2). The edge points of these square tubes were used to determine the 3-D camera position (camera determination points).

The calibration plane was placed between the camera positions and the athlete, so that the athlete was within the calibrated volume throughout the level and downhill running (Fig. 3).

Figure three

 Figure 3. The experimental set up for the level and downhill running.

The calibration plane and subsequently the athlete’s movements were recorded using two S-VHS Panasonic F-15 cameras fitted with WV-LZ14/15E lenses. Once the calibration plane was recorded it was then removed and no additional calibration procedure was performed between the level and downhill running. The cameras were mounted on tripods with no panning possibility and were positioned as illustrated in figure 3.

The angle between the two camera optical axes was approximately 90 0. The synchronization of the shutter in both cameras was achieved using a gen-lock system (WV-AD 36E Panasonic gen-lock adaptor). The speed of the shutters was fixed at 1/500 sec in order to eliminate any blurring and improve image quality.

Two S-VHS Panasonic AG-7330-B video recorders recorded the movement with a frequency of 50 field of view per frame. The same S-VHS recorder, an Intel 82386 based-computer and a developed coded Pascal (version 6) based on the algorithm described by Pigos and Baltzopoulos (1993) (see below in Polynomial method and digitizing procedure”), were used to review and analyze the recorded data.

Subject

One 21 year old female runner (height 1.73 m and body mass 65 Kg), performed the level and downhill running. Explanation of the experimental procedure was given and anthropometric measures (body mass and height) of the subject were taken before running. Skin markers were not attached to the subject. This was based on the results of a previous study by Ronsky and Nigg (1991), who concluded that relative movement can occur between markers attached to the skin, if the base for the marker is not rigid. Moreover, because of relative movement between the skin and the bone, the markers attached to the skin may not precisely describe the movement of the underlying bone and consequently the marker cannot represent accurately the center of rotation of the joint, which must be digitized, throughout the entire movement.

The subject was allowed to familiarize herself with the treadmill and warm up for 2 min before the level and 1 min before the downhill running. Once the subject had achieved the test speed (approximately 3 m.s -1) 30 seconds of the level and downhill running was recorded.

Polynomial method and digitizing procedure

The determination of the 3-D coordinates of the athlete was estimated using the polynomial procedure (Pigos and Baltzopoulos, 1993). The 3-D coordinates of any point are determined as the intersection of the lines formed by the positions of (at least) two cameras and the projections of the point on the calibration plane from the two camera views. The formulation of a first degree polynomial model consists of the following equations:

X p = a 1+a 2x+a 3y (1)

Y p = b 1+b 2x+b 3y (2)

where X p, Y p are the coordinates of the projection of any digitized point on the calibration plane mapped from the 2-dimensional x, y camera image coordinates.

Consequently, three or more calibration points with known X, Y coordinates are required, in order to evaluate the polynomial coefficients a 1..a 3 and b 1..b 3 using the first degree polynomial. Thirty calibration points and two camera determination points (see fig 3) were used, for the estimation of the coordinates of the digitized points. This procedure was performed for each camera. Once the calibration points were digitized (in the video reference system) and stored, the polynomial coefficients in equations (1) and (2) were determined using the closest calibration points of every digitized point. Two complete cycles, one from level and one from downhill running, were digitized. In addition, ten frames before the first footstrike and ten after the last toe-off of the gait cycle, were also digitized to provide a buffer for filtering (Fig 4).

Figure Four

In the analysis procedure, only the kinematic characteristics of the left knee in the stance phase were extensively analyzed, although the entire body was reconstructed. This analysis of the knee was performed to facilitate comparison of the results, using the polynomial method described in Chapter 3, with other published studies (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990; Williams et al., 1991; Hamill, 1992; Iversen and McMahon, 1992; van Woensel and Cavanagh, 1992).

Data analysis – Smoothing procedure

Before the estimation of the kinematic parameters, a filtering procedure was applied to smooth the data and minimize the signal noise (Miller and Nelson 1976; Winter, 1979; Wood, 1982). Different smoothing methods have been reported and implemented in previous studies for the reduction of noise from the raw displacement data (Reinsch, 1967; Reinsch, 1971; Zernicke et al., 1976; McLaughlin et al., 1977; Pezzack et al., 1977; Hatze, 1981; Lanshammar, 1982; Vaughan, 1982; Niinomi et al., 1983; Garhammer and Whiting, 1989). Digital filters are frequently used in kinematic analysis achieving effective reduction of the noise. More specifically, Pezzack et al. (1977) compared angular acceleration signals from an accelerometer with those obtained from synchronized film and concluded that the digital filters reduced effectively the signal noise, reflecting the accurate estimation of the kinematic parameters. Vaughan (1982) assessed the displacement data of a falling ball, using cine cameras and different smoothing methods: Cubic spline, quintic spline and digital filter. In this study the results indicated that although the quintic spline was superior to the other methods, digital filters could produce accurate results. Garhammer and Whiting (1989) compared the five-point moving arc, spline and digital filter methods and concluded that there was no significant difference in the estimation of kinematic parameters, using the above smoothing methods.

The use of digital filters in running applications

Williams and Cavanagh (1983), in a study for the calculation of mechanical power during distance running, used digital filtering with a cutoff frequency of 5 Hz to smooth the 3-D coordinates. Winter (1983) used a digital filter with a cutoff frequency of 8 Hz to smooth the 2-D raw data obtained during running. A digital filter with a cutoff frequency of 7.5 Hz was also used by Buczec and Cavanagh (1990) to filter the digitized data collected from the level and downhill running. Hamill et al. (1992) in the study for the determination of the relationship between the subtalar and knee joint actions, during the support phase of level treadmill running, used digital filters with cutoff frequencies ranging from 8 Hz to 18 Hz. Digital filters and an arbitrary cutoff frequency of 12 Hz were used by Woensal and Cavanagh (1992), to smooth the 3-D reconstructed coordinate of running subjects, using optoelectronics cameras. It is evident that the application of low pass digital filters (Butterworth filters) is an adequate smoothing method for kinematic analysis, extensively implemented in previous running studies. However, the selection of the optimum cutoff frequency remains a significant factor for accurate measurements (Winter, 1979). Winter (1974) reported that for the knee angle (in walking) there are no significant harmonics higher than the 6th (6 Hz). Williams (1993) highlighted that digital filtering frequencies for running kinematic data are typically in the range of 2 to 10 Hz (when a 100 Hz sampling rate is used).

Smoothing procedure

In this study digital filters were used to smooth the raw data. The format of the second order Butterworth digital filter used is the following:

F i = a 0R i + a 1R i-1 + a 2R i-2 + b 1F i-1 + b 2F i-2

where a 0, a 1, a 2 and b 1, b 2 are the filter coefficients which are constant and determined by the ratio of the sampling frequency to cutoff frequency, R i and F i the raw and the filtered data respectively. The algebraic sum of the filter coefficients must be 1 in order to give a response of unity over the pass band. The filtering of data for the second time, but in the reverse direction of time, results in the creation of a fourth-order, zero phase shift filter.

The digital filter was coded in the developed Pascal program and tested using the raw data reported in a previous study (Vaughan, 1982). The criterion for the efficacy of the coded smoothing method was the accurate estimation of the second derivative (acceleration), where the error due to signal noise is high. The cutoff frequency (6 Hz) was that recommended by Vaughan (1982). The second derivative (acceleration) of the movement, with respect to time, was calculated using the mathematical expressions proposed by Miller and Nelson (1976). Forward, central and backward difference formulae were implemented for second derivative of displacement (raw) data using two points on either side of the point to be smoothed:

Graphic od equations

where: X i the acceleration at point x i.

the point x i+1 : the x coordinate of the point one frame before

x i+2 : the x coordinate of the point two frames before

x i-1 : the x coordinate of the point one frame after

x i-2 : the x coordinate of the point two frames after

The results (Fig. 5) indicate that the digital filter is an adequate smoothing method for kinematic data and consequently implemented in the present study.

Figure 5

Figure 5. Determination of a falling ball’s acceleration (Vaughan 1982), using digital filter.

The optimal cutoff frequency of the filter was determined by filtering the data using different cutoff frequencies until the difference between the variance in the raw and the filtered data was minimal (Pezzack et al., 1977). The selected optimal cutoff frequency was 4 Hz.

Kinematic parameters

The angles between the segments were calculated using simple geometric expressions consisting of the direction vectors of the two lines formed by (at least) three non collinear points (Bowyer and Woodwark, 1983)):

 

(4)

Graphic of Equation

where f 1, f 2, g 1, g 2 are the directions of the two lines formed by (at least) three non collinear points (see Chapter 5) and the angle between the two lines.

The first angular derivative (angular velocity) was calculated using the formulae proposed by Miller and Nelson (1976). The mathematical expressions for the forward, central and backward formulae of angular velocity, using two points on either side of the point to be smoothed, are:

Graphic of equations

where: X i the angular velocity of the x i point.

the point x i+1 : the angle one frame before

x i+2 : the angle two frames before

x i-1 : the angle one frame after

x i-2 : the angle two frames after

Figure 6 illustrates the conventions used for the knee angles and angular velocities ( ω ).

Figure six

RESULTS

In order to facilitate comparisons, the values of the angles in the stance phase

are expressed in degrees, whereas the angular velocities are expressed in rad.sec -1 according to the format of the results in the study by Buczek and Cavanagh (1990). The flexion knee angle (stance phase) in the foot strike (FA) was 20.9 o degrees for the level running and 17.4 o for the downhill running (Table 1). The peak knee flexion angle during the stance phase (PFA) was 36.2 o and 43.1 o for the level and downhill running respectively. The time of the peak flexion (TPFA), expressed as a percentage of the total time of the stance phase, was 35.7 % and 50.0 %. The peak flexion angular velocity (PFAV) was 7.1 rad.s -1 and 7.4 rad.s -1 for the level and downhill running respectively. The time of the peak angular velocity (TPFAV) was 14.2 % and 21.4 % of stance phase for the level and downhill running respectively. The knee angle throughout the stance phase is illustrated in figure 7. The difference between the flexion angle during foot strike and the peak flexion angle (ROM) was 15.3 o and 25 o for the level and downhill running respectively.

 

Level Running Downhill running
Flexion angle in foot strike (degrees) 20.9 o 17.4 o
Peak flexion angle (degrees) 36.2 o 43.1 o
Time of the peak flexion angle (percentage of total stance phase) 35.7 % 50 %
Peak flexion angular velocity (rad.s -1) 7.1 7.4
Time of the peak angular velocity 14.2 % 21.4 %
Difference between the flexion angle during foot strike and the peak flexion angle (degrees) 15.3 o 25 o

Table 1. Summary of kinematic analysis during stance phase

Table One

Figure 7. The knee angle throughout the stance phase .

Figure 7

 

 

 

Figure 8

 

Reliability

Although the reliability of the polynomial method implemented in the reconstruction of 3-D coordinates has been examined (Pigos and Baltzopoulos, 1993) using spatial coordinates, a different reliability analysis using angular measurements (FA in footstrike) was also performed. In this examining procedure, ten repeated digitization of a single frame (footstrike) from every camera view were used when the subject performed level running. The low value of the standard deviation (0.89 o) and the coefficient of variation (4.40%) of the angular measurements, indicate that the polynomial method is reliable for the 3-D body segment reconstruction (Fig 8).

DISCUSSION

In this study the knee kinematic parameters during level and downhill running were calculated using the reconstructed 3-D coordinate of the runner joints applying the polynomial method described in Chapter 3. Two and three dimensional studies have examined lower extremity kinematic adaption during level and downhill running. Newham et al. (1988) concluded that the knee extensor muscle group is worked over a greater range during downhill running than in level running. The kinematic analysis of the knee in level and downhill running in previous studies highlighted that FA in level running is higher than in downhill running, with a difference ranging from 3.3 o to 7.6 o (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990). Hamill et al (1984) reported a direct relationship between knee angle at footstrike and the gradient in downhill running. Buczek and Cavanagh (1990) demonstrated that the PFA is higher in downhill running with a difference of 4 o from level running. The PFAV is higher overall, according to previous studies in downhill running, and the difference ranged from 0.6 rad.s -1 to 2.3 rad.s -1 (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990).

The results of the present study indicate that the values of the kinematic parameters determined using the polynomial method, were within the range of the respective values reported in previous studies.

More specifically, the FA at footstrike in level running was similar with the FA of 20.08 o reported by Hamill et al. (1984), higher than 11.2 o reported by Hamill et al. (1991) and lower than 24.6 o reported by Buczek and Cavanagh (1990), whereas the FA in downhill running in the present study was higher than Hamill et al. (1984) (15.3 o) and similar to Buczek and Cavanagh (17.0 o). Based on the results of the present study and previous (Hamill et al. 1984) regarding the higher flexion angle estimated in level running is than in downhill running, could probably be affected to the magnitude of the compression forces applied to knee during downhill running and it one of the issue should be considered from the trainers.

The PFA for level running was similar with the respective values of 35.4 o reported by van Woensel and Cavanagh (1992), but lower than those reported by Buczek and Cavanagh (1990), Williams et al. (1991), Hamill et al. (1991), and Hamill et al. (1992) (43.9 o, 44.5 o, 43.8 and 44.1 o respectively). The PFA for the downhill running was lower than Buczek and Cavanagh (47.9 o). The PFAV was similar with the respective values reported by Hamill et al. (1992), but less than those of Hamill et al. (1984), Buczek and Cavanagh (1990), Williams et al. (1991). The difference between the FA and the PFA (ROM) was similar with the respective ROM in the Buczek and Cavanagh (1990) study. The difference between the FA and the PFA, indicates that the knee extensor muscle group is worked over a greater range during downhill running than in level running and should be considered from the trainers.

A summary of measurement values of left knee kinematic parameters and comparison with other published studies (Hamill et al., 1984; Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990; Williams et al., 1991; Hamill et al., 1991; Hamill et al., 1992; van Woensel and Cavanagh, 1992) are presented in Table 7.1. Motorized treadmills have been used in previous studies.

The variability of kinematic parameters reported in different studies can not provide a criterion for the accurate estimation of the methods. However, the above comparison of the kinematic parameters was considered sufficient to estimate the validity of the polynomial method implemented.

The difference between the kinematic parameters reported in different studies, is due to the variability in the individual running style (Williams, 1993) and body mass between the subjects used (McKenzie et al., 1985), kinematic asymmetries of lower limbs (Holden et al., 1985; Vagenas and Hoshizaki, 1992), different recording (type of cameras and set up) and analysis procedures (two or three dimensional analysis, filtering, cutoff frequency, differentiating expressions and algebraically manipulation of the data).

 

Table 7.1.Summary of knee joint kinematic during stance phase of the present and previous studies. (1: Hamill et al., 1984, 2: Buczek and Cavanagh, 1990, 3: Williams et al., 1991, 4: Hamill et al., 1991, 5: Hamill et al., 1992, 6: van Woensel and Cavanagh, 1992.)

Studies grad% speed m.s -1 FA degrees (±SD) PFA (±SD) degrees TPFA % stance (±SD) PFAV rad.s -1 (±SD) TPFAV % stance (±SD) ROM FA-PFA
Present study 0 3 20.9 36.2 32.1 7.1 14.2 15.3
– 9 3 17.4 43.1 50.0 7.4 21.4 25.7
1 0 3.8 20.1 10.1
– 9 3.8 15.3 12.4
2 0 4.5 24.6 (3.0) 43.9 (3.6) 33.6 (2.4) 7.97 (1.2) 4.3 (1.9) 19.3
– 8.3 4.5 17.0 (4.2) 47.9 (3.3) 40.7 (1.9) 8.57 (0.38) 15.0 (0.0) 30.9
3 0 5.5 44.5
4 0 2.9 11.2 (6.9) 43.8 (5.1) 184 (55) * 32.6
5 0 ** 43.4 44.7 7.1 21.5
6 0 3.8 35.4 (4.1) 90.0 (7.1) * 7.82 (1.46) 30.6 (6.4) *

* The time in these studies was reported in milliseconds and not as % of stance phase. For comparison purposes, the TPFA of the present study was 70 ms for the level and 120 ms for downhill running. The TPFAV was 30 ms and 40 ms respectively.

** The running speed of this study has not been reported.

The results of Cipriani et al. (1995) were not included, because referred to walking procedure and not to running.

In previous studies there is no specification of the analyzed lower limb (left or right). Furthermore, the gradient in downhill running is also reflected in the variability of the kinematic parameters between the studies. The coded developed program for the kinematic analysis of the movement enables the facility for rotation of the movement and view of the image in three different pairs of axes: X – Y, Y – Z and X – Z, with varying interval times between the frames. Thus, a better observation of the image movement can be accomplished. It is important to note that the design of the recording procedure (cameras view point and set up) has not focused in the knee joint, as has been reported in previous studies. Thus, the polynomial method presented is accurate and adequate for the kinematic parameters estimation of any body segment and consequently for the 3-D analysis of the movements.

CONCLUSION

A polynomial method was applied in the 3-D kinematic analysis of the level and downhill running. The comparison of the results, in knee kinematics with previous studies, indicates that the polynomial method is an adequate method for the analysis of the movement. The simplicity and the efficiency of the method in the calibration procedure, compared with previous calibrated methods and the accuracy in the determination of spatial points and angles, render the method suitable for 3-D analysis of movement.

The results indicate that the knee extensor muscle group is worked over a greater range during downhill running than in level running and furthermore, during the foot strike, t he knee flexion angle, in level running is higher than in downhill running, which probably could be affected to the magnitude of the compression forces applied to knee during downhill running

Dr. George Pigos is a graduate of the Physical Education and Sports Science department of the University of Athens, Greece with a specialization in swimming trtaining. He holds a Ph. D in Biomechanics/Kinisiology from the University of Liverpool in England. He is a research assistant at the University of Athens and has worked as a lecturer for seven years at Northumbira University in Newcastle, England. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the International “Sport for All” Federation and was the director of sector timeing, scoring and results for the Athens Organizing Committee for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

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Race, Gender and Sport in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Abstract

This paper focuses on the issues of race and gender in sport in South Africa since Nelson Mandela became president of the government of national unity on 10 May 1994. It examines the legacy of apartheid on sport in South Africa when white male supremacy denied equal opportunities to Blacks, Coloureds, Indians and Women, by the use of segregationist policies and practices in sport. The ability to participate in sport in South Africa has been intrinsically linked to the political history of the country. An examination of the development of sport shows the way legislation was used by the Nationalist Party to create a policy based on discrimination in which black people were denied basic human rights on the basis of skin colour. There were huge racial imbalances in South African sport that were not due to specific sporting legislation, but to government policy, legislative acts and economic conditions. This paper examines how in spite of the post-apartheid policy of racial equality, race relations in South Africa today are such that individuals still have a differential opportunity to participate in sport. Black people continue to live life and participate in sport within a context of unequal race relations. Finally, this paper also examines issues of gender in South Africa in the post-apartheid era, as the development of sport in South Africa has been male dominated reflecting the present gendered nature of South African sport.

The paper is heavily dependent on material gathered during a three week trip to South Africa in December and January 1997/1998, and 10 days in February 2002. In Johannesburg, staff at the University of Witwatersrand were interviewed, and an accompanied visit to Soweto, a conglomeration of townships to the south-west of Johannesburg, took place; the guide provided valuable insights into the life of its inhabitants, and was able to show me the impoverished sports facilities in the communities and schools. I was also able to observe the sports facilities and interview staff at Parktown Boys High School, an elite and exclusive fee paying school in Johannesburg.

Further travel to Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town enabled me to meet with sports administrators and athletes. The squalid living conditions in Guguletu, a massive township outside Cape Town were observed. Living there is a fight for survival. Children who have access to a ball play soccer on the waste ground beside the main road. Health and housing are a greater priority than sport development that is only appropriate to those who are not living in poverty. Interviews with academics, sports administrators, and coaches at the University of the Western Cape, and teachers from schools in the townships were also conducted. At the University of Stellenbosch, the Afrikaner rugby stronghold that has been so important in the history of South African and Afrikaner rugby, academics and coaches were interviewed. Here it was possible to contrast the relative affluence of the white, middle-class South Africans, with the poverty of those living in the townships.

This paper is also based on material collected from a number of official reports, newspapers and magazines, films, videos, and material from the Internet. Before travelling to South Africa a number of people involved with sport in South Africa had been contacted. Interviews were conducted with a sports administrator from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who was also an official with the South African team that participated at the World University Games in 1997. E-mail correspondence was exchanged with South African academics from the University of the Western Cape, one of whom was also involved in many gender sports initiatives in South Africa, and with a member of the ministry of sport. Other semi-structured interviews were held with people on the basis of their involvement with sport, or their knowledge of sport in South Africa.

The Development of Sport in the Post-Apartheid Era

The 1995 Rugby World Cup Final between South Africa and New Zealand was a celebration of the lifting of apartheid. It signalled the emergence of a re-united nation. The massive media attention given to the competition gave South Africa the unique opportunity to show the world that for the duration of the game the nation was united. Francois Piennar, the South African captain 1, insisted that the team learn the words to the new national anthem, “Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika” (God Bless Africa), the Zulu theme song which has long been sung by workers to alleviate stress and boredom while working (Booth, 1998; Miller, 1995; Nauright, 1997). Significantly, President Nelson Mandela decided to wear a Springbok rugby shirt and baseball cap at the pre-game ceremony. Hargreaves (1997) felt that Nelson Mandela brilliantly used the Springbok emblem and transformed it from a symbol of white superiority to one of national unity. This was an unprecedented act by the South African president that drew great acclaim from the predominantly white crowd.

The World Cup Final symbolised the emergence of a new era in South African sport; it was a symbol of a nation united through sport; a single community in which collective interest transcended social differences. The Rugby Union World Cup, and other successes in international sport, have given the impression to the outside world that the transformation of sport in post-apartheid South Africa has been one that has encountered few problems. However, as apartheid policies had been entrenched for many years, its abolition did not just signify the replacement of one system with another. Morris and Hindson (1992) summarise the situation as one where “old elements, ideologies and strategies remain, and social forces committed to the previous order still operate, consciously and unconsciously alongside and clashing with new elements” (p. 52).

The post-apartheid era began while South Africa was suffering an economic recession, so much so that the black population was arguably worse off than during the apartheid period. Inflation was high, over 7 million people were unemployed, and 10 million people lived in shanty towns; 42% of deaths resulted from living in poverty (Tyamzashe, 1993). There was uncontrolled rural-urban migration. South Africa’s economy was dependent on cheap black labour. Indeed, the South African Congress of Trade Unions claimed that apartheid and racial discrimination was based on the quest for profit (Jarvie, 1985). In 1996, the average annual income for Whites was 34,400 South African rands compared to 3,600 for Blacks (Editor, 1996). Almost half of the black population of South Africa lived below the subsistence level. In these conditions all people were vulnerable, but African women, and children were most at risk. For this group, sport was an irrelevance as the end of apartheid had worsened their plight (Hargreaves, 1997).

Most of South Africa’s wealth was controlled by the white population. In short, there were two South Africa’s, one White and rich, one Black and poor. Shifting the economic balance in favour of the black population was therefore an essential part of nation-building in the post-apartheid era. Access to sport in South Africa was determined in part by economic conditions, and it was difficult for the majority of black people especially women to gain access to good sports facilities, most of which were in white areas. The legacy of apartheid had deprived townships of a sports infrastructure, and they remained under-resourced in terms of sports facilities (Hendricks, 1996). This lack of facilities was confirmed by a female teacher from a coloured township in Cape Town who described her school sports facilities as almost minimal. She said,

we had a tarmac area on which we played netball and there was some form of cricket pitch the guys played on; that’s about it except for the patch of grass…the maintenance costs for other sports were too costly and we could not afford that. As for apparatus, we would never have sufficient balls to practice skills.

Clearly the legacy of apartheid adversely affected the ability of certain groups to participate in sport, and until there were changes in the political, social and economic conditions, sport could not develop dramatically, especially for the black population. Hence, there was criticism of money being spent on supporting athletes at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, and sponsoring the bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games (Hargreaves, 1997). Although, ironically, money was spent on improving sports facilities prior to the 2004 Olympic bid, some of which were situated in townships. Hence, the ability to participate in sport has increased in some of these deprived areas.

The transformation of sport in the post-apartheid era cannot be separated from the broader social, economic and political framework. This framework still prioritises Whites and their participation in sport. In this situation, black women have emerged as the most deprived social group (Hargreaves, 1997). The ANC did plan to achieve greater gender equality and encourage women’s empowerment and racial equality. The new Constitution made provision for a Gender Commission, and the ANC committed itself to a “Women’s Charter of Rights and Effective Equality between the Sexes” (Hargreaves, 1997, p. 202). The Charter displayed the anti-racist and anti-sexist philosophy of the new government, and it has been applied to political, social and cultural life, including sport. It is claimed by the government that the provision of sport for disadvantaged communities is a priority, and girls have been targeted as a group in need of special attention. But the development of comprehensive equality between gender and races has been slow, mainly as the allocation of resources remains uneven. By addressing gender inequality, poverty and violence against women, the ANC attempted to make it easier for women to take advantage of the opportunities provided in sport. However, just because all sections of the communities are equal according to the law, it does not follow that there will be equality of opportunity. This was re-iterated by a former member of the Women and Sport South Africa (WASSA) who said,

sport is still seen to be the domain of men. This is still the case irrespective of what the constitution says in relation to equal rights, the men still decide if women can participate in sport or not, and African married women, essentially when she is married needs to be covered. Therefore, you are hardly going to find a Muslim girl swimming in the Olympics unless the family have given her space to do that so the custom overrides the constitution, so we have not made enough sustainable progress since 1994.

According to Hargreaves (1997, p. 198) “there are massive gender inequalities in the sporting structures of the country, and a strong association between sport and masculinity”, and this is because few resources are available for female sports due to the issue of gender being considered less important than race and ethnicity.

Roberts (1991) maintains that there was no strategy for sport in South Africa prior to 1990. Many stadiums and arenas had been constructed, but were mainly located in traditional white areas. During the apartheid years, sport was mainly the domain of the white minority and the rest of the population had been deprived of access to suitable sports facilities (Archer & Boullion, 1982). South African sport reflected the power and privilege of the white population, and the inequalities that existed between males and females in all racial groups. Sport in the white communities was a symbol of white, male, Afrikaner, superiority, and in Indian and Coloured areas, there were fewer resources for sports, most of which were used by men. For Africans, facilities in the townships were impoverished and generally only catered for soccer, and in some cases netball. For many people, sport was an irrelevance. In schools there were limited resources for Indians, Coloureds, and Africans. Poverty, travel problems and patriarchal controls limited female participation in sport (Hargreaves, 1997). A female teacher confirmed the limited resources by saying,

you need transport to go regularly to practice, during the time your family require supper, you need a uniform, the kids have to get their homework done; women are economically dependent on their husbands, if he says no, you cannot participate. Look at our high incidence of rape in the townships and few have cars; violence on women is increasing, so we need to understand the way personal circumstances impact on our ability to participate in sport. Women do not always have the choice, they do not have the choice either because of culture, or because of gender stereotyping, public transport and violence against women. Interpreted that women are not interested is ridiculous, so until we realise the environmental circumstances that limit women’s ability to participate…we need to change this before it can happen. So we need to get more women involved; we need more space, creche’s; we need to help them to make space, and we need a safer environment.

So, although funds were available to encourage participation in African townships, there was little encouragement for girls’ sports. The United Kingdom/South Africa sports initiative, for example, focused on traditional male sports and more recent initiatives, such as the Proteas Mmuso Sport Education Programme and facility management, do little to equalise opportunities for girls (Coghlan, 1990).

The return of South Africa to the international sporting arena immediately posed questions for the national organisations regarding the selection of national teams. The vast majority of elite athletes were still white and male and this would continue; white males had a pre-eminence which militated against women’s participation. The National Sports Congress (NSC) argued that the token inclusion of an unqualified black athlete, male or female, in an international team would be an insulting gesture. Interestingly, Booth commented that the selection of Chester Williams, a black player, for the South African rugby team was a classic example of a token black player, who because of the opportunity provided, developed into an international player (Booth, 1995). It is interesting to note that Williams was the product of a “privileged” upbringing and was not brought up in a township (Stoflie, 1996). But selection is problematic at national and provincial level. For example, the selection process for annual men’s Super 12 rugby competition which is contested by four teams from each of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, highlights selection problems in both male and female sport in South Africa. The South African rugby authorities stipulated that the South African teams should include a minimum of two black players. The South African Rugby Union coaches complied with this rule by only selecting the bare minimum for the 2002 competition leading to allegations of racial prejudice. This action resulted in several talented players including two who had already represented the South African Springboks, not being selected (Editor, 2002). As one black South African sports official informed me,

black South African rugby players are not being given the chance for representative rugby and there is still racial prejudice in the rugby organisations; you are always hearing about why black players are not included in representative teams;the players are always too young, too inexperienced, or too light. What we are saying is that if there are two players of about equal ability, then select the black one.

Criticism of the system of merit selection was highlighted by the selection of the Table Tennis team for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when Cheryl Roberts, a non-white player, was chosen in preference to a white player, Surita Odendaal, who had regularly beaten Roberts. However, due to Roberts’ credentials as a coach to the under-privileged, it was thought that she would be an ideal role-model for young black players so she was selected (Miller, 1992). A member of the Ministry of Sport informed me,

the answer is simply that merit is the only criteria for the selection of national teams. The Minister has, however, urged national federations to ensure that their teams reflect the demographics of South African society to race. What this means, therefore, is that federations should make a concerted effort to ensure sufficient numbers of black players are developed to such an extent that they can be selected into national teams on merit. In some instances national federations have signed performance agreements with the Minister in which they have undertaken to reach specific representative targets within specific timeframes. (I don’t see this as quotas).

There were further problems for South Africa during this period. The international tours that have taken place since South Africa’s return to international sporting competition have arguably been representative only of White South Africa. Many apartheid symbols remained, most notably the “Springbok” emblem worn by sports people representing South Africa. Indeed, South African teams are frequently referred to as the “Springboks,” a name synonymous with Afrikaner nationalism. For the white population the “Springbok” emblem is an indication of cultural identity and signified their power during the apartheid years (Booth, 1998). In August 1992, South Africa played its first international rugby match in the post-apartheid era against New Zealand. For white South Africans the match was significant as it provided them with a stage to illustrate their animosity to the new government. The NSC had declared that the South African team were not to use the “Springbok” emblem, and that it was to be replaced by the “Protea” (the national flower of South Africa). The South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) defiantly refused to cooperate and wore the “Springbok” emblem on its shirt (Retief, 1996). Booth (1998, p. 210) has maintained that,

in South Africa the symbols of representative teams, especially rugby have continued to divide rather than nationalise blacks and whites. As part of its policy of reconciliation the ANC accepted the Springbok emblem in rugby. It was a bold move and one fraught with danger. For three-quarters of a century the Springbok signified Afrikaner nationalism, racial division, and white exclusiveness and superiority. Instead of abandoning traditional rugby supporters, the ANC has attempted to confer the emblem an alternate set of values, but in doing so the ANC has offended both the conservative whites and its black constituency. The decision to reprieve the Springbok is a classic illustration of the problems confronting states as they attempt to nationalise diverse peoples.

For some, the acceptance of the Springbok emblem in rugby by ANC leader Nelson Mandela was perceived as a sign of weakness, yet he and the ANC insisted that the emblem could serve as a representation of reconciliation (Du Preez, 1996). At the rugby match at Ellis Park, Johannesburg (itself an icon of white South Africa), thousands of apartheid flags were waved and the white national anthem “Die Stem” was played. It might be argued that the actions of the white crowd constituted a fight to reinforce its dominant social structure, a structure under threat. However, the existing white symbols had not been officially replaced, which publicly and officially vindicated the actions of the crowd. There is little doubt that many Whites felt that their power had been undermined, and were experiencing difficulties in coming to terms with a post-apartheid South Africa. This was a defiant, defeated gesture; Nauright (1996) felt that the Whites were creating a “security blanket” in an attempt to maintain their former lifestyles and cultural practices.

A New National Sports Policy

For sport in South Africa to make the successful transition into the post-apartheid era, there was a need to unify the sports structure and formulate a national sports policy (Craig & Rees, 1994). Over several years the NSC played a central role in this process. The NSC had played a prominent part in negotiations with various international bodies such as the IOC and the International Athletics Federation (IAAF), and provided a ‘gateway’ for South Africa to return to international competition. The NSC 2 emerged as the body to oversee the unification and development of sport in the new South Africa. Its immediate objectives included co-ordinating sports activities on behalf of, and in support of, the national federations, developing mass and elite sport and making sport accessible to all communities (Booth, 1998).

In November 1993, a national conference entitled the “Vision for Sport” conference was held and was to prove to be a milestone for the future of sport in South Africa. The conference was a gathering of national and regional representatives of the NSC, as well as officials from Great Britain and Australia. The conference initiated several plans that laid the foundations for mass participation and the development of elite sport. To increase participation, South Africa adopted a programme similar to the pyramid structure of sport implemented by Cuba. This structure designated four layers, “foundation”, “participation”, “performance” and “excellence”. At the core of the pyramid emerged a scheme called “Protea Sport”. “Protea Sport” was (and is) an integrated programme catering for young children at the base of the structure to national sports stars at the apex. The system also allows for the development and empowerment of sports administrators, coaches and technical officers through conferences, workshops and accreditation schemes (Nqwenya, 1993). The conference also proposed that a National Academy of Sport should be established based on the Australian model, so an officer from the Australian Sports Commission was seconded to assist with its development. The Academy would particularly aim to identify and develop athletes with elite potential. In order to cater for South Africa’s widely distributed population regional centres of excellence were also established, and it was also suggested that 40 per cent of the selected squads at the academies should be black athletes (NSC, 1993).

The “Vision for Sport” conference also provided impetus for the establishment of the Government Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) on 1st July 1994, an occasion that illustrated the government’s pledge that sport could play a prominent role in the process of nation building. The newly formed Department published the paper, “Getting the Nation to Play”, which detailed a five-year plan that would provide all communities with basic sport and recreation facilities. The plan incorporated the Protea Sports Programme and the Academy of Sport (Department of Sport and Recreation, 1995).

The Department was also an important avenue for funding and has financed the construction of multi-purpose sports facilities throughout the country. The funding policy of the Department has attempted to start to redress the inequalities created in the apartheid-era by developing “sport for all” schemes, and has initiated criteria to ensure financial assistance to those associations which require it the most. However, while the sports policies at national level have become unified, the unification at the provincial level, is still undeveloped (Skosana, 1996). Opportunities in townships to participate in sport need to be developed, and in order to redress the imbalances several regional DSR’s such as in the Western Cape have produced “Rainbow Papers” whose findings aim to tackle disparities in sport (Jones, 1998a). The foundations and the plans have been laid and now need to be implemented, although economic conditions will be a major factor in their success or failure. Certainly, the DSR and the regional departments envisage sport as an important element in the nation-building process, one which may simultaneously help to counter some of the problems associated with poor living standards such as crime and drugs (Katzenellenbogen, 1996).

Local government in particular needs to work with the sports federations to help make community sport a reality. According to the ANC sport should be a right, not a privilege, and subsequently the DSR has worked in conjunction with the Education Departments to ensure that more school children are active in sport or recreational activities (ANC, 1992). During apartheid, schools catering for the privileged, mainly white children, provided an excellent “nursery” for major sports such as rugby union and cricket, and the structures of privilege remain. As a lecturer involved in the professional preparation of teachers informed me, “a form of physical education and sport is alive and well at many of the former white and coloured schools”. However, in the vast majority of schools for black and coloured pupils there is a distinct lack of facilities, and physical education is not part of the curriculum (Fredericks, 1996).

In order to address this issue, the United Schools Sports Association of South Africa (USSASA) was founded in 1993 to install sport structures in schools without them, and to identify and nurture talented athletes. However, personal observation suggests that schools in townships are still being built without indoor sports facilities, and at best there might be a space for a football field and occasionally a netball court. As a lecturer informed me,

despite all these major changes in the status and character of physical education, very little has changed in the former black schools, although many organisations are offering physical activities in the townships. So a lot is happening and yet not much has changed regarding the status and presence of physical education in schools. It has very little to do with whether you are a boy or girl, it has everything to do with which school you are at. Those locked into the cycle of poverty will continue to attend schools closer to their homes, and for them little has changed, classes are still huge (between 60-80), and the physical education period will be sacrificed for Mathsor Science. The status and presence of physical education is also linked to whether the school chooses to employ someone for that position.

There is still inequality of opportunity in sports participation between Whites and non-Whites, and males and females in South Africa. Roberts (1995) cited in Hargreaves (2000, p. 200), for example, maintains that South African sport is “gender biased, male dominated and sexist”. She supports this assertion by saying that most leadership positions are held by men at national, regional and local levels. The Sports Minister is a man and the NSC is mainly controlled by men. The general absence of women in decision-making positions reflects deep-seated power imbalances between men and women in South African sport. As Burnett (2001, p. 7) notes,

women’s under-representation as athletes and decision makers in national teams and national Sports Federations is mirrored by their absence in sports development projects (the United Kingdom-South Africa Sports Initiative), and their marginalisation as presenters of sports development in schools (Protea Sports Programme) despite individuals perceptions of personal empowerment.

There was the potential to radicalise the gendered nature of sport, but it was not easy as funds from the NSC are limited, and co-ordinating a gender policy throughout the country was complex and difficult. Hargreaves (1997, p. 199) feels that the opportunity to radicalise gender relations and attitudes in South Africa has, in part, been lost, and that now, “Westernised gender relations of power are firmly established”. Further, the legacy of apartheid limits the opportunities for many Blacks to participate in sport, and in particular it deprives township women of sports infrastructures, so that they remain under-privileged and under-resourced. As Burnett (2001, p. 7) further notes,

legislation and policy cannot eradicate deeply rooted discriminatory practices and male hegemonic strongholds, yet the government and women’s groups can do much to politicise women’s sports and to transform sports culture and society to become proactive in placing women and physical culture (including sport and recreation) on the agenda for change.

The focus on gender in sport is a fairly recent occurrence. For example, the Women and Sports South Africa structures (WASSA) were only established in 1997; the National Advisory Council for Women and Sport was finalised in November 1997. These national sports structures for women have now been defined and the government has committed itself to support women’s equality with men in sport and recreation. The issue of under-representation of women in international sports events is also being addressed. In 1997, workshops were held in every province, culminating in the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Steve Tshwete, launching the Women and Sport South Africa (WASSA) National Steering Council. This Council reports to the minister to ensure greater gender equity in sport, and recreation. A former member of WASSA informed me that it was comprised of volunteers who acted in an advisory capacity, initiated projects, co-ordinated projects and distributed information. However, she went on to say, “WASSA hardly functions now as many of the original members have ceased to continue and replacements have not been forthcoming”.

At the moment the reality is that women are under-represented in sport, and black women are the least involved at all levels of the sports system (Jones, 1998b). As I was informed,

no doubt more women are participating, no doubt more women are aware of their right to participate, no doubt more women are involved in organised sport, and more women are involved in decision making. Women have gained a lot, but they have also lost too much, and should have held on to what they have gained. We need two women on every committee, now there is usually just one, and one can be manipulated to adopt a male opinion. 

Conclusion

Apartheid policies divided the nation, and in relation to sport this resulted in the majority of the population being deprived of opportunities and access to facilities. The size of the task to eradicate these disparities was immense, and consequently it was inevitable that there would be problems. The NSC has attempted to confront the issues, and despite economic problems is attempting to promote equality of opportunity in sport. The NSC and its affiliates have held two “Vision for Sport” conferences which have attempted to address the issues and propose possible solutions for the future of South African sport. But more needs to be done. For example, important initiatives have been implemented at the Gender Equity Unit at the University of the Western Cape; a Women’s Studies Winter School has been organised, and a report entitled “Moving towards Gender Equity in Sport and Other Physical Activities” has been published (Jones, 1998b; Ravele, 1996).

Internal power problems between organisations still need to be resolved for South African sport to develop. For example, there have been differences of opinion between the major sporting bodies, such as NSC and the NOCSA, since their establishment. A major disagreement was caused by the “war of words” that ensued over which body should take control of the management of the 1998 Commonwealth Games team to Kuala Lumpur (Smit, 1994). Both bodies claimed the right, and the situation was only resolved with intervention from the Minister of Sport, who announced that a new independent Commonwealth Games Committee would be formed. Further, the Minister announced that a new single body to administer sport was to be established which would streamline the present system, thus allowing NOCSA to concentrate on elite participation and Olympic-related matters, and the NSC to administer sport at the grassroots level.

The question as to whether “sport for all” can be a reality is one that remains unanswered. There is little doubt that steps are being taken to redress the inequalities created by apartheid, but it is doubtful if the development of sport can be a major priority for the South African government at the present time. There may also be political consequences following Nelson Mandela’s retirement from office in 1999, which will affect the development of sport. Mandela has been a unifying figure during the transformation process and his influence has been immense. While it is not within the parameters of this paper to elaborate on the political implications of his retirement, it has been suggested that South Africa is in for a long period of single party domination (Welsh, 1996). With South Africa’s political future uncertain, it is perhaps premature to make predictions or assumptions regarding the development of sport.

We do know that facilities are improving; programmes have been set in motion, and the nation has made an impact on the international stage in many sports. Taking into account the years of isolation, it is easy to be pessimistic about whether “sport for all” can become a reality for the majority of South Africans when it is analysed within the broader socio-economic and political framework. But we do know that already there have been some remarkable achievements. Concerted efforts are constantly being made in an attempt to make sport accessible to the majority. Yet the reality is that it could be many years before this is achieved, and for a South African team to truly reflect its “rainbow nation”.

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  24. Nauright, J. (1997). Sport, cultures and identities in South Africa. Leicester: Leicester University Press.
  25. Nqwenya, Q. (1993, November). Protea sport: An overview. Paper presented at the Vision for Sport Conference. Johannesburg, South Africa.
  26. N.S.C. (1993, November). Academies of sport in South Africa: A discussion paper. Paper presented at the Vision for Sport Conference. Johannesburg, South Africa.
  27. Ravele, N. (1999). Women and sport South Africa (WASSA). The Women Sport International Newsletter, 6.
  28. Retief, D. (1996, March 31). The Times, p. 23.
  29. Roberts, C. (1991). Reconstruction of South African sport: From sports activism to post-apartheid policy planning and implementation. Cape Town: Township Publishing Co.
  30. Skosana, P. (1996, November). The role of provincial government. Paper presented at the Vision for Sport Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa.
  31. Stoflie, M. A. (1996, November). The RDP and sport. Paper presented at the Vision for Sport Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa.
  32. Smit, M. (1994, December 4). Olympic boss Ramsamy adament over quitting NSC. Business Day. Retrieved from http://www.bday.co.za/96/1204/sport/s2.
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  34. Welsh, D. (1996). Testing time for the ANC government. Pretoria: Department of Public Relations.
2016-10-12T14:48:21-05:00September 8th, 2005|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Facilities, Sports Management, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology, Women and Sports|Comments Off on Race, Gender and Sport in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Sponsorship Management: A Status Report

ABSTRACT

Based on the experiences and knowledge of a sport marketing university professor and the CEO of a sport marketing firm, this paper provides a hands-on status report on sponsorship management. It provides a contemporary view of sponsorship theory and practice in an effort to provide readers with a view on sponsorship as it functions both in terms of its use by practitioners and its significance in management theory.

Introduction to Sponsorship

Sponsorship, a relatively recent promotional tactic is where a “corporation [or other investor] creates a link with an outside issue or event, hoping to influence the audience by the connection” (Rifon, Choi, Trimble & Li, 2004). This ‘link’ or ‘association’ with a specific property (known as the ‘sponsee’) is the key in differentiating sponsorship from other promotional strategies, as it enables the investor (known as the ‘sponsor’) to not only receive the related promotional benefits (TV/print exposure, branding opportunity, etc.) but to be associated, in the minds of consumers, with the sponsee. For example, Lachowetz & Irwin (2003), in their survey of 500 spectators at the 2000 FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament, found evidence suggesting that spectator response to the sponsor (FedEx) is influenced by their affinity for the cause which the tournament benefits (St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital).

In terms of industry size, global investment in sponsorship has progressed from approximately US$500 million in 1982 (Kuzma & Shanklin, 1994) to US$24.4 billion in 2002 (Kolah, 2003) to an estimated US$28 billion in 2004 (IEG, 2004). This torrid and recent growth is forecasted to continue into the future (Kolah, 2003). In terms of its contribution to promotional spending, sponsorship has increased in importance from 2.5% in 1987 to an estimated 5.8% in 2001 (IEG, 2000) suggesting that sponsorship has become an integral part of the promotional mix. A number of academic studies (i.e. Cunningham and Taylor, 1995; Meenaghan, 1991) support this

In a similar fashion to the American Marketing Association’s recent update of its widely-accepted definition of marketing to focus on relationships, sponsorship is viewed in current management thinking as a relationship. Akin to other promotional strategies, sponsorship also enables a sponsor to efficiently reach its target market (e.g. Rodgers, 2003), making sponsorship important to sponsors, sponsees and affiliated entities such as a benefiting charity, a sponsorship sales agent, an event manager or a facility provider. Its importance stems from a few major factors. First, a major challenge in developing advertising strategies involves navigating the increasingly cluttered advertising space that exists today (Arthur, 1998). Faced with the challenge of this clutter, it is no longer enough for many organizations to promote themselves through advertising alone and sponsorship may provide an efficient way by which to differentiate a sponsor from its competitors (Fahy et al., 2004; Amis, Slack & Berrett, 1999). Second, evidence of the attractiveness of sponsorship relative to other promotional tools is demonstrated by sponsors who have supported their initial sponsorship investment with additional funds to leverage that investment. Leveraging, used in this context, refers to strategies that the sponsor funds and implements to increase the effectiveness of the sponsorship. These techniques are varied and include such things as the title sponsor of a televised event developing commercials and paying for their diffusion leading up to, during, and following the event. Reebok, for example, recently increased its annual budget to leverage its sponsorship investments to US$12.6 million (Kolah, 2003), which means that the organization spends over $12 million annually to leverage its sponsorship investments.

Mandate

The objective of this paper is to position and support sponsorship as a promotional activity from the planning stages through to its activation. It will be shown to be distinct from other promotional strategies (e.g. advertising, public relations, and sales promotions) and to be distinct from philanthropy including capital campaigns (major gifts). Philanthropy refers here to any fund-raising effort that seeks donations (i.e. a gift of a contribution where the donor requires nothing in return). Further, the need for both sponsors and sponsees to incorporate sponsorship-specific initiatives and resources into their promotional budgets will be demonstrated. In order to accomplish this mandate, the authors will draw on their own experiences, knowledge and research.

It is the authors’ hope that this paper will demonstrate to the decision-makers in organizations (both sponsors and sponsees) that sponsorship is not a form of corporate donation but a two-way marketing relationship where cash or in-kind resources are exchanged for promotional value. For the sponsorship relationship to be successful, the sponsorship must be properly leveraged by the sponsor and serviced by the sponsee, with an accompanying leveraging program. By means of contrast, major gifts are not recognized as providing promotional value as evidenced in the reasons in the elements of attraction of gift giving (Martinis, 2005), inferring that they are not sponsorship.

The white paper is organized in four sub-sections. First, a brief description of sponsorship and its nuances is described, with particular emphasis on current sponsorship practice. Second, a brief review of current management theory will be presented to support sponsorship’s position in management practice. Included in this section will be a short review of the sponsorship industry. Third, supporting evidence from the authors’ professional experiences will be provided. Finally, a summary paragraph will present the authors’ concluding policy statement.

Sponsorship Practice

In contemporary business practice, corporations invest in sponsorship; they no longer have the excess marketing funds or open leeway to simply undertake goodwill gestures. This evolution and maturation of sponsorship into a key strategic element of the marketing mix has led to a high level of practitioner need for cost-effective, accurate and reliable sponsorship evaluation methodologies as the greatest challenge facing practitioners is clearly the demonstration of sponsorship effectiveness. In response to this need, researchers are working to fill that gap.

As corporations (sponsors) and their agencies spend more time analyzing and assessing the business performance of their sponsorship investments and related leveraging activities, the properties (sponsees) they work with must be prepared to respond by effectively servicing the sponsorship. This response is being demanded in terms of increased media value, stronger integration of the sponsor’s brands with the property, and via more highly leveraged activation programs. It has become clear that, in order to insure the long-term success of the overall sponsorship, the sponsee must properly service the current needs of the sponsor by ensuring that its internal sponsorship management resources are appropriately structured. Such structure needs to include units within the organization that specialize in sponsorship sales, sponsorship activation and sponsor servicing. If the sponsee is to continue to generate the resources (cash and/or in-kind products/services) and brand association that comes with successful long-term sponsorship relationships, all three of these units must be in place.

The demands placed on a property’s sponsorship sales department are driving them to become even more integrated with the other functions in the organization. This has become even more pronounced as sponsors move from simply buying an affiliation or media spots through a property and are now interested in creating brand activations. The concept of brand activation is defined as consumer connectivity, and therefore the sponsorship program needs to be integrated with the departments that most touch the consumer.

Global Sponsorship Values (Source: IEG, 2003)

Territory Predictions for sponsorship in 2003 (US$ billions) Percentage growth (over 2002)
North America $10.5 9.1%
Central and South America $2.2 4.8%
Europe $7.4 4.2%
Pacific Rim $4.7 9.3%
Other $1.4 7.6%

Of specific note within these stats is sponsorship’s contribution to global promotional spending, which has increased in importance from 2.5% in 1987 to an estimated 5.8% in 2001 (IEG, 2000). This suggests that sponsorship has become an integral part of the promotional mix and is supported by a number of studies (e.g. Meenaghan, 1991). In practice, sponsorship has clearly become an important revenue source for sponsees and a valuable promotional strategy to sponsors in many industries. The literature now positions sponsorship to be completely different that other promotional strategies given three main points of difference: (i) that sponsors are believed by consumers to be ‘part of the program’ [due to the association effect], (ii) that sponsorship and advertising function differently [i.e. the process by which the promotion is communicated], and (iii) that sponsorship is believed by consumers to benefit a broader audience.

Examples from Practice

The authors deal on a professional basis across Canada with a wide range of properties (sponsees) in terms of program type, scale, and mandate. These properties include:

  • National Capital Commission (NCC) – The NCC is a crown corporation of the Government of Canada founded to act as the steward of various lands and buildings owned by the Government of Canada in the National Capital Region (Ottawa, Ontario). A variety of sporting events are held on NCC property.
  • Toronto Parks & Recreation (TPR) – TPR is the branch of the City of Toronto responsible for all the parks and recreation activities in Canada’s largest city. A variety of sporting events and activities take place on TPR property.
  • Tennis Canada (Montreal & Toronto) – Tennis Canada is the National Sport Organization responsible for the sport of tennis in Canada.
  • Halifax Dartmouth Canada Day Committee – This Committee is responsible for all Canada Day celebrations and activities, including several sporting events, that take place on Canada Day (July 1 st) in the Nova Scotia’s largest city.
  • Canadian Football League (CFL) – The CFL is Canada’s NFL. It is a professional football league with 9 teams who play a full season each fall leading to the awarding of the Grey Cup.
  • Telus Ski & Snowboard Festival (Whistler) – This Festival is an annual event that draws skiers and snowboarders to Whistler, BC for a variety of related events and activities.

Each of these properties work with many of the largest and most powerful sponsoring corporations in the country and all are seeing substantial growth in their sponsorship portfolios. At the same time, these properties are coming under increased pressure to provide ROI for their sponsors. This strongly supports the mandate of this article.

In our dealings with these organizations we are seeing three notable shifts in their approach to sponsorship management, where organizations involved in sponsorship are expressing the following.

  • They are emphasizing the selling of sponsorship inventory on a more consultative packaging approach. A consultative packaging approach here refers to the fact that the sponsorship exchange is becoming more sophisticated and both sponsors and sponsees are providing and demanding more than just cash/product or promotional value in the relationship. They are interested in brand, associations and long-term effects.
  • They are exhibiting significant advancements in their in-house sponsorship expertise and the professionalism and specific-skill-sets of the personnel in their sponsorship departments.
  • They are providing more opportunities to both their agents and their sponsees to integrate the sponsor’s activation with event programming and marketing (i.e. additional leveraging activities).

SUMMERY

Both management theory and the authors’ professional experiences point to the need for sponsee’s to be properly structured in order to deal with corporate sponsors who view their investment as a marketing relationship not a donation. Being structured as such, will allow the sponsee to fulfil the needs of their sponsor and work towards developing successful long-term relationships with sponsors that will provide the resources they need, as well as improve their brand via the association.

REFERENCES

  1. Amis, J., Slack, T. and Berrett, T. (1999). “Sport sponsorship as a distinctive competence”, European Journal of Marketing, 33(3/4), 250-272.
  2. Arthur, D., Scott, D., Woods, T., and Booker, R. (1998). “Sport Sponsorship Should… A Process Model for the Effective Implementation and Management of Sport Sponsorship Programs”, Sport Marketing Quarterly, 7(4), 49-60.
  3. Cunningham, W.H. and Taylor, S.F. (1995). “Event Marketing: State of the industry and research agenda”, Festival Management & Event Tourism, 2, 123-137.
  4. Fahy, J., Farrelly, F. and Quester, P. (2004). “Competitive advantage through sponsorship: A conceptual model and research propositions”, European Journal of Marketing, 38 (8), 1013-1030.
  5. Kolah, A. (2003). Maximizing the Value of Sponsorship. Sport Business Group Limited Publication.
  6. Kuzma, J. R. & Shanklin, W. L. (1994). Corporate sponsorship: An application for analysis. In Graham, P. J. (Ed.), Sport business, operational and theoretical aspects. Madison, Wisconsin: Brown and Benchmark.
  7. Lachowetz, Tony and Richard Irwin (2002), “FedEx and the St. Jude Classic: An Application of a Cause-Related Marketing Program (CRMP)”, Sport Marketing Quarterly, 11(2), 114-118.
  8. Martinis, Robert. “How Do I Pinpoint the Major Gift Key Element of Attraction?”, www.nonprofit.org; downloaded February 2005
  9. Meenaghan, T. (1991). “Sponsorship – Legitimising the medium”, European journal of marketing, 25(11), 5 – 10.
  10. Rifon, N.J., Choi, S.M., Trimble, C.S., and Li, H. (2004). “Congruence Effects in Sponsorship”, Journal of Advertising, 33(1), 29-42.
  11. Rodgers, Shelly (2003), “The Effects of Sponsor Relevance on Consumer Reactions to Internet Sponsorships,” Journal of Advertising, 32 (4), 66-76.
  12. 6 The American Marketing Association’s new definition is “marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders” (AMA, 2004).
  13. Only a sample of the authors’ knowledge base is presented. For further supporting case studies and empirical research, email mark.harrison@trojanone.com or noreilly@ryerson.ca.

2015-03-24T10:51:16-05:00September 7th, 2005|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Facilities, Sports Management|Comments Off on Sponsorship Management: A Status Report

Playing with the Percentages When Trailing by Two Touchdowns

Abstract

It is relatively common for football teams to find themselves down by two touchdowns late in the game. If they score a first touchdown then coaching folklore says that the team should go for the extra point at that time. In this paper I will show that this strategy, which appears to be universally used in both the NFL and the NCAA, is incorrect, and that going for the two-point conversion after the first touchdown is nearly always significantly better. I will also show that going for the extra point after the first touchdown is only correct if either the coaches believe that they have about a two thirds chance of winning in overtime (which seems rash after a tied game when the result of the coin toss is still obviously not known) or if they believe that their chances of making a two-point conversion are far below national averages.

Introduction

On September 10 th, 2005, the University of Michigan football team was trailing by 14 points when they scored a touchdown with 3:47 left in their game against Notre Dame. Their coach decided to kick an extra point to get within seven points. Even though this strategy is followed in the NCAA and the NFL almost without exception, it is, in general, incorrect. In this paper I will show that the correct strategy in this situation is to immediately attempt the two-point conversion.

When their team is down by 14 points late in the game, NCAA and NFL coaches must base their strategy on the assumption that they will score two touchdowns while holding their opponents scoreless. When they score the touchdowns they have three choices of strategy that they can use:

Go for two first: Under this strategy the team attempts a two-point conversion when they score the first touchdown. If it succeeds then they go for the extra point after the second touchdown in an attempt to win the game. If the first one fails, which happens on average about 57% of the time, then they attempt another two-point conversion after the second field goal in an attempt to go into overtime. Although this strategy is apparently never used in professional or college games, and isn’t intuitively very good, I will show that it is clearly the best approach to take, based on well known probabilities for extra point and two-point conversion success rates.

Go for one both times: The commonly used strategy is to attempt the extra point after both of the touchdowns, playing to go into overtime. If the first extra point misses, which happens on average about 6% of the time, then the backup plan is to go for the two-point conversion after the second touchdown. Although this strategy is almost uniformly used, I will show that it is very inferior to the “go for two first” strategy.

Go for one then two: Under this strategy the team attempts the extra point after the first touchdown and then a two-point conversion after the second. This strategy is sometimes used when the coaching staff believes that their team is unlikely to win in the overtime and so they should go for the win now. As an example of this (Mallory & Nehlan, 2004) discuss, without criticism, a game where Bowling Green used this strategy to beat Northwestern in 2001. However I will show that it can never be as good as the “go for two first” strategy, and so it should never be used.

A fourth possible strategy, “go for two both times,” makes no sense logically or mathematically, unless the team’s extra point special team is so terrible that its chance for success is less than the chance for making a two-point conversion, and so I will ignore it here.

In summary, I will show that the “go for two first” strategy is considerably better than the commonly used “go for one both times” strategy, and that the “go for one then two” strategy should never be used.

Assumptions

The NCAA and the NFL have similar statistics for the success rate of two-point conversions and extra points. In the NFL the figures are 43% for the two-point conversion and 94% for the extra point, while in the NCAA the figures are 43.5% and 93.8% (Mallory & Nehlan, 2004). I’ll use the 43% and 94% figures for most examples in this paper, and will also develop the general formulas to show when the “go for two first” strategy is best. I’ll assume initially that the two sides have equal chances of winning the overtime, and will then extend the analysis to consider the more general case of what to do if, for example, the coaching staff believes that they have a higher or lower chance of winning in the overtime.

Mathematical Justification for the “Go for Two First” Strategy

I’ll assume a minimal level of probability knowledge for the rest of this paper. In particular I will assume that if there are two independent events like attempting a two-point conversion after one touchdown and then an extra point after another touchdown then the probability of both succeeding is the product of their probabilities. E.g., if the two-point conversion has a 43% chance of succeeding, and the extra point has 94%, then these will be assigned probabilities of 0.43 and 0.94, respectively, and the probability of both succeeding is 0.43 × 0.94, which is 0.4042, which using percentages is 40.42%.

The Average Case

Initially I’ll just look at the average case where the percentages for the two-point conversion and the extra point are 43% and 94%, respectively, (and so the percentages for failing on the two-point conversion and missing the extra point are 57% and 6%, respectively), and where the teams are equally likely to win if the game goes into overtime. Then I’ll generalize the mathematics to other percentages.

Under the “go for two first” strategy the team will score three additional points (i.e. in addition to the twelve points for the two touchdowns) if they get the two-point conversion and the subsequent extra point, two additional points when either they miss the first two-point attempt and hit the second or when they make the two-point attempt but miss the extra point, or no additional points if they miss both two point attempts. One additional point cannot occur under this strategy. The probability of three additional points, which will win the game, is 0.43 × 0.94 (making the two-point and then the conversion), which is 0.4042. The probability of two additional points (making the two-point and missing the extra point or missing the first two-point but getting the second) is 0.43 × 0.06 + 0.57 × 0.43, which is 0.0258 + 0.2451, which is 0.2709, which will send the game into overtime. The probability of zero additional points, which will lead to a loss, comes from missing both two-point attempts, which is 0.57 X 0.57, which is 0.3249. So there is a 0.4042 chance of winning outright plus a 50% chance of winning the overtime, which adds half of .2709, for a total winning percentage of 0.540.

The “go for one both times” strategy requires hitting both extra points, which has a probability of 0.94 × 0.94, which is 0.8836, or missing the first one and then attempting the two-point conversion which has a probability of 0.06 × 0.43 for an additional 0.0258, and then assuming a 50% chance of winning the overtime gives this strategy a winning probability of half of 0.9094, for a winning percentage of 0.455.

The “go for one then two” strategy is the worst. It succeeds and wins the game when both succeed with probability 0.43 × 0.94, which is 0.4042, and ties and goes into overtime if the extra point is missed but the two-point conversion succeeds, which will add half of 0.06 × 0.43, for another 0.0129 and for a total winning probability of 0.417.

In summary, the chances of winning under the three strategies, assuming an even chance in an overtime, 43% for two-point conversions, and 94% for extra points (the NFL average statistics), and assuming that you get two touchdowns without the opponents scoring, are shown in the table below:

Strategy Percentage of winningin average case
Go for two first 54.0%
Go for one both times 45.5%
Go for one then two 41.7%

Clearly the proposed strategy, even though it is not commonly used, is by far the best strategy to take in this average case.

The General Case

Let’s assume that for your team you estimate that you have a probability x of making a two-point conversion, y of making an extra point, and in this game you believe that you have a probability of z of winning if the game goes into overtime. In the average case example above x = 0.43, y = 0.94, and z = 0.5. The probabilities now become

Strategy Probability of winning
Go for two first xy + x(1-y)z + (1-x)xz
Go for one both times yyz + (1-y)xz
Go for one then two yx + (1-y)xz

Interpreting these equations, the “go for two first” strategy wins if either the two-point conversion and subsequent extra point both succeed (probability xy), or the two-point conversion succeeds and the extra point fails but you win in overtime (x(1-y)z), or the first two-point conversion fails, the second one succeeds, and you win the overtime

((1-x)xz). The “go for one both times” strategy wins if either both extra points succeed and you win the overtime (yyz) or the first one misses but the backup two-point conversion succeeds, and again you win in overtime ((1-y)xz). Finally the “go for one then two” strategy wins if the extra point and the subsequent two-point conversion both succeed (yx) or the extra point fails and the subsequent two-point conversion succeeds and you win in overtime ((1-y)xz).

At this point we can completely reject any further consideration of the “go for one then two” strategy because the “go for two first” strategy always has (1-x)xz better probability and this quantity can’t be negative. (In most practical cases it will be about a 0.12 higher probability, or a 12% higher percentage.) The problem with the “go for one then two” strategy is that if the two-point conversion fails then the game is lost, while with the “go for two first” strategy if the two-point conversion fails then the team can attempt a second two-point conversion, going for the tie, after the second touchdown.

Assuming 50% Overtimes

In most games the probability of winning in overtime is dominated by the coin flip and luck, and so it is very close to 50% when evaluated in advance of that flip. Even if a fairer system were developed that took away the 60% advantage of the coin flip, like the pizza splitting system (Smith, n.d.), the success rate in overtime is likely to be very close to 50% for most teams over a reasonable number of overtimes. Given the assumption that z = 0.5, the probability table for the two reasonable strategies becomes:

Strategy Probability of winning
Go for two first xy + ½x(1-y) + ½(1-x)x
Go for one both times ½yy + ½(1-y)x

Given a particular value for y, your probability that you’ll make an extra point, we can compare these two formulas to determine how confident you need to be in your two-point conversion before you decide to use the “go for two first” strategy. As we’ll see, if you believe that you will make at least 38.2% of your two-point conversions (which is significantly below the national average) then you should always use the “go for two first” strategy, even if you know that you’ll never miss an extra point. As you reduce your confidence in your extra point special team, your required confidence in your two-point conversion team can drop even further and still mandate the use of the “go for two first” strategy. So, for example, if you have a poor kicking team and only expect to make 90% of your extra point kicks then you should use the “go for two first” strategy if you expect to make at least 32.8% of your two-point conversions.

To justify these numbers I just need to ensure that xy + ½x(1-y) + ½(1-x)x is greater than ½y 2 + ½(1-y)x, cancel out the common term, and solve the equation for x. This gives

xy + ½(1-x)x > ½y 2 which is –x 2 + x(2y+1) – y 2 > 0, which can be solved with the standard quadratic equation formula to get the equation that one should use the “go for two first” strategy whenever:

Image of math equation

This looks complicated, but it is easy to apply. E.g., if y = 1.0, and so you believe that your team will never miss an extra point, then substitution shows that if your team can make at least 38.2% of their two-point attempts then the “go for two first strategy” is best. Break points for different expected field goal percentages are shown below:

Extra point percentage Required two-point percentageto select “go for two first” when

50% chance in overtime

100% 38.2%
94% (NFL) 34.9%
93.8% (NCAA) 34.8%
90% 32.8%
80% 27.5%
70% 22.5%

So, for example, if your kicking team only succeeds 90% of the time with extra points, then if you estimate that you will make a two-point conversion at least one third of the time then you should adopt the “go for two first” strategy. A normal kicking team in either the NCAA or NFL should use the “go for two now” strategy if they can expect to make at least 35% of their two-point conversion attempts.

Assuming Other Overtime Percentages

While most teams will, when they are being honest with themselves, decide that their chances of winning if the game goes into overtime are close to 50%, there might be times when they are more or less confident than that. For example most analysts believe that a team with a much stronger field goal team has an advantage in overtime under either NFL or NCAA rules. In this section I’ll look at how this changes the odds. For any particular expectation of winning or losing in the overtime one can substitute the value in for z in the general equations and solve them using the quadratic equation as I did for the z = 0.5 situation, above. In general this gives the break point on whether or not to use the “go for two first” at

Math equation

I’ll rebuild the table that I had above for two situations; when the coaching staff aren’t very confident going into overtime, and estimate their chances at 45%, and when they are confident and estimate their chances at 55%.

Extra point percentage Required two-point percentageto select “go for two first” when

45% chance in overtime

100% 34.8%
94% (NFL) 31.9%
93.8% (NCAA) 31.8%
90% 30.0%
80% 25.4%
70% 20.9%
Extra point percentage Required two-point percentageto select “go for two first” when

55% chance in overtime

100% 41.6%
94% (NFL) 37.9%
93.8% (NCAA) 37.8%
90% 35.5%
80% 29.7%
70% 24.1%

These figures show that even if you are fairly confident that you will win in overtime (55% confident) then you should still use the “go for two first” strategy unless you think that your chances of making a two-point conversion are way below the 43% average, and that if you believe that your chances are not good in an overtime (45%) then you should use the “go for two first” strategy unless your two-point conversion team is really awful.

They also give rise to one final question: How confident do you need to be in your ability to win in overtime before you reject the “go for two first” strategy and use the “go for one both times” strategy? Some math will provide that information. We know that we should use the “go for one both times” strategy when:

Math Equation

This surprisingly simple condition says that you should only use the “go for one both times” strategy whenever Equation 1. Assuming the standard NFL values for x and y, 0.43 and 0.96, respectively, then this is Equation 2, which is 0.633 or 63.3%. So the traditional “go for one both times” strategy should only be used if you believe that your team is nearly twice as likely to win as the opponents in overtime, which seems a wildly optimistic assumption after tying in regular time.

Discussion

I have shown that under nearly all circumstances the “go for two first” strategy is significantly better than the “go for one both times” strategy when trailing by two touchdowns late in the game, and than also the “go for one then two” strategy should never be used.

The only times when the “go for one both times” strategy should be used is when either the coaches believe that they are nearly twice as likely to win as the opponents are (which seems overly optimistic after a tied game unless there are external factors like late injuries to some of the opponent’s important players) or when they believe that their team is far below average at making two-point conversions.

Since the correct strategy never appears to be used, an interesting question is why coaches have always got it so wrong. They have probably been led astray by the expected value of going for two point conversions vs. extra points. The expected value is the expected long term return from taking a particular action. In the case of a two-point conversion it is, for a typical team, (2 points)x0.43, which is 0.86 points each time that you try it. For an extra point it is (1 point)x0.94, which is 0.94 points. So for most of the game kicking extra points after touchdowns is slightly better than going for two-point conversions. When trailing at the end of the game the expected value of the points is no longer relevant, since all that matters is whether you are more or less likely to win. Looking at it differently, if the coaches use the “go for two first” strategy then, as we saw earlier, there is a 0.4042 of winning outright, a 0.3249 of losing outright, and the rest of the time (0.2709) you’ll go into overtime. So you are more likely to win than lose. Using the “go for one both times” strategy there is no chance of an outright win, a 0.9094 of going into overtime, and the rest of the time (0.0906) you will lose outright. So with this strategy you are more likely to lose than win. One reason expected values don’t help here is that if you lose outright with the “go for two first” strategy it will be by two points, but with the “go for one both times” strategy it will sometimes be by only one point, but a loss is a loss, so this isn’t relevant.

In this paper I haven’t discussed how to handle other situations like trailing by seven points (attempt the extra point) or by 21 points (go for two first). I also haven’t discussed high school football because two-point conversion attempt and extra point percentages vary so spectacularly across high school teams. However once high school coaches have some estimates for their team’s percentages in these two areas they can use the formulas in this paper to determine their best approach. It appears that for all practical cases the “go for two first” strategy will also be best for them.

References

  1. Mallory, W. & Nehlan, D. (eds.) (2004). Complete Guide to Special Teams, American Football Coaches Association, ISBN 0736052917.
  2. Smith, M. (n.d.) Splitting the Overtime Pizza, Football Outsiders Web Page, Retrieved September 19, 2005, from http://www.footballoutsiders.com/ramblings_print.php?p=87&cat=1.
2018-10-25T10:22:13-05:00September 6th, 2005|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Coaching, Sports Management, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off on Playing with the Percentages When Trailing by Two Touchdowns

Intercollegiate Athletic Corporate Sponsorships and the First Amendment

Intercollegiate Athletic Corporate Sponsorships and the First Amendment:

In response to the recent escalation of head coaches’ salaries in intercollegiate athletics, and the constant pressure for athletic directors to adhere to shrinking budgets, many athletic directors are turning to corporate sponsorships to increase revenue. Athletic departments can raise money from corporate sponsors in a variety of methods ranging from selling advertising on the outfield fence of the baseball stadium to allowing corporate sponsors to set up an information booth and distribute advertisements on the concourse in the basketball arena. While an athletic director may be eager to welcome with open arms corporate sponsors with open checkbooks, an athletic director may at times be placed in a situation where he or she does not want to allow a corporate sponsorship to a company or organization that could portray a negative image on the athletic department or the university. For example, an athletic director may decide to decline an offer from Hooters, or a local “gentlemen’s club” to become a corporate sponsor for fear that it will negatively impact the family atmosphere and image the athletic department would like to portray. However, an Athletic Director at a state institution must be aware that providing sponsorship opportunities to certain companies while refusing sponsorship opportunities to others could implicate the right to free speech under the First Amendment. This article will attempt to provide an Athletic Director with information regarding lawful distinctions between corporate sponsors in order to avoid infringing on the First Amendment rights of the members of a corporation who are seeking to become a corporate sponsor for a state institution’s athletic department.

From the outset, it must be noted that this article only applies to state institutions because the First Amendment is not implicated with regard to private institutions. Thus, if a private religious university such as Brigham Young University refuses to allow Budweiser or Coors to become corporate sponsors (since alcohol consumption is contrary to the religious beliefs supported by B.Y.U.), it can lawfully decline such a corporate sponsor without any possible First Amendment implications.

The first step in analyzing a freedom of speech problem such as whether the athletics department can constitutionally deny a corporate sponsor an opportunity to engage in athletic department promotions is to determine the type of forum in which the intended speech is to take place. See Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense & Educ. Fund, 473 U.S. 788, 800 (1985). The 9 th Circuit in Diloreto noted that “where the government acts in a proprietary capacity to raise money or to facilitate the conduct of its internal business, the Supreme Court generally has found a nonpublic forum, subject only to the requirements of reasonableness and viewpoint neutrality.” Diloreto v. Downey Unified School Dist. Bd. of Educ , 196 F.3d 958 (9 th Circuit, 1999), citing Lehman v. City of Shaker Heights, 418 U.S. 298, 303-304 (1974). The Diloreto court held that where a high school offered advertising opportunities to businesses allowing the business to post an advertisement on a sign at the high school baseball field, and where the intent of the school in opening the baseball field to advertising was to raise funds, not to create a forum for unlimited public expression, the forum was a nonpublic forum open for a limited purpose. Id. at 966.

When an athletic department offers corporate sponsorships, it is clearly doing so to raise funds for the athletics department, not to create a forum for unlimited public expression. Thus, when an athletic department solicits and receives a corporate sponsorship such as for the signage at the athletic field or arena, the forum that has been created will likely be found to be a nonpublic forum open for a limited purpose.
In a nonpublic forum open for a limited purpose, restrictions on access “can be based on subject matter…so long as the distinctions drawn are reasonable in light of the purpose served by the forum” and as long as the restrictions discriminate on the basis of content rather than viewpoint. See Id.; Rosenberger, 515 U.S. at 829 (1995); Lamb’s Chapel, 508 U.S. at 392-93 (1993); Cornelius at 806. Thus, before denying an opportunity to a corporate sponsor, an athletic director must ensure that the he or she is making a reasonable distinction based on the purpose of the sponsorship opportunities it is offering, as well as ensuring that he or she is not making a distinction between two corporate sponsors on the basis of a corporation’s viewpoint.

Making a Reasonable Distinction


In Lehman, the U.S. Supreme Court addressed the issue of whether it was reasonable for a city transit system to decide which type of advertising may be displayed in its buses; an issue that arose when a political candidate was not allowed to advertise on the city buses. Lehman at 298. The Lehman court held that the city’s decision to exclude political advertising from bus signs was reasonable given the city’s desire to generate revenue and the potential for “ lurking doubts about favoritism, and sticky administrative problems [that] might arise in parceling out limited space to eager politicians.” Id. at 304.
An athletic director’s reason to decline offers from corporate sponsors such as Hooters or a local “gentlemen’s club” may be to keep a family oriented atmosphere at its games, and maintain an environment that is suitable for children. It is likely that making a distinction between a corporate sponsor such as Hooters and a corporate sponsor such as Ford or Coke based on the atmosphere that the corporate sponsor may create would be seen as a reasonable distinction.

Viewpoint Versus Content Discrimination

However, even assuming that an athletics department’s reason to deny a sponsorship opportunity to a certain corporation is reasonable, it may still violate the First Amendment if doing so discriminates on the basis of viewpoint, rather than content. Diloreto at 969, citing Cornelius at 811.

The U.S. Supreme Court noted that the distinction between viewpoint discrimination and content discrimination is not a precise one. Rosenberger at 831. The Diloreto court attempted to explain the distinction when it stated, “ Permissible content-based restrictions exclude speech based on topic, such as politics or religion, regardless of the particular stand the speaker takes on the topic.” Diloreto at 969, citing Children of the Rosary, 154 F.3d at 981. The Diloreto court further stated, “In contrast, impermissible viewpoint discrimination is a form of content discrimination in which the government targets not subject matter, but particular views taken by speakers on a subject.” Id. citingRosenberger at 829.
In Diloreto, a businessman was not allowed to buy advertising space at the high school baseball field because his proposed sign listed the text of the Ten Commandments, which was against the school’s policy of not allowing religious advertising. Id. at 962. The school district refused to post the sign “based on (1) concern about running afoul of the Establishment Clause; and (2) disruption, controversy and expensive litigation that might arise from community members seeking to remove the sign or from religious or political statements that others might wish to post.” Id. at 963. The Diloreto court stated, “We conclude that the District’s decision not to post Mr. DiLoreto’s sign was pursuant to a permissible, content-based limitation on the forum, and not viewpoint discrimination.”
If an athletic director allows corporate sponsors that promote a family environment to engage in sponsorships, while he or she refuses to allow corporate sponsors that promote an adult oriented environment to engage in the same sponsorships, the athletic director would likely be seen to be engaging in permissible content discrimination rather than viewpoint discrimination. By way of example, the athletics department would not be allowed to refuse to allow Hooters to be a corporate sponsor, while at the same time allow another adult oriented business such as a local “gentlemen’s club” to be a corporate sponsor because doing so would be deciphering between two different businesses that are adult oriented, which would likely be seen as viewpoint discrimination because the decision to exclude Hooters instead of the local “gentlemen’s club” would appear to be based on the particular views or specific stance Hooters takes. Similarly, an athletic director could not allow certain religious organizations such as the local Baptist Church to become a corporate sponsor while refusing to allow other organizations such as an atheist group to become a corporate sponsor because doing so would likely be seen as impermissible viewpoint discrimination.

However, the Diloreto case offers support for an athletic director to refuse to allow a religious organization or an adult oriented business to become corporate sponsors so long as the athletic director refuses to allow all religious organizations and adult oriented businesses to become corporate sponsors because doing so would likely be viewed as permissible content discrimination rather than impermissible viewpoint discrimination.

Conclusion


Therefore, since an athletic department, through its corporate sponsorships has likely created a nonpublic forum open for a limited purpose, if the distinction the athletic director is making between different corporations is a reasonable distinction that does not amount to viewpoint discrimination, it is likely that the athletic director’s actions of refusing to allow such a corporation to be one of its corporate sponsors would be found to be constitutional.

2015-03-24T10:33:18-05:00September 4th, 2005|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Coaching, Sports Management, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off on Intercollegiate Athletic Corporate Sponsorships and the First Amendment
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