Junk Food Companies Sponsoring Sports Events Case Study

Junk food companies sponsoring sporting events has become a controversial topic as of late. People are more conscious of their own health and fitness and so questions have been raised as to whether junk food companies should be allowed to sponsor sporting events. This paper discusses whether junk food companies should sponsor sporting events. Specifically, it examines athletes as role models, the impact sponsorship of sport has on communities and the link it may have to the obesity issue.
In recent years the media has played a prominent role in sport and the lifestyle of athletes. Athletes are being interviewed on a regular basis and have become celebrities in their sport. Athletes and what they stand for have an influence on sporting communities. Many junk food companies have recognised the growing popularity of sporting events
It was shown that people who consume more fast food and alcohol and don’t take part in much exercise were in favour of unhealthy food and alcohol sponsorship of sporting events where more active and health aware people were not in favour. The vast majority of people were against tobacco sponsorship of sporting events, if smokers themselves. Advertising is proven to make sales increase and therefore the advertising companies get from sponsorship increases the sale and consumption of unhealthy food and alcohol and so contributes to the obesity problem (Danylchuk et al, 2009). Many consumers want policies to be adopted to limit or stop the promotion of products that are harmful to our health sponsoring sporting events. There is a fear that an inappropriate message is being sent to young children, for example youths watching the Virginia Slims Tennis are exposed to Tobacco creating a strong positive correlation between consumption and obesity (McDaniel et al, 2000). Overall there is a subtle link between junk food sponsoring sporting events and the obesity