Sport is big business. Millions pay through the nose for season tickets, £60 replica shirts, poorly made scarves, overpriced beer and expensive TV subscriptions just to see how their favourite player or team fares in their latest encounter against their latest enemy. Last month BT sport paid £897 million for the right to broadcast European football in the UK for three years, highlighting the immense amount of money in the game. Advertisers have often seen sport as an opportunity to advertise their products not just to the fans, but on a global scale. For example, according to the Premier League, the companies that have their insignia emblazoned on the player’s shirts are seen by 4.7 billion people in 212 territories around the world and in return, the individual or team receives a healthy remuneration for the privilege. The symbiotic nature of this relationship is important at the highest levels, where it is almost seen as a necessity to maintain pace with sporting rivals.
