The paradox of sports sponsorship

It's a paradox that so many sports are sponsored by 'unhealthy' companies. So what does a grassroots club do?

It was unfortunate timing for Western Sydney Wanderers. The day after they announced a sponsorship by a well-known fast food company, Sydney University’s School of Public Health released findings of research which showed that booze, fast food and gambling dominate professional sports sponsorships. 

According to the lead researcher, Rona Macniven, this highlights the extent of children’s exposure to harmful messages via the major sports including their websites. 

Ms Macniven said that unhealthy food and drink sponsors account for nearly 50% of Australian peak sporting bodies, followed by alcohol and then gambling industries.

“Associating these harmful products with positive aspects of sport normalises associated activities such as gambling, drinking alcohol and consuming fast food and sugary drinks,” Ms Macniven said.

“Our research revealed a pervasive level of unhealthy sponsorship across our sporting codes.

“We need to see this level of exposure to unhealthy messages through sport reduced – particularly among Australian children – through regulatory guidelines or policy to limit unhealthy sponsorship,” Ms Macniven said.

She says that the average 10-year-old would have to play football for 10 hours in order to work off the effects of the ‘Wanderers Meal’.

FFA has also today announced a new partnership with Mondelez International for its Play Project, a schools-based program to help children in primary school to “huff ‘n’ puff” – a program designed to mitigate the impact of consuming the sponsors’ products. It is one of many that Mondelez has introduced internationally, including the concept of ‘mindful snacking’. 

Who are Mondelez International? Once upon a time we knew them as Kraft Foods and Cadbury. Some of their well-known brand names are shown in the image below. 

But if the paradox of sports sponsorship is a common dilemma at the professional level of sport, it’s even more challenging at grassroots clubs.

The scenario is something like this:

-  One parent on the committee enthusiastically talks about a fast food outlet that has established new premises nearby, and are keen to sponsor the kids’ teams at the club. This is not just food vouchers but also significant cash. 

-  Others say it would give kids’ mixed messages and the sponsorship should not be pursued.

-  Another committee member has a mate who runs the local pub who willl put in cash plus in-kind sponsorship of all club functions, including after-match happy hours for the men’s and women’s teams.

-  Others say the club shouldn’t be promoting a drinking culture. 

But the public health line is a tough one to prosecute.

Grassroots clubs mostly get by on the smell of an oily rag; they are grateful for every bit of revenue they can find; they’re paying affiliation fees/taxes to their association, state federation and FFA; the competition for sponsorship support for other activities – sport or otherwise – is high; and grassoorts clubs are increasingly expected to be more professional in their approach to building their club and the ‘brand’ of football. AND the professional game is on board with fast food, confectionery and gambling organisations.

Should grassroots organisations be expected to be the gatekeeper of public health policy? 

What’s your verdict? What do you do at your club?