This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of sports events and corporate sponsorship/how companies promote these events from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essays: Sports Events and Corporate Sponsorship

Large companies use sports events to promote their products. Some people think this has a negative impact on sports.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is common today for large corporations to promote products through various sporting events and teams. In my opinion, though this guarantees financial stability, it is a negative overall due to de-emphasis of the sport itself.

Those in favor of corporate sponsorship argue its financial flexibility. Most televised games, ranging from basketball and baseball in America to international sports such as football and rugby, are free of cost for viewers. This is only possible because of advertising during commercial breaks, billboards around the arenas, and product placement such as on player uniforms. Funds accumulated from such sponsorship not only allows the games to be broadcast free of charge but also enables team owners to maintain professional facilities and afford the salaries of the best players. If advertising were banned, owners would not be able to fund their team and players would eventually leave for wealthier leagues.

However, commodification also entails a reduction in focus on the actual sport. In the past, advertising was less obtrusive and might have consisted of a few commercials and signs in the background. Now, the announcers often work ads into their commentary and every highlight is accompanied by prominent logos on player jerseys. The effect aggregate is that audiences feel the games are only a means of advertising and they become indifferent the millionaire athletes and their multi-billionaire team owners. This has led many individuals, such as fans of English football, to sever connections to their childhood teams in order to support amateur community matches, which are not as commercialized.

In conclusion, despite the financial benefits of company sponsored sports events, the drawbacks related to the purity of the sport itself make this a negative trend. Owners and leagues must strike some balance but should prioritize a largely unadulterated product.

Analysis

1. It is common today for large corporations to promote products through various sporting events and teams. 2. In my opinion, though this guarantees financial stability, it is a negative overall due to de-emphasis of the sport itself.

  1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
  2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those in favor of corporate sponsorship argue its financial flexibility. 2. Most televised games, ranging from basketball and baseball in America to international sports such as football and rugby, are free of cost for viewers. 3. This is only possible because of advertising during commercial breaks, billboards around the arenas, and product placement such as on player uniforms. 4. Funds accumulated from such sponsorship not only allows the games to be broadcast free of charge but also enables team owners to maintain professional facilities and afford the salaries of the best players. 5. If advertising were banned, owners would not be able to fund their team and players would eventually leave for wealthier leagues.

  1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your main idea.
  3. Develop it with specific examples.
  4. Keep developing it fully.
  5. You can have some long sentences like this to really argue your point.

1. However, commodification also entails a reduction in focus on the actual sport. 2. In the past, advertising was less obtrusive and might have consisted of a few commercials and signs in the background. 3. Now, the announcers often work ads into their commentary and every highlight is accompanied by prominent logos on player jerseys. 4. The effect aggregate is that audiences feel the games are only a means of advertising and they become indifferent the millionaire athletes and their multi-billionaire team owners. 5. This has led many individuals, such as fans of English football, to sever connections to their childhood teams in order to support amateur community matches, which are not as commercialized.

  1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your new main idea.
  3. Include specific details and examples.
  4. Continue developing it…
  5. as fully as possible!

1. In conclusion, despite the financial benefits of company sponsored sports events, the drawbacks related to the purity of the sport itself make this a negative trend. 2. Owners and leagues must strike some balance but should prioritize a largely unadulterated product.

  1. Summarise your main ideas.
  2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

It is common today for large corporations to promote products through various sporting events and teams. In my opinion, though this guarantees financial stability, it is a negative overall due to de-emphasis of the sport itself.

Those in favor of corporate sponsorship argue its financial flexibility. Most televised games, ranging from basketball and baseball in America to international sports such as football and rugby, are free of cost for viewers. This is only possible because of advertising during commercial breaks, billboards around the arenas, and product placement such as on player uniforms. Funds accumulated from such sponsorship not only allows the games to be broadcast free of charge but also enables team owners to maintain professional facilities and afford the salaries of the best players. If advertising were banned, owners would not be able to fund their team and players would eventually leave for wealthier leagues.

However, commodification also entails a reduction in focus on the actual sport. In the past, advertising was less obtrusive and might have consisted of a few commercials and signs in the background. Now, the announcers often work ads into their commentary and every highlight is accompanied by prominent logos on player jerseys. The effect aggregate is that audiences feel the games are only a means of advertising and they become indifferent the millionaire athletes and their multi-billionaire team owners. This has led many individuals, such as fans of English football, to sever connections to their childhood teams in order to support amateur community matches, which are not as commercialized.

In conclusion, despite the financial benefits of company sponsored sports events, the drawbacks related to the purity of the sport itself make this a negative trend. Owners and leagues must strike some balance but should prioritize a largely unadulterated product.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

common popular

large corporations big companies

promote sponsor, show their products and advertize

various many different kinds

sporting events games, matches, etc.

guarantees makes sure of

financial stability good economic footing

overall on the whole

due to because of

de-emphasis not focused on

sport itself game/match in reality

those in favor of supporters

sponsorship argue advertising point out

financial flexibility ability to buy what you want, economically viable

televised on television

ranging from including

free of cost no price for it

viewers audiences

commercial breaks ads in between play

billboards big signs

arenas venues, stadiums

product placement putting ads into the broadcast

uniforms jerseys

funds accumulated money raised

broadcast free of charge shown on TV for no cost

enables allows for

maintain professional facilities keep up stadiums, training grounds, etc.

afford be able to pay for

banned prohibited

fund give money

eventually over a period of time

wealthier leagues richer groups of teams

commodification turning everything to a product

entails includes

reduction making less

in focus concentration

actual real

in the past in past years

obtrusive too obvious and distracting

consisted of composed of

background behind something

announcers people who talk during games and matches

work ads into their commentary talk about products while talking about the games

highlight replay of a big play

accompanied by comes with

prominent logos noticeable corporate sponsors

jerseys uniforms

effect impact

aggregate all combined

audiences people watching

means ways, methods

indifferent dont care about

millionaire athletes rich players

multi-billionaire many billions of dollars

this has led has caused

fans people who follow teams

sever connections cut links

childhood teams team they support since they are young

support amateur community matches become fans of non-professional games

commercialized 100% about the advertising

company sponsored sports events games, matches featuring advertising for companies

drawbacks related to disadvantages related to

purity not dirtied in any way

negative trend bad pattern

strike some balance find a middle ground

prioritize focus more on

largely unadulterated product mostly pure

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈkɒmən 
lɑːʤ ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃənz 
prəˈməʊt 
ˈveərɪəs 
ˈspɔːtɪŋ ɪˈvɛnts 
ˌgærənˈtiːz 
faɪˈnænʃəl stəˈbɪlɪti
ˈəʊvərɔːl 
djuː tuː 
diː-ˈɛmfəsɪs 
spɔːt ɪtˈsɛlf
ðəʊz ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv 
ˈspɒnsəʃɪp ˈɑːgjuː 
faɪˈnænʃəl ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti
ˈtɛlɪvaɪzd 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm 
friː ɒv kɒst 
ˈvjuːəz
kəˈmɜːʃəl breɪks
ˈbɪlbɔːdz 
əˈriːnəz
ˈprɒdʌkt ˈpleɪsmənt 
ˈjuːnɪfɔːmz
fʌndz əˈkjuːmjʊleɪtɪd 
ˈbrɔːdkɑːst friː ɒv ʧɑːʤ 
ɪˈneɪblz 
meɪnˈteɪn prəˈfɛʃənl fəˈsɪlɪtiz 
əˈfɔːd 
bænd
fʌnd 
ɪˈvɛnʧəli 
ˈwɛlθɪə liːgz
kəˈmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃən 
ɪnˈteɪlz 
rɪˈdʌkʃən 
ɪn ˈfəʊkəs 
ˈækʧʊəl 
ɪn ðə pɑːst
əbˈtruːsɪv 
kənˈsɪstɪd ɒv 
ˈbækgraʊnd
əˈnaʊnsəz 
wɜːk ædz ˈɪntuː ðeə ˈkɒməntəri 
ˈhaɪˌlaɪt 
əˈkʌmpənid baɪ 
ˈprɒmɪnənt ˈlɒgɒs 
ˈʤɜːziz
ɪˈfɛkt ˈægrɪgɪt 
ˈɔːdiənsɪz 
miːnz 
ɪnˈdɪfrənt 
ˌmɪljəˈneər ˈæθliːts 
ˈmʌltɪ-ˌbɪljəˈneə 
ðɪs hæz lɛd 
fænz 
ˈsɛvə kəˈnɛkʃənz 
ˈʧaɪldhʊd tiːmz 
səˈpɔːt ˈæmətə(ː) kəˈmjuːnɪti ˈmæʧɪz
kəˈmɜːʃəlaɪzd
ˈkʌmpəni ˈspɒnsəd spɔːts ɪˈvɛnts
ˈdrɔːbæks rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː 
ˈpjʊərɪti 
ˈnɛgətɪv trɛnd
straɪk sʌm ˈbæləns 
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz 
ˈlɑːʤli ˌʌnəˈdʌltəreɪtɪd ˈprɒdʌkt

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

It is common today for large corporations to promote products through various sporting events and teams. In my opinion, though this guarantees financial stability, it is a negative overall due to de-emphasis of the sport itself.

Those in favor of corporate sponsorship argue its financial flexibility. Most televised games, ranging from basketball and baseball in America to international sports such as football and rugby, are free of cost for viewers. This is only possible because of advertising during commercial breaks, billboards around the arenas, and product placement such as on player uniforms. Funds accumulated from such sponsorship not only allows the games to be broadcast free of charge but also enables team owners to maintain professional facilities and afford the salaries of the best players. If advertising were banned, owners would not be able to fund their team and players would eventually leave for wealthier leagues.

However, commodification also entails a reduction in focus on the actual sport. In the past, advertising was less obtrusive and might have consisted of a few commercials and signs in the background. Now, the announcers often work ads into their commentary and every highlight is accompanied by prominent logos on player jerseys. The effect aggregate is that audiences feel the games are only a means of advertising and they become indifferent the millionaire athletes and their multi-billionaire team owners. This has led many individuals, such as fans of English football, to sever connections to their childhood teams in order to support amateur community matches, which are not as commercialized.

In conclusion, despite the financial benefits of company sponsored sports events, the drawbacks related to the purity of the sport itself make this a negative trend. Owners and leagues must strike some balance but should prioritize a largely unadulterated product.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

and here:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/06/11/global-sports-sponsorships-are-now-purpose-driven-marketing/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Sports

  1. Which sport do you like to play?
  2. Have you ever been on a sports team?
  3. Do you like watching sports on TV?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Some people think that sports play an important role in society. Others think they are nothing more than a leisure activity.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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