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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Dave
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.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- 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.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- 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.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- 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.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- 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:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Sports
- Which sport do you like to play?
- Have you ever been on a sports team?
- 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.
Hi Dave! would you please explain more about commodification, I am a bit confused by this word 🙂
Sure!
It means to make something into a commodity/product and is more or less a synonym for materialism, consumerism, etc.
Is that clear?
I am interested to join this live class.
Which live class are you referring to Oche?
In agree or disagree question do we need to talk about both sides when we are strongly agree or disagree?
You don’t have to but I have seen other examiners be very picky about it and a lot of times if a student writes about one side then they will repeat the same ideas.
I’d recommend it but it is not necessary.
hi dave, please help check the below out. WIth financial gain, i took the approach of financial gain for the sponsors and not the sporting teams. Is this a right approach?
Main idea: The ingenuity of promoting the awareness of products made by corporations through sporting events is often one intended MOSTLY for economic benefits.
general example: Most Companies around the world often face the challenge of raising awareness for their products, a task also known as lead generation which if succesfull, literally translate to more sales and increasing number for profits.
explanation 1: This obstacle is easily surmounted, due to a relatively large audience often in attendance at game venues and media outlets, who would most likely serve as targets of the marketing antics of business corporations.
xplanation 2: This sport loving fans whose dedication and commitment for thier favorite sport team, is often preyed on through endorsement and product placcements on uniforms end up becoming consumers of products advertised at them.
result : Lead conversion becomes relatively easier, and the consumer database grows geometrically
specific example: Lebron james is in paid partnership with nike, wearing its shoes to appeal to sport lovers for a purchse