Uczestnicy tegorocznego III Bydgoskiego Konkursu Literackiego w Języku Angielskim zmierzyli się z tematem sponsorowania i zarobków w sporcie. Są to kwestie wywołujące komentarze, emocje, nie pozostające bez echa. Laureaci Konkursu poradzili sobie doskonale zarówno z omawianym problemem jak i formą wypowiedzi – artykułem.

 

Serdecznie dziękujemy za udział i gratulujemy nagrodzonym i wyróżnionym:

I miejsce – Mikołaj Adamczyk, IV LO

II miejsce – Nadia Kaszuba, IV LO

III miejsce – Michalina Rega, I LO

Wyróżnienie – Miłosz Daczkowski, V LO

 

Zachęcamy do przeczytania nagrodzonych i wyróżnionych prac:

 

I miejsce – Mikołaj Adamczyk, IV LO

 

Earnings in sport

We’ve all probably heard of preeminent football players who earn millions by taking part in few matches. Their talents can’t be denied, but their ridiculous earnings should become a topic of discussion. Is it righteous that these individuals make a fortune from just kicking a round object?

This issue concerns all the sport professionals. Their main sources of income are brand sponsorships and wages paid by the clubs. By accumulating that they earn more in a month than an office worker does in his life. This is extremely unfair. These people are only entertainers and thus don’t contribute as much to our society as an average teacher or a dustman. Sports players put a lot of work into what they do. However it doesn’t justify their absurd wealth because everyone gives their blood, sweat and tears to make a living in nowadays world.

The amount of money spent on sports players may rise in the following years. With young stars rising and the old ones still getting new sponsorship deals, the cash flow in the industry will increase. Combining that with growing inflation and many clubs willingness to pump their funds into acquiring the best players gives us a clear outcome. Even more money will go to the pockets of people who already have more than enough.

I’d like this to open a public debate on necessity of such high pay-outs for athletes. Let’s judge if they enrich our society or just themselves.

 

II miejsce – Nadia Kaszuba, IV LO

 

Sports sponsorship is very popular nowadays. I'm sure that everyone has heard about it at least once in their life. But what is it exactly, and why is it so popular?

Sports sponsorship is an effective way to stand out. Whether it’s through sponsoring an individual athlete, a team, or even a game, brands from all over the world use it as a way of gaining a massive 

audience in order to become known globally. There are many ways brands can position themselves through sports sponsorship. The most common one is putting logos on the shirts of players and other pieces of equipment. Sport sponsorship is beneficial not only for the brands but also for the players.

Life goes on, and as technology changes, so does sports sponsorship. The arrival of new technologies such as radio, TV, and the internet made people turn to digital. It made sports sponsorship way easier since campaigns could be adjusted to the liking of the consumer, which is not possible in the real world.

E-sports are becoming more and more popular and important for younger generations. They can be considered a new form of entertainment. It means that sports sponsorship is being poured into that, and it probably won't slow down any time soon.

To sum up, I think sports sponsorship is important because it gives opportunities to both brands and players. We can also see the possible changes in the future connected to the development of new technologies.

 

III miejsce – Michalina Rega, I LO

 

Sponsorship in sport

Sport has always been bought and sold, sponsored by individuals in power. From the 1934 world cup held by Mussolini’s fascist Italy to the last tournament, built on modern slavery in Qatar and Roman Abramovich owning Chelsea. Well, what can we do about the unethical sponsorship in sport?

Firstly, awareness is the key. We can research, read and support mindful activists, listen to the marginalized voices. Thousands of migrant workers in Qatar reportedly died to make the 2022 world cup possible, yet many spectators still do not know about the inhumane and traumatic events.

We have to stop mindlessly devouring what is put in front of us without the recognition of what it took to provide us with that amusement. Use your social media account, share and speak up. There are a myriad of insightful posts you can read to broaden your knowledge.

‘Sportswashing’ is likely to grow, journalists foresee. With the increasing value of events there will be more sponsors. That is why fans must be alert to scrutinize the actions of their favorite players.

To sum up, immoral sponsorship has a long story. However, were it not for it, we would not be able to enjoy sports as we do now.

Kanye West said, “Telling the truth is crazy in a world full of lies”. We need to demand transparency from organizations and governments responsible for violating people’s human rights in order to keep up the sponsorship in sport. The truth is crucial for us to grow as a society.

 

Wyróżnienie – Miłosz Daczkowski, V LO

 

Sponsorship in sports – the side we don’t see on billboards

Sponsorship is a partnership agreement in which the sponsor provides the sponsored entity with the funds necessary to achieve its goals in exchange for the use of its commercial potential. But

where there is money, there emerge greed, bribery and exploitation. In spite of many possibilities of growth the gateway to delinquency and manipulation is open. In sponsorship both parties benefit from cooperation. Take for instance publicity of famous brands. Companies, by small effort, have their logos displayed on billboards, players’ shirts and are mentioned by the commentators. This subliminal messaging has an enormous impact on a consumer. Consequently the person is most likely to buy a product associated with his favourite sports team.

Sportsmen profit from sponsored money, which they can spend on equipment, coaches, travels or renting exercise spaces.

On the other hand, sponsoring hides many unethical endeavours away from public. But the cracks seem to be more and more visible nowadays. The most recent example of immoral behavior were the World Cup championships in Qatar. Sponsors and the organizers of this event used Indian workers as cheap labour to build World Cup facilities. As a result, human rights were violated. What is more, Islam excludes many nationalities, ethnicities and religions.

The question arises about the morality of players participating in such events. More and more athletes are pushed to participate in events while their moral code isn’t taken into account. Consequently they can feel guilty and morally abused.

I strongly feel that sponsorship in sports is beneficial for both sportsmen and sponsors who work towards the common goal: rise and grow. Unfortunately there are situations where the money exploits the human morality leading to manipulation and fraud.