How Have ESPN and Other Media Sources Influenced (Positively or Negatively) Professional Sports in the Last Twenty Years?

[Name of the Institute]

Aims of the Research

The research aims to observe the impact of leading channel ESPN and other sports channel on viewers of professional sports market that watch these channels to obtain live coverage of games, live scorecards, highlights and all news related to their favorite games and sports celebrities. Through, these channels viewers can experience virtually any game live around the world. Research indicated growth and development of professional sports is largely depended on sports fan (Mondello, 2012) and how media show coverage for particular sports significantly impact the fan following and future revenues of particular professional sports. In addition to that, ESPN and some other channels are also criticized for negatively influencing some professional sports showing bias towards particular games and displaying inaccurate information. The research therefore aims is to investigate how ESPN and other media sources have positive or negative influence on professional sports since last twenty years.

Objectives of the Research

The objective of the current research is to investigate the influence of ESPN and other media sources on professional sports by examining:

1) The preferences of sports fan to seek ESPN and other leading sports channels as compared to other options when it comes to dispersion of news and coverage of professional sports.

2) The different preferences of men and women sports men regarding these sources to seek for professional sports.

3) The different preferences of young versus older sports fan in terms of these media.

4) The preferences of sports fan in choosing these media for specified reasons such as content, picture quality, personal experience and the frequency of their favorite sports shown in these channels.

5) The preferences of sports fan in attending and watching live games at the stadium.

Rationale of the Research

ESPN and other media sources have significantly influenced the professional sports since last 20 years and so. Sports fan and viewers of professional sports find it hard today to attend and watch live professionals sports games at the stadiums than it was ever before due to expensive tickets, beverages and souvenirs and parking fees associated with it (Wilkins, 2012). Within this regard, these media sources play a significant role in influencing positively and negatively professional sports market. While, sports fans' long term fandom can still be achieved through providing low cost tickets, however the problem still arises of how to offset an economic recession that is continuously rising.

Within this regard, sports channels ESPN and other media sources give hope to professional sports market by ensuring long-term fandom of sports fan to seek professional sports coverage. Hence, they are looking for the alternative options for seeking the professional coverage and dispersion of sports news and information such as ESPN and other media sources. Therefore, examining possible implications to increase sports fan following by analyzing their perceptions would incite future research in professional sports market (Wilkins, 2012; Mondello, 2012).

Literature Review

The emergence of ESPN ...