Audrey Pacheco_1656145_PEP 05_29 April 2014

What Ways are Young Peoples Actions Influenced by Sports Celebrities?

The mass media has been exploring the social influence of sports celebrities. Whereas
some sports celebrities may have controversial moral behaviours, they have been playing
as role models specially for young people. Currently, sports celebrities are athletes that
have been succeed on their sports career and are the focus of media. Besides, a role
model is a significant feature for the socialisation process that are expressed by peoples
actions (Biskup & Pfister, 1999). In addition, young people can be defined as individuals
who have around 13 to 19 years old, usually called as teenagers or adolescents. Young
peoples behaviour seems to be affected by sports celebrities in different ways. Three main
points that are particularly related to this influence are sport practice, consumption
behaviour and prevention of high risk behaviours.

Sport stars may have been influenced young people to practice physical activity. Even
sport stars are more likely to be role models for young boys than young girls (Biskup &
Pfister, 1999; Brown & Matviuk, 2010; Bush et al. 2004; Lines, 2001), they are almost
ideological stereotypes of their career achievements, what inspires may people to try to do
the same. Sports celebrities that became national heroes have influenced their
generations, as Brown and Matviuk (2010) state. Many examples of influential persons can
be cited, such as Michael Jordan or Pele. The sport stars influence englobes many
sections, one of them is consumer behaviour.

The sports celebrities influence on teenagers consumer behaviour may be seem as a
positive effort made by the advertisements companies. Bush et al. (2004) states on his
findings that teenagers have been influenced by celebrity athletes on their brand selection.
For example, many athletes have been on international brand advertisements, such as
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Nike, Calvin Klein or Gillette. Athletes such as Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Maria
Sharapova have been on many international brand campaigns (Badenhausen, 2013).
Further, these sports celebrities are seem as a connection between the brand and the
young people. Also, celebrity athletes are seem by their audience as a source of credibility
(Shead, 2011), in other words, a person that they can trust on to acquire a product and the
psychological inclusion into the society (Bush et al. 2004). This feature also works similarly
on the prevention of high-risk behaviours.

Sport stars are usually a positive influence for the prevention of some dangerous
behaviours. Even some athletes have some controversial attitudes, such use of drugs or
excessive use of alcohol, they are may be seem as models to overcome and prevent
these practices. One major example of this situation is Diego Maradona. Once one of the
best soccer players in the world, he became a fallen hero for the Argentinian nation. Brown
and Matviuk (2010) states that Maradona had to deal with many drug use issues, however
as discussed by these authors, the soccer player became a spokesperson to discuss this
situation and alert the high risk of this behaviour. Usually, celebrities are seem as trustful
because their credibility is processed by the involvement that the audience have with the
spokesperson (Brown & Matviuk, 2010; Shead, 2013).

Young people have been influenced by sport celebrities in different ways and levels,
relying on gender, age and culture. In brief, some main topics about this influence were
discussed on this paper. While many researches claim that the influence of the sport stars
can be negative, most of them seem to be beneficial for the development of the young
peoples personality.
(531 words)

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References

Bardenhausen, K 2013, Tiger Woods Is Back On Top Of The World's Highest-Paid
Athletes, Forbes, viewed 29 April 2014, < http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/
2013/06/05/tiger-woods-is-back-on-top-of-the-worlds-highest-paid-athletes/>
Biskup, C and Pfister, G 1999, I Would Like to be Like Her/Him: Are Athletes Role-Models
for Boys and Girls?, European Physical Education Review, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 199218.

Brown, WJ and Matviuk, MAC 2010, Sports Celebrities and Public Health: Diego
Maradonas Influence on Drug Use Prevention, Journal of Health Communications:
International Perspectives, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 358373.

Bush, AJ, Martin, CA and Bush, VD 2004, Sports celebrity influence on the behavioural
intentions of generation Y, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 108118.

Lines, G 2001, Villains, fools or heroes? Sports stars as role models for young people,
Leisure Studies, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 285303.

Shead, NW, Walsh, K, Taylor, A, Derevensky, JL & Gupta, R 2011, Youth Gambling
Prevention: Can Public Service Announcements Featuring Celebrity Spokespersons be
Effective?, Int J Ment Health Addiction, vol. 9, pp. 165179.



























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Outline


Introduction

Background: Mass Media - Social Influence - Sports Celebrities - Controversial Moral
Behaviours - Role Models - Young People.

Definitions: Sports Celebrities - Athletes - Success - Media; Role Models - Socialisation
Process (Biskup & Pfister, 1999); Young People - Teenagers - Adolescents.

Position: Young peoples behaviour seems to be affected by sports celebrities in different
ways.

Scope: Sport Practice - Consumption Behaviour - Prevention Of High Risk Behaviours.

Body Paragraph One

Topic Sentence: Sport stars may have been influenced young people to practice physical
activity.

Development: Role Models - Boys (Biskup & Pfister, 1999; Brown & Matviuk, 2010; Bush
Et Al. 2004; Lines, 2001) - Stereotypes - Career - Inspires; National Heroes - Venerations -
Eg. Michael Jordan/Pele.

Concluding Sentence: The Sport Stars Influence Englobes Many Sections, One Of Them
Is Consumer Behaviour.

Body Paragraph Two

Topic Sentence: The sports celebrities influence on teenagers consumer behaviour may
be seem as a positive effort made by the advertisements companies.

Development: Bush et al. (2004) Brand Selection - Eg. Advertisements, Nike, Calvin Klein
or Gillette; Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova - Campaigns Badenhausen,
2013; Connection; Credibility (Shead, 2011) - Psychological Inclusion (Bush Et Al. 2004).

Concluding Sentence: This Feature Also Works Similarly On The Prevention Of High-Risk
Behaviours.

Body Paragraph Three

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Topic Sentence: Sport stars are usually a positive influence for the prevention of some
dangerous behaviours.

Development: Controversial Attitudes - Eg. Use Of Drugs - Excessive Use Of Alcohol -
Overcome & Prevent - Eg. Diego Maradona - Best Soccer Players In The World - Fallen
Hero; Brown And Matviuk (2010) - Spokesperson; Credibility + Involvement (Brown &
Matviuk, 2010; Shead, 2013).

Conclusion

Topic Sentence: Young people have been influenced by sport celebrities in different ways
and levels, relying on gender, age and culture.

Summary: Some Topics - Discussed.

Position Re-Estated: While many researches claim that the influence of the sport stars can
be negative, most of them seem to be beneficial for the development of the young peoples
personality.
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