Racism in Sports in Australia

The prospects of all organizations depend to a large extent on the kind of marketing strategies or the policies that they are following for the process of the sale of the products or the services offered by them to the end users (Palmer, Quester & Carolin, 2017). Broadly put, the various marketing strategies can be defined as the policies or the techniques which the diverse organizations use to make the products or the services offered by them seem more attractive or worth buying in comparison to the ones offered by the other organizations (Palmer, Quester & Carolin, 2017). Thus, it is seen that within the particular domain of marketing the process of promotion has gained a significant amount of prominence. Furthermore it is seen that the concept of promotion is being used by many organizations of the present times in diverse kinds of innovative manner for the purpose of marketing their products and also for enhancing the sales rate of their products or services.

Another important concept which is being used by the majority of the organizations of the present times is the use of the diverse kinds of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities as well as policies (McDonald et al., 2016). It is significant to note that the various CSR activities as well as policies help the organizations to attain a positive brand and this in turn helps in the enhancement of the sale rate of the products or the services offered by them since in the present times it is seen that the customers have become very conscious about the concept of brand image (McDonald et al., 2016). Furthermore, it is interesting to note that these factors or strategies are not only used in the used of world but in the other kinds of industries as well like the sports industry, health care industry and others (Gill, 2017). In the present times, the sports industry has emerged as one of the most important ones and is being used an economic driver by the majority of the nations of the world (Gill, 2017). Moreover, it is seen that the majority of the strategies as well as the tactics that are being used in the sports industry for the promotion of the services offered by them are directly related to the ones which are being widely followed in the business world (Breitbarth et al., 2014). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the use of CSR activities for the enhancement of the brand image and thereby the sale of the services offered by them, use of diverse promotional means and others are commonly used in the world of business but they are now increasingly being used in the world of sports as well (Breitbarth et al., 2014). This report will discuss about the concept of sports marketing through the specific lens of the “AFL+Racism” and the manner in which the concerned incident can be used for marketing purposes.

The nation of Australia is a multicultural one with a significant proportion of the population of the nation belonging to the aboriginal sections. Furthermore, it is generally seen that although the nation has various kinds of legislations as well as regulations regarding the fair and the equal treatment of the aboriginals (Plewa et al., 2016). However, it is often seen that the aboriginals of the nation are subjected to various kinds of discrimination as well as unjust treatments from the white skinned people and others of the nations. This is lead to the rise of several problems that the nation is facing at the current moment. One of the most pertinent examples of this fact is being manifested in the sports arena of the nation.

Australian Football League

The various kinds of sports form an integral part of the nation of Australia and it is generally seen that the people take an active interest in the diverse kinds of sports be it the sport of cricket, football, rugby or any kind of sports (Richards et al., 2015). However, at the same time it is significant to note that the evils of racism, discrimination and others have even permeated the machinery of these sports as well (Richards et al., 2015). A significant observation regarding the racism, discrimination and others that have permeated the cannon of various sports was made by Colin Tatz in his famous work “What’s the score? A survey of cultural diversity and racism” in 2010 when he said that “they’re Australians when they’re winning, and Aborigines at other times”(Scheerder & Claes, 2017). This particular remark of the author speaks volume about the kind of racism that exists within the framework of the diverse kinds of sports in the nation of Australia. The “Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)” has taken an open stand against the various kinds of racism that exists within the Australia sports industry by giving the dictum that “no player … shall act towards or speak to any other person in a manner, or engage in any other conduct which threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person … on the basis of that person’s race, religion, color, descent or national or ethnic origin” (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2018). However, inspite of these actions taken by the national government of the nation and the other authorities of the nation it is seen that racism still forms an integral part of not only the society of the nation but at the same time the sports industry as well. The recent controversy regarding racism prevalent in the Australian Football League is a case in point. It is pertinent to note that these acts of racism and discrimination not only affect the sports industry in a significant manner but at the same time they destroy the very essence of the sports itself.

Australian Football League (AFL) is a football sports professional competition in the nation of Australia which is concerned not only with the promotion of the sports of football but at the same time with the promotion of the various kinds of professional games in the nation as well (AFL.com.au, 2018). The “AFL Commission” is the governing body of the competition and conducts the various games as per the international rules of the game (AFL.com.au, 2018). The competition inaugurated in the year 1897 has gained widespread popularity in terms of the number of supporters which it gets from the different parts of the nation but also from the other parts of the world as well and also in the promotion of the sport of football as well (AFL.com.au, 2018). In addition to these, the competition is one of the highest revenue generating sports events of the world and contributes in a significant manner towards the national economy of the nation (AFL.com.au, 2018). However, in the recent times it is seen that the competition has come under much negative criticism on the score of various factors like racism, discrimination and others.

Australian Football League and Racism

One of the major attractions of the event is the fact that the different football teams which participate in the event comprises of both members from the white skinned community of the nation as well as the aboriginal section (Pierik, 2018). It is significant to note that members of both groups perform side by side with each other on equal terms and help the concerned team to win the match. However, one of the incidents which have gained popularity in the recent times is the fact that although the aboriginals and members of other minority community are given chance in the sports team but they do not receive the same kind of opportunities when it comes to the management of these teams (Sport, 2018). Thus, it is seen that there are only three coaches related to the aboriginal community among the one hundred eighty coaches and other sports staff which are a part of the competition. This particular biasness of the competition towards the aboriginal section of the nation has lead to many comments and arguments in the recent times (Sport, 2018). One of the most important ones in this particular context was the statement of Tanya Hosch when she said that “I played a bit of footy in high school, I was crap at it, just played it because I was angry at the time, but I realize that this must be one of the hardest games in the world to be really good at. It’s increasingly competitive. So if we can achieve 10 to 11 per cent consistently of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander men playing this game at the elite level, why can’t we have employment rates across the industry that mirror that?” (The Age, 2018). In addition to this another supporter of the cause of the aboriginal people in the nation of Australia said in an article of the The Age (2018) that “It can be a bit of a lonely existence. I suppose the thing is, I look at this game, I have watched it my whole life, I grew up in Adelaide, I still live in Adelaide … I have watched this game my whole life and I know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have made an absolutely stunning contribution to this game for decades and decades, with absolute fearlessness and courage and a spectacular lot of talent, so somehow can celebrate the achievements on the field but in other ways we forget about blackfellas in any other area”. Furthermore, it is significant to note that there are various other supporters of the competition who are of the viewpoint that this is totally unethical and if the sports clubs can use the talents of these aboriginals to further the cause of their teams and also the entire game itself then it is time that they should be willing to provide the position of the coaches and other important management positions of the team to these aboriginal people as well (www.abc.net.au, 2018).

The AFL received a major blow when the Nigerian born aboriginal player Joel Wilkinson complained of racism and sexual harassment which he allegedly faced in numerous games of the leagues (www.abc.net.au, 2018). It is significant to note that Joel Wilkinson was one of the most promising players of the league and had an impressive career in the 26 games that he played for the league (www.abc.net.au, 2018). However, in the year 2013 he came forward with the complaint that he was a victim of sexual harassment as well as racism on numerous occasions (www.abc.net.au, 2018). He complained that he was subjected to racist jokes not only on the field but also in the locker room of the team in addition to the various kinds of sexual innuendos both on and off the field. It is pertinent to note that at first the AFL even refused to acknowledge the issue and he was even suspended with any valid reason (www.sbs.com.au, 2018). However, support for him soon grew and numerous other aboriginals who had experienced the same kind of treatment at the hands of the AFL came forward and not only narrated the ordeal that they faced but at the same time openly supported Wilkinson (www.sbs.com.au, 2018). Furthermore, this incident caused a significant amount of damage to the goodwill as well as the brand image of the concerned sports competitions and in the recent times a drop in the viewership of the competition has been noticed. Experts are of the viewpoint that the mitigation of these issues is of paramount importance for the concerned association since it affecting not only the competition but at the same time the game of football in a significant manner (Farrington et al., 2017).

In the present world of business it is seen that the concept of CSR has gained a significant amount of prominence and the different organizations are increasingly turning towards the use of this particular for the purposes of marketing and also for the improvement of the prospects of their business (Nyadzayo, Leckie & McDonald, 2016). The concept of CSR hints that the various business enterprises have an ethical responsibility towards the society and the environment in large and thus they need to indulge in the kind of practices as well as activities that are likely to add value to the society and the planet as a whole (Nyadzayo, Leckie & McDonald, 2016). Furthermore, in the contemporary business world it is also seen that the diverse organizations have become more concerned about the brand image which they are projecting to the customers and the end users of the products or the services that they are offering to the customers (Djaballah, Hautbois & Desbordes, 2017). The customers in turn at the same time have also become more concerned about the brand image of the organizations whose products or services they are using and thus more than ever it has become important for the organizations to have a positive brand image.

One of the most important strategies which are being used by the various organizations from the diverse parts of the world is to make the effective use of the concept of CSR. It is significant to note that one of the primary precepts of the concept of CSR is the fact that the concerned organization should indulge in the kind of activities as well as events which are likely to add value to not only to the concerned organization but also to the society and the planet in large in a significant manner (Rowe, Karg & Sherry, 2018). Thus, it is seen that the various organizations try to take the help of the kind of activities or practices that are likely to project the values and the mission of the concerned organization. These activities and practices in turn help the concerned organization in a significant manner towards the improvement of the brand image of the concerned organization (Rowe, Karg & Sherry, 2018). Furthermore, another important new trend which is being seen in the buying behavior of the customers of the present times is the fact that the customers of the present times are more concerned about the brand image of a particular organization rather than the quality or the price of the products or the services offered by them. It is a reflection of this particular fact that it is seen that a particular organization even though it offers quality products or services to the customers will not being able to make a good profit if the concerned organization does not have a positive brand image (Batty, Cuskelly & Toohey, 2016). Thus, it is seen that the various organizations are increasingly turning towards the extensive use of this particular concept for the enhancement of the brand image which they have. Many experts are of the viewpoint that the concept of CSR if used in an effective manner can lead towards the improvement of the business prospects of the concerned organization in a significant manner (Batty, Cuskelly & Toohey, 2016).

As mentioned above the AFL is facing various kinds of issues at the current moment related to the evil of racism, discrimination and others which is adversely affecting the reputation of the league itself and also broadly the reputation of the game of football itself (Gorman & Oliver, 2018).  The effective use of the concept of CSR is likely to help the AFL in a significant manner to resolve the issues which it is facing at the current moment. For example, in the year 2015 it was seen that the AFL came up with the campaign which aimed to mitigate the damaging effects of the evils of racism and discrimination that has permeated within its framework (Gorman & Oliver, 2018). The motto of the campaign was “Racism. It Stops With Me” was sponsored by Toyota (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2018). It is significant to note that the primary motive behind the launch of this particular event was to address the issues of racism and sexual harassment which have been highlighted by incidents like racism and the sexual harassment incident faced by Joel Wilkinson. Moreover, the campaign at the same time made the official stand of the association very clear while reinforcing the original stand of the organization about racism which was in accordance with the “Rule 30: A Rule to Combat Racial and Religious Vilification” of 1995 of the Australian Sports Association (AFL.com.au, 2018). The campaign thus can be seen as an initiative on the part of the AFL to not only address the issues which it has been facing for a very long time and at the same to improve the brand image of the competition itself. In addition to this, the AFL in the recent times is also trying to take the help of various kinds of CSR activities as well as practices which are likely to improve the brand image of the sports event itself. A few examples of these initiatives taken by the concerned organization are rewarding the aboriginal players who are performing well, giving more team management positions or designations to these individuals, improvement of the pay scale which is being provided to them, investing more in these aboriginal players, taking active initiatives for the development of the talent and the skill sets of these aboriginal players and others (Gorman & Oliver, 2018). It is a reflection of these initiatives that the AFL has been able to restore the brand image as well as the goodwill which it once used enjoy not only in the nation of Australia but also all over the world in a significant manner. Furthermore, at the same time it is also seen that the use of CSR activities and practices has helped the AFL in a significant manner to restore the fan following which it once used to enjoy and at the same time to rekindle the love of the sports enthusiasts towards the game of football as well.

Conclusion

To conclude, the various organizations in world of sports are increasingly taking the help of the concept of marketing and the strategies which underpin this particular concept in the world of business. Thus, it is seen that the majority of the sports organizations of the present times are increasingly taking the help of the concept of CSR activities as well as practices to indulge in the kind of campaigns as well as events which are likely to help the concerned organization in a significant to improve the brand image of the concerned organization. This is important since in the present times it is seen that the various organizations have become more conscious about the brand image of the organizations whose services or the products they are opting for. Thus, it can be said that in the present times the brand image of the organizations whose products or the services they are opting for has become as important as the quality or the price of the concerned product or the service itself. It is a reflection of this particular fact that various organizations are increasingly turning towards the use of this particular concept to further enhance the brand image of their organization and thus provide themselves with a better chance of success. The case of the AFL under discussion here also points to the same time argument. It is significant to note that one of the major factors which lead to the decline of the brand image of the AFL was the various negative criticisms which it faced because of the existence of the various acts of racism, sexual harassments, discrimination and others. However, in the recent times it is seen that the AFL has been able to mitigate the adverse effects of these negative criticisms and also to improve the prospects of the sports event in a significant manner through the effective use of the concept of CSR. The implication of this report is thus the fact that social and other issues can indeed be used as marketing and promotional activities to improve the brand image of the concerned organization.

1. Depending on the case study under discussion here comment on the marketing strategy which was used by AFL to mitigate the adverse effects of the negative criticisms which it faced because of issues related to racism, sexual harassment, discrimination and others.

The marketing strategy which was used by AFL for overcoming as well as mitigating the adverse effects of the negative criticisms that it received was the effective use of the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (Light & Evans, 2018). It is pertinent to note that in the present times the customers have become more conscious about the brand image of the products or the services that they are opting for. Furthermore, it is seen that the various CSR activities as well as policies not only depict the values as well as the mission of a particular organization in the most effective manner but at the same time taking an active interest into the affairs of the society and the planet helps the concerned organization to enhance their brand image in a significant manner (Light & Evans, 2018). Thus, it is seen that the various organizations are increasingly taking the help of the construct of CSR to provide an opportunity to themselves to improve their brand image in a significant manner. The AFL also took the help of the same concept for the mitigation of the issues that it was facing through the improvement of the brand image of theirs. The improvement of the brand image is important since it was seen that the fans were unwilling to attach themselves with the AFL because of the charges which were brought against it.

1. In the case study provided how the charges of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment and others affected the goodwill and the brand image of the AFL?

The various incidents of racism, sexual harassment, discriminations ad others that were reported by the players of the AFL like Joel Wilkinson and others have adversely affected the brand image of the league. It is generally seen that the customers or the fans do not like to attach themselves with a particular brand which is being portrayed in the negative light by the media or other relevant channels (Knijnik, Hunter & Vozzo, 2017). Furthermore, it is significant to note that a significant amount of the population of the nation of Australia consists of the aboriginals and they are being represented by the various sports teams of the AFL as well (Knijnik, Hunter & Vozzo, 2017). However, the major thing of concern for the organization is the fact that the racism or discrimination that the aboriginals are being made to face at the hands of this particular organization (Forrest, Lean & Dunn, 2016). For example, the unequal representation of the aboriginals in the management teams or the coaching staff of the concerned committee and also the various instances that they are facing currently like the ones of Wilkinson and others affecting the prospects of the concerned organization in a significant manner (Forrest, Lean & Dunn, 2016). These are not only affecting the brand image of the committee but at the same time they are affecting the reputation of the sports as well and this in turn is affecting the fan following or the fan base they have. It is significant to note that the major revenue which this committee gets is from these fans only and thus these incidents are not only affecting the fan base but the revenue earned by them as well.

1. How the evil of racism, discrimination and others can be used as marketing tools?

Racism, discrimination, sexual harassments and others evils are something that many of the people of the nation of Australia are being subjected in every day (Baker-Lewton et al., 2017). The major concern of these individuals is to create a society wherein they would not have to face these kinds of evils since it not only affects the physical but at the same time the mental state of the individuals as well (Baker-Lewton et al., 2017). Therefore, the idea that these issues can be mitigated in some effective manner is an idea which appeals to the psychology of the individuals in a deep manner. The AFL used this particular factor itself to mitigate or overcome the various issues that it was facing (Farrington et al., 2017). For example, the AFL tried to create the idea of a sports environment wherein the people or the players will not be subjected to various kinds of racism, sexual discrimination, sexual harassment incidents and others and this appealed to the psychology of the people of the nation in a significant manner (Farrington et al., 2017). This in turn helped the concerned committee in a significant manner to resolve the issues that it was facing.

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