George Orwell once wrote that sport is “war minus the shooting”.

But that was in December 1945, just after the end of the second world war.

The use of sport as a political tool has evolved considerably since then.

Prof Simon Chadwick has studied the way football, F1 etc have been used as part of ’soft’ power plays by nations attempting to grow their ‘brand’ and influence.

While countries like China and Qatar, as well as clubs like PSG and Man City, spring to mind the UK and the US are also adept at utilising their stars on the field to enhance their influence overseas

TOPICS

1:45 What is soft power? The good cop v bad cop analogy

3:20 How is this used in soft power? The British example

“it is not unusual for the Dept of Trade and Industry to take people from Premier Lcub clubs on business trips”

4:05 The Qatar example

5:45 The concept of Nation Brand. The use of airlines in sponsorship is widespread

8:50 What PSG’s shirt tells us about soft power

PSG ‘overpaid’ for Neymar and it was soft power statement

11:50 “You cannot compete effectively without a social and digital presence”

13:12 The Qatari content around their brand message and how Saudi Arabia has responded

14:55 Is the China strategy - is that soft power in the same way?

18:23 The genesis of China’s sporting strategy, the reporting problems

21:10 Has China’s first five-year plan really achieved its aims

24:54 The two part of the strategy - investing in bring players/coaches and clubs overseas

Why the Chinese government were upset with the initial gold rush around Chinese football

28.32 The link between the Chinese economy and football. Especially given that Trump is spoiling for a trade war with China

31:45 The more considered approach to China rather than the boom or bust

30:50 What are the markers of improvement for Chinese football?

33:54 F1 - the 70’s heyday and the “Eastward pivot”.

37:35 Why Vietnam is the epitome of the change in F1

38:20 How far F1 were behind and how they have caught up

40:52 Is F1 ‘Out of Time’?

42:03 What about the Olympics? Does recent history suggest we need state involvement to bid to host an event

45:24 Could we see a shift of football club currently owned by Americans, moving into Asian hands

47:51 Fan disenchantment and the dangers of disengagement from British-owned clubs because they just can’t compete in modern sport

49:20 The need for a ‘climate change’ summit in football

50:43 The problem of vested interests

51:23 The British government and EU have done nothing to regulate their Leagues. Hence the need for a football parliament.

LINKS

Prof Simon Chadwick Profile | Twitter | LinkedIn

Video lecture Sport in the 21st century

Articles on TheConversation.com