FOR THE LOVE OF SPORT OR MONEY?

In recent years money and sport have gone hand in hand. The more cash you have, the more successful you are. This is the case in pretty much every sport; however there are exceptions here and there. Golf is a perfect example of this and the Ryder cup says it all.

There is no doubt a professional golfer who is successful can earn millions in a calendar year and as a consequence enjoy the fruits of his labour. But if you delve into the makeup of the modern day sportsman it is clear to see money is the driving force. This is fair enough as we all need to make a living and there can be few things better than being a professional sportsman

Sportsmen travel the globe looking to make the next buck, but in between updating the bank balance there are a few sporting gems that are there only to produce heroes and special moments. Last week at Celtic Manor, Europe secured victory over USA by the finest of margins. The game between the two golfing superpowers was played with no money exchanged between the players and anyone lucky enough to witness the tournament could see how much it meant to all of them.

In the corporate world we live in, it is so important to remember why any of us start to play sport…for the love of it. The few global events that continue to happen purely for the enjoyment should be commended and continue to set an example to the sporting world. The Barclays premiership and the powers to be should remember and think about this when yet another loan is financed to buy a club.

George Jerram