Sport strives for comparability, justice and fairness

ispo.com: Why is there such a strong gender-specific differentiation in sport?

Hans-Willy Brockes: Sport strives for comparability, justice and fairness. That's why there are different classes and categories to make competitions fair. These are not only divided according to gender, but also according to weight classes, as in boxing, for example. Children and young people are also divided into age groups in order to achieve comparability and fairness.

Why is male sport given significantly more space in the media than other genders?

In sports such as equestrian sports, motor sports and darts, however, there are usually no gender-specific competitions, so the statement cannot be generalized. But of course there are historical reasons for men's sport being the "standard". Many competitive sports were historically reserved for men. In addition, due to physical differences, the results seem to be better for men. In marathons and other endurance sports, men usually finish ahead of women. In general, however, you can't talk about better in gender-specific terms, but women's sport is often different and, in my personal opinion, more attractive in soccer or tennis, for example. However, not all the media necessarily see it that way.

In the year 2025, isn't it a scandal that sponsors regularly pay significantly lower sponsorship sums for the identical performance of women than for the performance of men?

You can't say that. Sponsors don't generally pay according to gender, but according to criteria such as advertising effectiveness, image and positioning opportunities. That's why there are big differences between sports. Soccer, tennis and Formula 1 receive higher sums than sports such as badminton or volleyball. The same applies to women's tennis compared to badminton. Sponsorship is always a balancing act between reach, target group appeal and storytelling.

What role does the topic of transgender play in sport and to what extent is this an exciting area for sponsors?

The transgender issue is complex and is discussed from a fairness perspective. It mainly concerns trans women who want to compete in women's disciplines. There are hardly any transgender athletes at world-class level in elite sport. Sponsors have rarely taken up the issue so far, as they carefully weigh up their commitment. However, there could be potential in certain sectors such as clothing, fashion or sporting goods.

Would you advise a sponsor against sponsoring transgender athletes or even promoting their own competitions?

Yes and no. It depends on the message you want to get across. In this day and age, it is important to carefully examine the target groups and the possible image transfer. In certain sectors, a focused commitment can achieve great reach. However, it is important to be aware that companies are pursuing economic goals and if the engagement then scares off other customer groups, this is not recommended.

What is the attitude of sponsors towards the sexual orientation of athletes?

Sexual orientation is a private matter. If someone makes their sexual orientation public, it is a facet of the personality that you are sponsoring. This can be positive or less advantageous. Ultimately, it's about achieving economic goals and not alienating the company's target groups. Quite a few companies are interested in the strong purchasing power of the LGBTQ+ community and address them with targeted marketing measures. However, this tends to be the exception in sports sponsorship.