Sponsores And Sports In the world of sports, everything from the cups athletes drink from to the stadiums they play in is up for grabs. The four major sports are a playing field for teams and large corporations hoping to influence the public. While there are some positives and negatives for sponsors, a line has to be drawn somewhere. The four major sports, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and the National Hockey League, generate millions of dollars from sponsors each year. Individual athletes themselves enter into large endorsement deals that in many cases exceed their own salaries. And even if the leaders of these sports try to limit the influence of companies, they continue to be an important part of every game played. One of the best-known sports sponsors is Nike. Their rivalry with Reebok and other shoe and apparel companies is seen on television and on the playing field. Advertising their company is the main concern when displaying their logos in sports. Beverages, fast food, credit cards, automobiles and a wide variety of companies spend their money on sports-related ventures. They spend large sums of money naming stadiums and arenas after their companies. Television gives these companies even more opportunities to influence audiences with commercials for which companies could sometimes pay up to $1 million. The uniforms worn by players are now made by different manufacturers, whereas five years ago each league had all teams wearing the same brand. The equipment used is also produced by different companies. No matter what you fight for, sponsors create good and bad influences in every sport. Major League Baseball is recognized as the most popular sport. They also play most of the games, which is a plus for sponsors. Every match is seen as an opportunity to spread the word about your company. But MLB seems to be the team least influenced by sponsors. This is likely due to the strict rules established and also due to recent work stoppages and labor disputes. MLB was once a leader in innovative ideas involving sponsors. Billboards are placed around the stadium in strategic locations that will be noticed by fans and television. Stadiums are now being renamed by companies willing to spend millions to have the stadium named after the company, such as 3Com Park in San Francisco. However, these short-term agreements can create problems in the future. Athletes are not as widely chosen for endorsement deals as in other sports. This is probably due to the fact that many players fail to make huge amounts