Day 043 - 01 Nov 94 - Page 57
1 sponsorship?
2 A. Yes. I think they like it a lot. Our average employee
3 is a sporting enthusiast as well.
4
5 Q. We in this country, Mr. Green, often think that we are
6 sports mad; I do not know whether we are right about that.
7 What is the position in America? I mean, are people keen
8 on sports?
9 A. Yes, the two major activities that people are
10 interested in are entertainment and sports. Sports is
11 probably the most talked about -- on radio programming in
12 the United States we have a number of talk stations where
13 people call in and talk about it -- like they talk about
14 the weather, I guess.
15
16 Q. One other question arising out of something you just said
17 actually. You said that sporting events, whether televised
18 or live, or whatever, are particularly popular with your
19 heaviest users, I think you told us?
20 A. That is correct.
21
22 Q. What exactly do you mean by that? How do you know that?
23 A. Well, we know that people who come to McDonald's most
24 often, and there is third party research you can get that
25 shows what kinds of activities do those people like. At
26 the top of the list of the activities that people like who
27 also patronize quick service restaurants, so it is compared
28 in the research. If you go to quick service restaurants
29 often, what are the hobbies or the things that you like the
30 most, sports and entertainment are always at the top of the
31 list.
32
33 MR. JUSTICE BELL: When you say "sports" is that active
34 participation or spectator participation or either one?
35 A. It could be either one, but I think the majority of it
36 is in spectator participation, as opposed to participating
37 yourself.
38
39 MR. RAMPTON: I was going to ask you a question arising out of
40 that. In the age group 16 to 24, is that an important age
41 group so far as McDonald's is concerned?
42 A. Yes. Actually, you know, most age groups are important
43 to us and that certainly is an important one along with the
44 others.
45
46 Q. Then there is the next age group up is, what, 24 to 35; is
47 that right?
48 A. Yes, 24 to 35. Sometimes because of the way that you
49 buy advertising, it is 25 to 39 or 25 to 49.
50
51 Q. As the only person presently in court who can offer or
52 venture an opinion about this, would you like to hazard a
53 guess when your average American male stops participating
54 in active sport?
55 A. I would not have a clue.
56
57 Q. Perhaps that was not a very sensible question. Can I move
58 on to something which is related but different, what I call
59 "copromotions", that is to say, we noticed when Mr. Hawkes
60 was giving evidence that McDonald's has a hook up or a link
