Sports public relations professionals prepare media kits, write player bios, book appearances, compile statistics, handle crises, maintain relationships with media and fans. The practice of sports PR began with the ancient Olympic Games and word-of-mouth promotion. It has evolved with new technologies like radio and television and now social media. Sports PR shares similarities with other fields like using media relations and events, but focuses more on athletes, teams, leagues and building brands.
3. Sports Public Relations Professionals
Public relations is the distinctive management function which helps establish
and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance, and
cooperation between a team, athlete, league, organization, company and brand
and its respective publics by:
• Preparing media kits
• Writing player bios
• Booking player appearances on
television & radio sports shows
• Compiling stacks of statistics
• Handling crises when players run
afoul of the law
• ‘Wining and dining’ sports
reporters
• Maintaining the team website &
blog
• Maintaining the press box
• Providing constant updates for
fans on Facebook and followers on
twitter
• Arranging media interviews
4. What is Sports Public Relations
SPORTS
PR
Philadelphia
Flyers
Nike
BRANDS/
CORPORATIONS
TEAMS
Under
Armour
Syracuse
Men’s
Basketball
Lebron
James
ATHLETES
Serena
Williams
LEAGUES/
ORGANIZATIONS
NFL
NBA
STORES/
COMPANIES
NHL
Dick’s
SporJng
Goods
Foot
Locker
YMCA
5. History of Sports Public Relations
● The practice of PR in sports was occurring before the actual term “public relations” was
created
● This occurred because of the first form of PR: word of mouth. The Olympic games were
talked about throughout the Greek world and beyond during the four years prior to the
actual event
● From 776 BC to AD 395, “the Olympic festival attracted citizens from all over the Greek
world” (Swaddling, 1980, pg.10). People traveled to Olympia “from colonies as far as Spain
776
and Africa”.
B.C.EAD 395 ● As the games continued every four years, people talked about them to their friends who
then spread the word to other people
● In 1921 MLB created a commissioner, NL 1922 AL 1928 creation of press offices, by 1951
PR practitioners were found at team level
■ Relationship with sports journalists
■ “Many fans got their news about baseball from the newspaper and formed their
opinions about the game from this coverage” (13)
1447-‐
● Helped grow baseball’s image as ‘national past time’: “Resulting newspaper coverage helped
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convince the public that baseball contributed to both individual self-improvement and
national betterment
6. History Continued
● “The San Francisco Giants hosted the first baseball game focused on raising
awareness and money in the fight against AIDS. The Giants donated a
portion of game proceeds to the cause ($1 per ticket), and time before the
game to invoke the significance of the disease and the need to fight
1895-‐
it” (Schaaf, 1995, p. 106).
Present
● This event was announced on the radio and more people showed up to the
game to fight AIDs after the radio broadcast happened
● Radio was a technology that helped sports PR specialists spread the word
faster
● 1950s and 1960s: growth of college sports on television
● 1960s: NFL owes much of its history to the PR.
● The industry of sports PR changed drastically in the 1980’s when ESPN was
1920’sspawned
Present
7. History Continued
● Social Media has lead to a growth in the amount of information and
content fans receive.
○ Los Angeles Lakers (LAL) star Kobe Bryant “lashed out at a referee
with a curse word and a homophobic slur” (Akil, 2011).
○ This lead to the “LAL organization and the league”
■ Not only did the LAL separate itself from Bryant, it assured the
public that it would “look forward to work with the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to help educate
itself and its fans to help keep homophobic language out of the
game” (ESPN, 2011).
○ These statements and actions through the use of the media occurred
immediately after the situation, showing that sports PR has grown
and flourished throughout history into a fast-enacting, crisis-averting
form of management.
Present
Day
8. Case Study:
2011 National Championship Air Races Tragedy
Background Information:
Sept. 16, 2011 pilot crash at event
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R&R’s goal: Maintain crisis communication immediately after
crash, oversee communication for the next year’s event
Key Publics: Spectators/Families and friends of spectators
Research:
Research went into forming a crisis communication plan for the
event
o Crisis communications can only be planned so far
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Research for the following year’s event
o One-on-one meetings with various groups
9. Case Study:
2011 National Championship Air Races Tragedy
Planning:
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2011 had crisis communications plan, and it was subsequently
implemented
o Communications from emergency responders were routed through
PR team
Emergency preparedness drill every year
Execution:
Reaction to the Incident
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Media response and outreach
Website splash
Non-profit family assistance fund
Candlelight vigil
Regular communications to community
Facilitated NTSB and FAA investigation
10. Case Study:
2011 National Championship Air Races Tragedy
Execution:
Future Event Communication
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Direct support of families of victims
Blue Ribbon Review Panel
Meetings with community leaders
Press event to announce event’s continuation
Counseled Reno Air Racing Association
Secured insurance funding
Evaluation:
2012 Event
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186,000 spectators
$40 million in earned media
o Two tribute ceremonies generated emotional media responses
1.5 billion impressions
Existence after the tragedy is in and of itself a success
11. Advantages
• Exposure to high-profile athletes and sports executives
• Generate Revenue
• Capability to develop and build a brand
• Example: Nike, Gatorade, Jordan
• Credibility
• Abundant influence on the media
“A sport publicist’s biggest asset is the ability to “formulate a plan
and match it with the right media outlet”
12. Disadvantages
• Power
• Crisis Management
“40% of players in the NBA and 21% of players in the NFL have
been charged with a crime” (Oakes, 2006).
• Stressful work environment
• Long hours (no specific schedule)
• Lots of travel
• Works on weekends
• Considered part of Sport Marketing
• Negative Portrayal of profession
• Associated with “spin” or “flack”
13. Skills
• Training- Bachelors degree in PR or an communications related field
o PRSA and similar organizations offer training and accreditation sessions
Writing
Multitasking
Interpersonal
Leadership
Data Analysis
15. Similarities
• Sports PR encompasses most if not all
aspects of PR, but varies in specifics
pertaining to the field and its
conditions
• Practice media relations, drafting news
releases, creating promotional materials,
coordinating special events
• Crisis Communications, News
Conferences, Press Releases, Events
16. Community Relations PR
• Intertwine with one another to bring the sports
organization and the community together.
• Athletes, teams and organizations are constantly working
to improve their community relations through PR
• “Community relations programs have emerged as a
strategum that sport organizations use to deliver
outreach-type programs. The aim of such programs is to
achieve corporate public relations objectives related to
enhancing public understanding and gaining public
approval and acceptance, and hopefully leading to public
support” (Mullin, 2000, p. 320).
17. Government Relations
• Many sports organizations “are highly regulated by
federal, state, and local laws” (Stoldt, Dittmore,
2012, p.18).
• Most stadiums are built with tax dollars. Sport
organizations need to keep a close relationship
with government for public support
• The NCAA, NAIA, or other collegiate organizations
“commonly lobby their regulators for the
implementation of maintenance for a particular
policy deemed desirable by the
organization”(Stoldt, Dittmore, 2012, p. 18).
18. Investor Relations
• Although many sport organizations are not
publicly owned, many sporting good
manufactures are.
• Must keep stockholders informed as to the
financial position of the company.
• Investor relations want “to convince them that
the investment in the organization continues to
be a sound financial strategy” (Stoldt, Dittmore,
2012, p. 17).
19. Differences
• Much heavier focus on social responsibility
• Media relations and player relations are also
heavily emphasized.
• Crisis can be considered as trade rumors,
athlete and organizational scandal, team
losses and individual failure.
• Staging news conferences and send out
media advisories
20. Salary
Title specific job descriptions do not exist for sports.
2012 Data:
Entry-level public relations specialist:
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$54,170
Advertising, promotions and PR professional in spectator
sports: $66,910
Promotions/PR professional in arts/entertainment/sports
sector: $106,710
According to PR Week, the median salary for PR professional in
the entertainment industry is $90,000 annually
21. Future/ Growth
The future for sports public relations looks promising.
• Growth of the industry has a whole
• PR has an expected growth rate of 22% by 2020
• Sport specific revenues are a billion dollar industry
globally
• Sports are becoming increasingly global
• Growth in developing nations is leading to a rising
middle class
• No substitute for sports public relations.
22. Social Media
• Social media has completely revolutionized the
sports industry.
• New opportunities for pitching stories, branding, and
earning reputation
• More touchpoints with every sector of the industry from
companies to agencies to athletes
• More opportunities for conversation, communication,
and crisis
