Looking Ahead

What does the future of sports PR hold? I believe that the Internet will become the most important component of sports PR. Many, if not most, people get their news from the Internet. That means that PR practitioners can use the Internet to spread information concerning their clients. Also, many of today's professional athletes have their own blogs. Through their blogs, athletes can communicate directly with their fans rather than communicating through the media. PR practitioners must take care to ensure that their clients do not post any damaging information on their blogs; the wrong information could end up creating tremendous controversy for the athletes involved. As more and more people connect to the Internet, Web-based PR will become even more important, and those who practice sports PR must do everything possible to stay ahead of the game.

Thrashers Connect With Fans

Although the Atlanta Thrashers were swept out of the first round of the playoffs, their first ever postseason appearance generated some good PR. Because the organization has spent years forming relationships with its fans, it wanted to make sure that they were involved in the playoff experience. One of the primary ways in which the Thrashers did this was the "Unleash the Fury" video contest. Fans were asked to submit their video entries involving the team's playoff slogan, "Unleash the Fury." After the videos were submitted, the organization selected a winner and several runners-up. The team then showed these videos on the video board during the first game of the playoffs. The fans enjoyed watching the videos, and as a result they became even more excited about the game. By enabling the fans to become personally involved in the playoff atmosphere, the Thrashers were able to create a feeling of group unity and to show the fans that they were an important part of the team's success.

The Job Hunt

I knew that getting a job in sports would not be an easy task, but it's turning out to be even more difficult than I expected. After several unsuccessful attempts to land a job, I find that my post-graduation life is up in the air. Right now I am hoping to get a six-month internship with the Atlanta Falcons. I would make minimum wage as a community relations assistant. Despite the low paycheck, the opportunity to work for an NFL team would be too great to pass up. I would work out of the team's headquarters in Flowery Branch and would handle player and cheerleader appearances as well as youth activities during training camp. I am crossing my fingers on this one, because I do not know what my next step will be if I do not get the job. I am hoping that I get some graduation money from family members and the like, because that June rent payment will be coming up very soon.

The Media's Assault on Vick

Lately, the image of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has taken some hits. In the most recent "scandal," police in Virginia raided the home of Vick's cousin and found evidence involving drugs and dog fighting. Even though Vick was not present, does not live in the house, and was not involved in the illegal activities, the media has come down on him because he is the legal owner of the house. Because he did something nice with his money and bought a house for a family member, his name is being dragged through the mud. The media have accused Vick of having character problems and have compared him to Randy Moss, a man who, among other things, bumped a meter maid with his car. Vick has taken this undue criticism in stride and met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the day of the NFL Draft to discuss what has been going on. In a nice bit of media relations work, Vick sat down for an interview and said that he will be more careful about the people with whom he associates. The most important thing that Vick has done during all of this has been to maintain his composure. By keeping a level head, he has fended off most of the media's criticism.

Tony Stewart Sounds Off

NASCAR has found itself it in a bit of a PR mess recently. Tony Stewart, one of racing's most notorious and controversial drivers, said in an interview that NASCAR is like professional werestling in that the outcomes are staged. Needless to say, NASCAR officials were not happy. NASCAR has seen a rise in its popularity in recent years and has done everything it could to position itself as one of the top sports attractions in America. By contesting the authenticity of race results, Stewart has undermined NASCAR's credibility and damaged its reputation. Time will tell if the sport suffers serious injury from the remarks. It is unlikely, however, that NASCAR fans will believe the things that Stewart said. The comments probably arose from frustration or anger rather than from actual beliefs. Even so, Stewart has learned a very valuable lesson: you never can be too careful when talking to the media.

SportsCenter Commercials

Over the years, one of my favorite parts of watching ESPN has been seeing a new commercial for SportsCenter. These commercials usually feature famous athletes and always are hilarious. It recently occurred to me that the commercials do more than just promote a TV show; they also allow ESPN to build relationships with the athletes that it covers. These relationships are important to the network, because it needs athletes to participate in interviews and other segments. By having athletes work with broadcasters during the production of the commercials, the network establishes working relationships and ensures that the athletes will be willing to work with the network in the future. Without the commercials, the broadcasters only would work with the athletes during interviews, which probably would not breed the camaraderie that the commercials produce. This friendly atmosphere is what really makes the commercials a good PR move.

Schilling's Sock

Was it really blood? The entire baseball world seems to be asking itself that very question. During the 2004 playoffs, Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling had his ankle stitched up in order to temporarily fix a tendon problem. Schilling then pitched, and won, Game 6 of the American League Championship Series and Game 2 of the World Series while wearing a blood-stained sock. On Wednesday, a Baltimore Orioles commentator said that Boston catcher Doug Mirabelli had told him that Schilling had put red paint on his sock as a publicity stunt. Mirabelli has denied ever saying this, and controversy has ensued. In all likelihood, the sock really was stained with blood. It is hard to believe that Schilling would take the time to come up with something like this while trying to lead Boston to the greatest postseason comeback in baseball history. However, if this was just a publicity stunt, then Schilling is a PR genius. People were in awe of his "bloody sock" performance. He became a legend to Red Sox fans around the world. His sock even ended up in the Hall of Fame. If he could come up with a PR stunt like that, he definitely would have a new career lined up after his playing days are over.