Unit 11: Sports & Entertainment Communications

1. 
   Player or celebrity initiated
   
   1. 
      The Michael J. Fox Foundation auctioned off a limited-edition collection of Nike shoes inspired by the actor's Back to the Future character last year. The high-profile auction raised $9.4 million for the foundation, the largest private funder of Parkinson's disease research in the world. ³²
      
   2. 
      Thousands of athletes and celebrities, from Justin Timberlake and Cristiano Ronaldo (in his underwear), participated in one of the most successful viral fundraising campaigns we have ever seen in this summer’s Ice Bucket Challenge, a cause tied to generating awareness and raising funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
      
      1. 
         As a result, (as August 2014), the ALS Association has received $22.9 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year, including 453,210 new donors to The Association
         
2. 
   Team or organization initiated
   
   1. 
      After tornadoes devastated the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 2012, the Texas Tech football team visited Lancaster, one of the hardest hit suburbs, to help with disaster relief efforts ³²
      
   2. 
      The Miami Dolphins Foundation (whose mission is devoted to providing and supporting signature education, health, youth athletic programs and volunteer activities that inspire and engage communities throughout Florida) raised over $600,000 through its annual “FinsWeekend”, an event that features former and current players, cheerleaders and staff participating in activities like fishing and golfing ³⁴
      
   3. 
      In 2013, the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA played their annual breast cancer awareness game on a pink court painted by breast cancer survivors in an effort to raise awareness and funding for the initiative
      
3. 
   League or governing body initiated
   
   1. 
      The NFL is engaged in an effort to fight childhood obesity with the NFL Play 60 program
      
      1. 
         From the NFL website: “As a brand and leader that believes in the power of sport, the promise of young fans and whose players embody health and fitness; the NFL and its Clubs are committed to reversing the effects of the childhood obesity epidemic. NFL PLAY 60 is a national youth health and fitness campaign focused on increasing the wellness of young fans by encouraging them to be active for at least 60 minutes a day.” ³⁵
         
      2. 
         Click here to read how social media has helped raise awareness of the NBA Cares Campaign, the league’s official global community outreach initiative that addresses important social issues such as education, youth and family development, and health and wellness.
         

1. 
   A foundation is an association established by an organization, athlete or celebrity to maintain, assist, or finance other institutions or programs that are of an educational, charitable, or social nature ³⁶
   
2. 
   Many athletes and celebrities have used their “celebrity status” to make a positive impact on issues important to them
   
3. 
   Celebrity foundations can help individual athletes and entertainers shed negative images
   
4. 
   Many high profile athletes and celebrities have formed foundations or take an active role in supporting or leading foundation-related activities
   
   1. 
      Derek Jeter formed his foundation during his rookie season with the New York Yankees. The foundation’s mission states aims to 1) create signature programs which will acknowledge and reward youths who avoid drugs and alcohol and those who choose healthy lifestyles 2) fund organizations which help prevent and treat teenage substance abuse and 3) leverage the integrity and popularity of Derek Jeter by hosting special events for today’s youth which serve as a platform for his message ³⁷
      
   2. 
      After tornadoes decimated the area surrounding Moore, Oklahoma, OK City Thunder star, Kevin Durant, donated $1 million for tornado relief through his foundation ³⁸
      
   3. 
      Author J.K. Rowling was recently named president of One Parent Families, a U.K. nonprofit that supports, educates and advocates for single parents. Rowling, once a single parent herself, has been one of the organization's major supporters and ambassadors since 2000. ⁴⁰
      
5. 
   A study from the Rutgers School of Business found that donors gave 1.4 percent more to charities associated with celebrities—to the tune of $100,000 annually
   
   1. 
      Here are the 25 most charitable celebrities last year, according to the Daily Beast
      

1. 
   There are six primary functions of sports and entertainment communications ⁴¹
   
   1. 
      Inform and communicate
      
      1. 
         Communicate information with consumers
         
      2. 
         Gather, present, and distribute information about the organization or product
         
      3. 
         Involves publishing programs, brochures, updating web sites etc.
         
   2. 
      Shape and enhance organization image
      
      1. 
         Work with “cause” programs
         
      2. 
         Important to all facets of sports and entertainment marketing, including corporations, teams, leagues, and individuals
         
      3. 
         This function closely resembles marketing function
         
      4. 
         Generate goodwill
         
         1. 
            Goodwill is a general willingness to work with a person or organization based on a positive reputation or relationship ⁴²
            
         2. 
            Companies can generate goodwill in a number of ways, often times through an affiliation with a particular sport, team, league or event
            
   3. 
      Recruiting tool
      
      1. 
         Extremely important to colleges and Universities for recruiting student athletes
         
      2. 
         Professional teams also must “recruit” potential draft choices and free agents
         
         1. 
            In today’s era, the recruiting effort can sometimes go beyond the front office
            
            1. 
               In 2014, the NBA fined the Toronto Raptors $25,000 because rapper Drake was making a public push to recruit Kevin Durant to Toronto when he becomes a free agent in 2016 ⁴³
               
            2. 
               Also in 2014, Lupe Fiasco took to Twitter to lobby US national team star Jermaine Jones to join the rapper's hometown Chicago Fire
               
      3. 
         Communities recruit franchises and events
         
         1. 
            In 2009, bids for MLS expansion franchises became competitive as community leaders in major U.S. and Canada markets (Miami, Atlanta, Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, Ore., St. Louis and Vancouver) were all hoping to land the rights to a MLS team in each of their respective markets (Portland and Vancouver won the bids and began play in 2011)⁴⁴
            
         2. 
            The MLS has announced tentative plans to expand to 24 teams by 2020 and cities including Sacramento, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Miami are interested in bringing a franchise to the area
            
            1. 
               Click here to read a story about two prospective ownership groups exploring opportunities to bring Major League Soccer to Minneapolis
               
            2. 
               Click here to read about David Beckham’s interest in MLS expansion to Miami while enlisting celebrity connections to help build publicity for a potential franchise
               
         3. 
            In an effort to continue building momentum for a 2018 or 2022 World Cup bid, the U.S. Bid Committee (led by former President and honorary chair of the committee Bill Clinton) launched a website that featured an online petition encouraging fans to pledge their support to the effort
            
            1. 
               Ultimately, Qatar won the rights, pledging to invest more than $200 billion over the next decade in preparation for the 2022 World Cup (or roughly 286 times more money per capita on the World Cup than Russia will spend on the most expensive Olympics ever, the Sochi Winter games)
               
               1. 
                  Click here to read why Qatar is investing in the World Cup
                  
   4. 
      Introduce new products or innovations
      
      1. 
         Build new product awareness and interest
         
      2. 
         Position new product
         
   5. 
      Generate and collect feedback
      
      1. 
         Determine acceptance and effectiveness of organizational policies
         
      2. 
         Gather specific consumer data
         
         1. 
            Attitudes
            
         2. 
            Preferences
            
         3. 
            Behaviors
            
   6. 
      Crisis management ⁴⁵
      
      1. 
         A coordinated effort to handle the effects of unfavorable publicity or of an unfavorable event
         
      2. 
         Proactive crisis management strategies
         
         1. 
            Forecasting potential crises
            
         2. 
            Planning how to handle potential crises such as how an organization will react if a player is associated with a situation that is certain to garner negative media attention
            
      3. 
         Crisis management often includes a strong focus on public relations to recover any damage to public image and assure consumers that recovery is underway
         
      4. 
         According to Joe Favorito, sports media expert and author of the book Sports Publicity, the key to effective crisis management is keeping everyone on track, following the flow of information, working with public authorities and media who may not be familiar with your situation or practices, and having the organization speak with one voice when problems arise ⁴⁶
         
      5. 
         Crisis management examples
         
         1. 
            Texas A&M has raised thousands of dollars from auctions of memorabilia signed by its football players in the past, but in the wake of an investigation into allegations Heisman winning quarterback Johnny Manziel accepted cash for his signature, the school quickly changed its autograph policy
            
         2. 
            After a fiasco involving poor performance by US speedskaters at the 2014 Games in Sochi with many pundits blaming Under Armour technology as the reason, AdAge praised the brand in a news story, citing “Under Armour's Olympic Experience Is Textbook Case For How to Handle Crisis”
            
            1. 
               Click here for the story from adage.com: “Here's how apparel and shoe company skated past controversy”
               
         3. 
            In the wake of Dan Wheldon’s tragic death at a Las Vegas Motor Speedway event in 2012, many criticized the lack of communication from IndyCar officials who failed to release any formal statements or hold a news conference to answer questions surrounding track conditions, which many felt were unsafe from the get-go
            
            1. 
               “This wasn’t even our event,” said Jeff Motley, a communications director for Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which leased its track to IndyCar for the fatal race. “But they’ve left us to be the only ones to answer for this. There is such a thing as Crisis Management 101. And they flunked it." ⁴⁷
               
         4. 
            The NBA’s new commissioner Adam Silver and the rest of league was credited for the successful management of crises when the racist statements made by former Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, threatened the very integrity of the league (players considered skipping a playoff game, fans threatened to boycott games and sponsors pulled out left and right)
            
            1. 
               Click here to read “NBA's quick action helps rescue Clippers' brand” from denverpost.com.
               

1. 
   Importance of integration
   
   1. 
      Many corporations (including those outside of the sports and entertainment industry) are beginning to view public relations as one all-encompassing arena that includes:
      
      1. 
         Promotion
         
      2. 
         Sponsorship and endorsement
         
      3. 
         Marketing
         
      4. 
         Sales
         
   2. 
      Sports and entertainment organizations follow the same trend and integrate ticket sales to that mix
      
   3. 
      Effectively integrating publicity within an organization’s marketing strategy positions the rest of the organization for success
      
2. 
   Publicity affects many other critical components of the sports and entertainment business model
   
   1. 
      Overall revenue
      
      1. 
         The sports information director’s “assignment is to sell fans the illusion that the outcome of a game is so important that they are willing to support their faith with dollars” ⁴⁸
         
   2. 
      Sales
      
      1. 
         The presence of negative publicity historically results in slumping sales while positive publicity can result in a significant uptick in sales
         
      2. 
         Statistically, consumers have shown a decline in willingness to support organizations who demonstrate an inability to effectively control or manage their image
         
      3. 
         A combination of poor on-field performance and consistent negative publicity off the field resulted in an almost 8,000 fans per game drop in attendance for the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers for the season ⁴⁹
         
         1. 
            Under new ownership and a resurgence on the field, the Dodgers attendance rebounded in 2012, increasing by nearly 5,000 fans per game by the all-star break and by 2013, the team was leading the league in attendance
            
      4. 
         If the New York Times offers a poor review of a newly released film, movie-goers are less likely to flock to the theatre to see it
         
         1. 
            The highly anticipated 2013 summer Johnny Depp film, “The Lone Ranger", had a disappointing debut at the box office, a result Depp and producer Jerry Bruckheimer blamed on critics, with Bruckheimer saying "It's one of those movies that whatever critics missed in it this time, they'll review it in a few years and see that they made a mistake." ⁵⁰
            
      5. 
         Taylor Swift, who lost out to Daft Punk for Album of the Year, actually got a bigger boost for her album Red, which increased in sales by 105 percent week-over-week. And Kendrick Lamar, who had a rousing performance with Imagine Dragons but lost in several categories, saw sales of his debut LP good kid, m.A.A.d. city jump 63 percent week-over-week and streams of his Spotify catalogue jump 99 percent the day after the show. ⁵¹
         
   3. 
      Sponsorship and Endorsement
      
      1. 
         Corporations do not want an affiliation with an individual or organization with image problems
         
         1. 
            In 2013, rappers Lil’ Wayne and Rick Ross were both dropped by sponsors (Pepsi dropped Lil’ Wayne and Reebok dropped Rick Ross) after lyrics in their song were deemed offensive
            
         2. 
            In 2013, celebrity chef Paula Deen was dropped by Smithfield, her primary sponsor (and a significant factor in the growth of her brand), and her contract with the Food Network was not renewed after admitting to having used a racial slur at one of her restaurants
            
         3. 
            Existing sponsors become unhappy customers and difficult to effectively service when they are disenfranchised with the organization they are sponsoring
            
            1. 
               Click here to read how the Los Angeles Clippers racism scandal impacted their relationship with sponsors
               
            2. 
               Just one year after a hype-filled re-branding of Sporting KC’s MLS stadium, the name “Livestrong” was removed as a naming rights sponsor as part of Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace
               
   4. 
      Promotions
      
      1. 
         Some promotions can be offensive to some consumers
         
      2. 
         Promotions may become too “gimmicky” and turn fans off to the product or backfire in a way that creates negative publicity
         
         1. 
            In an effort to capture the spirit of the last World Cup, the Miami Marlins hosted a World Cup promotion in which they passed out vuvuzelas (loud horns which create an incessant buzzing sound) to the first 15,000 fans through the gates
            
            1. 
               Dan Uggla, Marlins’ second baseman, called the promotion “The worst handout or giveaway I’ve ever been a part of in baseball.” ⁵²
               
         2. 
            In 2012, actor Woody Harrelson participated in one of Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) threads, but the actor's answers infuriated the website's users as he attempted to promote his film, "Rampart." After Harrelson grew frustrated with fan questions and left the discussion, users called it "the worst AMA of all time" and an "epic fail by Woody Harrelson's PR machine." ⁵³
            
      3. 
         Publicity can help generate revenue in other ways through the implementation of creative promotions
         
         1. 
            The University of Notre Dame offers membership opportunities for kids 14 and younger to join “Clancy’s Kids Club” for an annual fee of $15. Members receive, among other things, free admission to more than 100 Notre Dame athletic events each year, a newsletter, t-shirts, coupons and invitations to special kid’s club events.⁵⁴
            
         2. 
            Kid’s clubs are an effective tool by generating additional revenue as well as enhancing the team’s image
            
         3. 
            Kid’s clubs also enable the organization to begin building brand loyalty at a grass roots level
            
   5. 
      Game operations
      
      1. 
         Game entertainment can become a source of negative publicity for a sports franchise
         
         1. 
            Music can be too loud at games
            
         2. 
            Particular entertainment acts may be offensive to some fans
            
      2. 
         Game entertainment can also be a valuable source of positive word-of-mouth advertising
         
         1. 
            A child may choose to wear the face paint to school the next day to show off to friends, sparking interest within the schools. Game entertainment examples like face painting are prevalent among minor league baseball franchises and collegiate athletic events.
            
   6. 
      Merchandise
      
      1. 
         Sales of team, player, or celebrity related merchandise tends to slump in the wake of negative publicity
         
         1. 
            Sales of Kobe Bryant jerseys, perennially a top seller world-wide, dropped out of the top 50 in the wake of his off-court troubles⁵⁵
            
      2. 
         Positive publicity or associations can help increase merchandise sales
         
         1. 
            In the years following Kobe’s off-court trouble, he was able to help re-shape an image while leading Team USA to a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics and the L.A. Lakers to the 2009 and 2010 NBA Championships
            
            1. 
               By 2010 (according to the NBA’s website), Kobe's Lakers jersey was the top seller at the NBA Store and nba.com (he was 3^rd last season behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant despite missing most of the season due to injury)
               
         2. 
            The Golden State Warriors’ decision in 2013 to switch to a sleeved uniform generated a lot of publicity, ultimately providing a significant jump in merchandise sales (overall jersey sales were up 23% from the previous season while the new look sleeved jerseys accounted for more than half of total jersey sales) ⁵⁸
            
         3. 
            The hype surrounding the Brooklyn Nets new logo (designed by Jay-Z) led to merchandise sales records in 2012. On the first two days Brooklyn Nets gear was available, the franchise sold ten times the volume of gear that the team would normally sell in an entire year. ⁵⁹
            
   7. 
      Television Audience/Ratings
      
      1. 
         In 2013, thanks to a winning record and the buzz generated by rookie sensation Yasiel Puig, “Puig Mania” helped deliver the highest television ratings for the LA Dodgers in four years ⁵⁷
         
      2. 
         After unexpectedly surging into the playoff picture, the Kansas City Royals began setting record television ratings in 2013, up 65% over last year’s audience
         
3. 
   It is critical that an organization effectively communicate internally as well as communicating messages externally
   
   1. 
      Employees in every department should be on the same page
      
   2. 
      The workforce should be not only informed, but also involved
      
   3. 
      Employees should be aware and contributing
      
   4. 
      The organization must exercise the mentality that each employee is the face of the organization
      
   5. 
      The staff must realize that they are representatives of the organization at all times
      

1. 
   Publicity plan development considerations ⁵⁸
   
   1. 
      The goal of the plan is to monitor and gauge community response to each organizational effort
      
   2. 
      Community relations efforts
      
      1. 
         Speaker’s bureau
         
      2. 
         Clinics and player appearances
         
      3. 
         Mascot, cheerleaders, and band appearances
         
      4. 
         Correspondence (fan mail, photo requests etc.)
         
   3. 
      It is critical to recognize how consumers perceive the organization as a whole
      
      1. 
         The organization must have a current understanding of consumer perceptions
         
      2. 
         The organization must also have an accurate understanding of consumer perceptions
         
      3. 
         The organization must then manage their publicity plan based on that information
         
2. 
   Key strategies that should be included in any comprehensive publicity plan include:
   
   1. 
      Identification of any specific information the organization intends to communicate
      
   2. 
      A “hook” to make information newsworthy and grab the reader’s immediate attention
      
3. 
   Other popular sports and entertainment publicity plan strategies
   
   1. 
      Sneak previews to the press prior to your product release
      
      1. 
         Movie makers with “private screenings” for film critics and media
         
   2. 
      Careful selection of a spokesperson
      
   3. 
      Launching an organization scheduled media blitz
      
   4. 
      Distribution of sequential press releases to encourage media publication of new information
      
   5. 
      Getting creative
      
      1. 
         For example, an organization may establish a fun and interactive idea centered on an organization’s ticket release or upgrade process
         
   6. 
      Creating a sense of urgency
      
      1. 
         For example, the Dallas Mavericks may communicate that tickets for their home opener go on sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. with a limit of only six tickets per customer
         
4. 
   Common components of a publicity plan
   
   1. 
      Press (news) releases
      
   2. 
      Press kits
      
   3. 
      Interviews
      
   4. 
      Photographs
      
   5. 
      Speeches and appearances at seminars, conventions etc.
      
   6. 
      Online chats and forums
      
   7. 
      Community involvement
      
   8. 
      Local, regional and national talk shows or similar programming
      
   9. 
      Press conferences
      
      1. 
         Press conferences take place when an organization spokesperson or the athlete/entertainer addresses the media to answer questions or make announcements ⁵⁹
         
      2. 
         Press conferences generally imply that the organization has a newsworthy announcement featuring information of significant importance
         

5. 
   Utilizing resources
   
   1. 
      Organizations make an effort to use all the resources they have available to them
      
      1. 
         Email, fax, Internet
         
      2. 
         Telephone follow up calls
         
      3. 
         Guest speaking opportunities for all staff when available
         
      4. 
         Working with coaches, players and management to create a mutually acceptable expectation level for participation
         
6. 
   Publicity “stunts”
   
   1. 
      Publicity stunts refer to specific events or activities that are activated with the sole purpose of achieving a high level of media coverage and public awareness ⁶⁰
      
   2. 
      Publicity stunts can serve as an effective vehicle in generating public “buzz” surrounding an organization or athlete/entertainer
      
      1. 
         Restaurant chain Red Robin, upon hearing that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick really liked its food, took out an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle to offer him free food for the rest of his life if he was able to guide the team to a Super Bowl victory (they came up short, losing to the Baltimore Ravens) ⁶¹
         
      2. 
         Red Bull, no stranger to publicity stunt success, launched a Golf Skee Ball event in conjunction with the 2012 Masters where popular professional golfers Rickie Fowler, Lexi Thompson and Kelly Kraft were challenged with hitting golf balls into a giant man-made skee ball display ⁶²
         
      3. 
         In 2013, Papa John's offered one million pizzas and America Online offered $1 million to any fan who correctly predicted a perfect March Madness bracket (according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, there were about 9.2 quintillion possible combinations) ⁶³
         
      4. 
         Less than 48 hours after being released by the New York Jets in 2013, Tim Tebow received a contract offer from the Omaha Beef of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League, an offer that generated plenty of publicity ⁶⁴
         
      5. 
         Despite not actually airing a commercial during the Super Bowl in 2014, Esurance had an extraordinarily successful night, thanks to wildly successful PR stunt in which the company purchased the first ad slot after the game ($1.5 million less than an in-game slot), and vowed to give away the difference in price to one lucky viewer who tweeted the hashtag #EsuranceSave30 within 36 hours after the ad aired
         
         1. 
            The stunt generated more than 200,000 entries within the first minute of the Esurance commercial airing, 1.4 million hashtag uses in the first hour and 4.5 million in the first 24 hours according to esurance.com
            
         2. 
            In an example of successfully integrating a celebrity endorsement with a PR stunt, the brand leveraged their celebrity spokesperson, John Krasinski, to announce the winner on Jimmy Kimmel Live
            
            1. 
               Click here to watch the video
               
   3. 
      When spontaneous, publicity stunts pose a risk and could yield undesired results
      
      1. 
         In 2012, an online pawn shop dreamed up a controversial publicity stunt that entailed delivering 900 pounds of Butterfingers to Copley Square in Boston after Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker dropped a critical pass in the Super Bowl. The company received so much negative publicity that they were compelled to issue a public apology. ⁶⁵
         
      2. 
         From the USA Today: When U.S. luge slider Kate Hansen posted a video online questioning whether there was a wolf walking down her hallway in the Olympic Village (where athletes stay) during the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, it was part of a hoax involving talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Hansen, who finished competing Feb. 11 and is staying at the Olympic village, tweeted a video Thursday morning with the hashtag #sochiproblems and #sochifail. The #sochiproblems hashtag was commonly used by visitors to Sochi for complaints surrounding the Games. "I'm not sure about repercussions, but I can tell you that our organization is not happy with the incident," USA Luge spokesman Sandy Caligiore said in an email to USA TODAY Sports. "Sochi problems? Sochi fail? That's not USA Luge speaking."
         
         1. 
            Click here to see Hansen discuss the incident on the Kimmel Show
            
      3. 
         When the Seattle Seahawks won the 2014 Super Bowl, the owner of a furniture store was out about $7 million after a PR stunt offering customers who shopped at the store their money back with a Seahawks victory
         
   4. 
      In some instances, an event takes place where the public is not sure whether or not the activity was a publicity stunt
      
      1. 
         Former Heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis and opponent Hasim Rahman squared off in a brawl during a press conference, leading many to question whether or not the fight was real or simply a publicity stunt to generate additional excitement for the pay-per-view event
         
      2. 
         At the 2012 Academy Awards, Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, promoting his new movie The Dictator, dumped ashes on host Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. While many speculated whether the stunt was scripted, Cohen would later publicly apologize to Seacrest for the antic. Reactions to the scene were mixed on Twitter, but according to The Hollywood Reporter’s poll at the time, 32 percent of people said the stunt was ‘so not funny,’ 57 percent said ‘it was hilarious’ and 12 percent said ‘it was a great Oscars moment but rude.’⁶⁶
         
      3. 
         Two videos went viral in 2013, successfully generating millions of views online with consumers debating whether they were real
         
         1. 
            NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon released a video that showed him purportedly taking an unsuspecting car salesman for a wild test drive, sparking a wild debate online as to whether the video was fake
            
         2. 
            In 2014, Jeff Gordon and Pepsi released a second version of the “test drive” viral video to exact revenge on the blogger who originally called Gordon’s video out as “fake” the first time around, this time posing as a cab driver (the video reached over a million views in a few hours
            
         3. 
            Dime Magazine released a video of Washington Wizards’ star John Wall throwing himself a full-court alley-oop dunk that one USA Today writer referred to as the “So fake as to be beyond fake. It’s a special kind of fake.”
            

1. 
   Press releases
   
   1. 
      A press release is a prewritten story about an organization or athlete/entertainer that is disseminated to various media ⁶⁷
      
   2. 
      Often referred to as news or media releases
      
   3. 
      Must be clear and to the point
      
   4. 
      Every press release must address several specific pieces of information
      
      1. 
         Date
         
      2. 
         Release statement
         
         1. 
            Typically states FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE or TO BE RELEASED ON
            
      3. 
         Headline
         
      4. 
         Contact information
         
      5. 
         The Lead
         
         1. 
            Lead paragraph must grab reader’s attention
            
      6. 
         Text (body of release)
         
         1. 
            Should answer the questions who, what, where, when, why and how
            
      7. 
         Pitch ⁶⁸
         
         1. 
            The release ends with identifying information, including a phone number and email address. This is where you pitch to the audience
            
         2. 
            Example: “Call this number to find out more about the new Dallas Stars “Adopt-a-Family” program
            
      8. 
         End
         
         1. 
            Press releases typically end with “end” or “#####”
            
   5. 
      Must be creative and informative or the organization runs the risk of the media not reporting the information
      
   6. 
      An effective release will feature a catchy title
      
   7. 
      Press releases should be kept to one page if possible
      
2. 
   Three categories of press releases define when information is disseminated ⁶⁹
   
   1. 
      Pre-release
      
      1. 
         Occurs before the event takes place
         
      2. 
         If a team wanted to release the signing of a key free agent to the media, an advance story would alert the media to a press conference the following day
         
   2. 
      Live-release
      
      1. 
         Occurs during the event
         
      2. 
         A second story is released at the actual news release when the new player is formally introduced to the media at the press conference
         
   3. 
      Post-release
      
      1. 
         Occurs after the event has taken place
         
      2. 
         The next few days following the press conference, additional releases are sent out referencing details of the player’s new contract, plans for success and past statistics
         
3. 
   Information an organization may distribute via a press release
   
   1. 
      Announcement of a team’s key free agent acquisition
      
   2. 
      Release of game schedules
      
   3. 
      Highlights of a new blockbuster film to be released
      
   4. 
      Announcement of an upcoming promotion
      
   5. 
      Description of an upcoming community relations event
      

1. 
   Press kits are important as they provide much information regarding an organization or event to media in a variety of ways
   
   1. 
      A press kit is a package of information distributed to the media to assist them in reporting 70
      
   2. 
      Press kits could include: ⁷¹
      
      1. 
         Athlete, entertainer, organization or event background
         
      2. 
         Fact sheets
         
      3. 
         Biographies
         
      4. 
         Photographs
         
      5. 
         Statistical information
         
      6. 
         Contact information
         
      7. 
         Current press releases
         
      8. 
         Related press clippings
         
      9. 
         Historical chronologies
         
      10. 
          Organizational newsletters
          
      11. 
          Testimonials from key personnel
          
      12. 
          Recommendations for features
          
   3. 
      Each piece included in the press kit should include contact information, as press kit material often becomes separated
      
   4. 
      Many organizations now create an electronic version of the media kit
      
      1. 
         Ease of distribution
         
      2. 
         Distribution to more outlets
         
      3. 
         Allows for incorporation of audio, video and multimedia presentation materials
         
   5. 
      Frequently, organizations will send annually updated press kits to keep media informed
      

1. 
   Social Issues
   
   1. 
      Social issues in sports and entertainment refer to everything from the ethical actions of athletes, entertainers and sport/entertainment organizations to the sports and entertainment industry’s efforts to do their part to positively impact society
      
      1. 
         Ethics are the moral standards by which people judge behavior
         
      2. 
         Words often associated with ethical behavior could include honesty, integrity, respectfulness, confidentiality, non-discriminating, legal and socially responsible
         
      3. 
         Most sports and entertainment organizations feel they have an obligation to operate their business from an ethical standpoint
         
2. 
   Examples of hot button social issues
   
   1. 
      The “greening” of sports and entertainment
      
      1. 
         Today’s consumer is more aware of how their buying decisions affect society and the environment around them- and are willing to make choices in their product purchases to have an impact on the world around them
         
         1. 
            A recent market research study concluded that environmentally-friendly packaging plays a vital role in consumer purchase decisions and helps greener companies gain a competitive advantage over non eco-friendly competitors ⁷²
            
            1. 
               Nike’s Team USA basketball uniforms designed for the 2012 Olympic Games were constructed from polyester created from the equivalent of 22 recycled plastic bottles.⁷³
               
               1. 
                  Click here to see a video on how it took Nike just 13 recycled water bottles to create a soccer uniform
                  
            2. 
               Puma announced plans to launch a greener packaging initiative by phasing out the traditional cardboard shoe box and replacing it with a new package that includes a bag, ultimately using 65% less cardboard ⁷⁴
               
            3. 
               In 2013, Nike released a free app (called “Making”) to help designers make informed decisions about the environmental impacts of the materials they select, powered by data from the Nike Materials Sustainability Index (a database built on more than seven years of materials research and analysis)
               
         2. 
            Other examples of the “greening” of sports and entertainment include:
            
            1. 
               Brazil, the world’s largest biofuel producer (in order to be considered “biofuel” the product must contain over 80% renewable materials), will be transporting athletes during the 2014 World Cup in bio-diesel buses containing fuel that is made from 20% recycled oil. ⁷⁵
               
               1. 
                  Click here and here for two interesting infographics illustrating Brazil’s plans for an even “greener” Olympic Games in 2016
                  
            2. 
               The 2013-14 football season at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (home to the NFL’s Eagles) was powered by solar panels and wind turbines and plans are already in play to capture rain that falls from the stadium roof to potentially flush the toilets or even water the field ⁷⁶
               
            3. 
               NASCAR has the largest recycling and environmental sustainability programs among all U.S. sports. NASCAR has the world’s largest solar-powered sports facility, a tree planting program capturing 100% of the emissions produced by on-track racing, and the largest recycling program in sports with Coca-Cola Recycling, Coors Light, Safety-Kleen and Creative Recycling. As NASCAR Green enters its fifth year, it continues to educate NASCAR fans and reduce the sport’s environmental impact through strategic partnerships with the teams, tracks, and Official Partners while validating green technologies.
               
               1. 
                  NASCAR’s program even features its own Twitter handle (@NASCARGreen)
                  
            4. 
               The Baltimore Orioles’ website features an entire page dedicated to informing fans about their commitment to sustainability, including the fact that the team recycles 600,000 pounds of materials annually, encourages bicycle transportation to games and recognizing that only green-friendly cleaning products are used to clean Oriole Park
               

2. 
   Gender equity in sports and entertainment
   
   1. 
      Title IX is a federal law enacted in the United States in 1972 that mandates equal educational and athletic opportunities for students of both genders
      
      1. 
         According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, one in thirty-five high school girls played sports forty years ago; one in three do today. Before Title IX, fewer than 16,000 women participated in college sports; today that number exceeds 200,000.
         
      2. 
         The summer of 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX and for the first time in history, American women outnumbered the number of men representing the United States at the Olympic Games
         
      3. 
         Eight women now hold the title of “General Manager” in minor league baseball, believed to be the most at any time ⁷⁷
         
      4. 
         In 2012, Shannon Eastin became the first woman to officiate an NFL game when she worked the opening game of the pre-season between the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers
         
      5. 
         In 2014, Becky Hammon became the first woman to be hired as an assistant coach in the NBA when the San Antonio Spurs announced that she would be joining head coach Greg Popovich’s staff
         
   2. 
      Despite the progress that women’s sports have made since the law was enacted, disparity remains.
      
      1. 
         For example, in 1972, women coached 90 percent of women’s college athletic teams. Today it’s only 42.9 percent. ⁷⁸
         
      2. 
         Bleacherreport.com points out that “Brittney Griner, one of the most exciting players in the WNBA and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft, was paid $49,440 last year. She supplements her WNBA salary by playing in China where she earns $600,000. Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, just signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers for $5.5 million.”
         
         1. 
            Click here to read the entire commentary discussing whether the Women’s Tennis Association’s focus on developing image is a positive thing for the game
            
      3. 
         Click here for a story describing why WNBA stars face real challenges when it comes to building a personal brand
         

3. 
   Racial equality in sports and entertainment
   
   1. 
      Hiring practices in the sports and entertainment industry have historically demonstrated a racial imbalance
      
      1. 
         In 2003, the National Football League established the Rooney Rule, requiring all NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations positions
         
      2. 
         The 2013 release of the "2012 Racial and Gender Report Card: College Sport" by Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport states that the current pool of Division I African-American head coaches (18.6 percent through the 2011-12 season) is at its lowest mark since the 1995-96 season, an area of concern for NCAA officials ⁷⁹
         
      3. 
         In 2013, Major League Baseball joined the NBA as the only men's professional sports leagues to receive a combined "A" for race and gender in an annual report released by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport ⁸⁰
         
         1. 
            Click here for links to more racial and gender reports
            

disseminated to various media

2) http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall02/Kaufman/page2.htm

3) http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i588547861bb321c9604ecb90f54f9d00

4) http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1635334/20100402/bieber_justin.jhtml

5) Arcade Fire ‏(@arcadefire). 12 Jul 2013. “@fifferwright Thanks. Our new album will be out October 29th. pic.twitter.com/CAgYucvimo”. 11:20 AM. Tweet.

6) http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/7/3/3135374/deron-williams-nba-free-agency-2012-mavericks-nets

7) http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/swiss-soccer-player-booted-tweet-16886636

8) Sport Marketing, Presentation Notes, Slide 10 of the Promotion/Sponsorship Lecture

Ryan Langan, University of South Florida

9) http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5894012/super-bowl-bounces-bruno-mars-up-billboard-charts

10) Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Glencoe-McGraw Hill, 2nd ed., p. 177

11) The Sports Business Program: Marketing Your High School Athletics, Lindauer, p. 20

12) Sport Marketing, Mullin, Hardy, Sutton, 2^nd ed., p. 334

13) http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2013/05/01/floyd-mayweather-jr-robert-guerrero/2126863/

14) Sanders, Deion (@DeionSanders). 30 May 2013. “Thank u Jesus. My dog is BACK! I won’t begin to tell u how a $15,000 dog goes missing and who took it. Wow! TRUTH pic.twitter.com/FSooCehLq6. 7:33 PM. Tweet.

15) http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/dustin-johnson-suspended-pga-tour-after-positive-test-cocaine?sct=hp9

16) http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/19705044/goodell-committed-to-stemming-nfls-dui-domestic-violence-arrests

17) http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/25/man-pleads-guilty-in-basketball-betting-ring/

18) http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2012/12/06/jovan-belcher-kansas-city-chief-nfl-guns/1752195/

19) http://www.kltv.com/story/19187814/undefeated-boxer-mayweather-released-from-jail

20) http://www.torontosun.com/2013/06/04/alex-rodriguez-ryan-braun-among-20-players-mlb-seeking-to-suspend-report

21) http://maristpoll.marist.edu/723-more-than-six-in-ten-fans-believe-connection-to-biogenesis-steroid-clinic-too-little-to-justify-mlb-suspensions/

22) http://maristpoll.marist.edu/723-more-than-six-in-ten-fans-believe-connection-to-biogenesis-steroid-clinic-too-little-to-justify-mlb-suspensions/

23 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2015951189_basenotes19.htm

24) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/8710041/London-2012-Olympics-one-in-10-athletes-are-drugs-cheats-says-anti-doping-chief-executive.html

25) https://www.teammarketing.com/public/uploadedPDFs/2014+mlb+fci.pdf

26)http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140605&content_id=78356572&vkey=pr_milb&fext=.jsp&sid=milb

27) Dosh, Kristi (@sportsbizmiss). “Avg tix prices per SBJ: Broadway show ($88), Disney (adult $85), NFL ($77), NHL ($57), NBA ($48), MLB ($27).” 26 March 2012, 6:18 PM. Tweet.

28) http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/80048/poll-should-ncaa-modify-psu-sanctions

29) http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8191027/penn-state-nittany-lions-hit-60-million-fine-4-year-bowl-ban-wins-dating-1998

30) Sport Marketing, Mullin, Hardy, Sutton, 2^nd ed., p. 318-320

31) The Sports Business Program: Marketing Your High School Athletics, Lindauer, p. 20

32) Framework for Strategic Sports Marketing, Presentation Notes, Dr. Brian Turner, Slide #168

33) http://995blakefm.com/texas-tech-football-team-help-in-tornado-relief-in-dallas/

34) http://www.socialmiami.com/soceyes.asp?g=miami-dolphins-finsweekend-57484

35) http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80b4a489&template=with-video&confirm=true

36) Sports & Entertainment Marketing, South-Western Educational Publishing, p. 124

37) http://www.turn2foundation.org/intro/mission.asp

38) http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9298284/kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder-donate-1-million-tornado-relief

39) http://www.hugbacker.com/sports/crosstown-rivals-wright-and-jeter-wage-slugfest-for-charity

40) http://foundationcenter.org/yip/youth_celebrity.html#celebs

41) Sport Marketing, Mullin, Hardy, Sutton, 2^nd ed., p. 324-333

42) Sports & Entertainment Marketing, South-Western Educational Publishing, p. 102

43) http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11338909/toronto-raptors-fined-25000-drake-concert-comments

44) http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2009-03-05-mls-expansion_N.htm

45) Sport Marketing, Presentation Notes, Slide 17 of the Chapter 15 Lecture, Ryan Langan, University of South Florida

46) http://joefavorito.com/category/crisis-management/page/2/

47) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/sports/autoracing/a-drivers-death-has-raised-questions-about-indycars-leader.html

48) The Dream Job: Sports Publicity, Promotion & Marketing, Helitzer, p. 59

49) http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/08/dodger-stadium-half-empty-and-just-wait-until-next-year.htm

50) http://usat.ly/1epAZCF

51) http://time.com/2689/grammys-2014-sales-boost/

52) http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2011-02-24-grammyboosts24_ST_N.html

53) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jul/28/plans-for-vuvuzela-night-blown-out-of-the-stadium/

54) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/woody-harrelson-enrages-redditors-with-marketing-attempt_n_1257871.html

55) http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/nd-kidsclub.html

56) http://nmsn.foxsports.com/story/3302204

57) http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/puig-mania-hits-dodger-stadium-are-advertisers-ready

58) http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7857542/derrick-rose-chicago-bulls-jeremy-lin-new-york-knicks-top-nba-jersey-sales

59) http://www.cnbc.com/id/47831684

60) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-29/nfl-draft-s-first-round-draws-1-3-million-fewer-viewers-than-2010-on-espn.html

61) Sport Marketing, Mullin, Hardy, Sutton, 2^nd ed., p. 336-337

62) The Dream Job: Sports Publicity, Promotion & Marketing, Helitzer, p. 179

63) Adapted from Sports…More Than Just the Score, McCauley, p. 120

64) http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/05/01/tim-tebow-gets-75-per-game-offer-from-indoor-leagues-omaha-beef/

65) http://bit.ly/NdYwMm

66) Rovell, Darren (@darrenrovell). “Yahoo is offering $5 million for the perfect March Madness bracket. There are about 9.2 quintillion possible combinations.” 06 March 2012, 9:52 AM. Tweet.

67) http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2012/03/22/rovio-turns-space-needle-in-seattle-into-giant-slingshot-for-launch-of-angry-birds-space/

68) http://springboardpr.com/2012/02/15/super-bowl-publicity-stunt-goes-bad-four-pr-lessons/

69) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-2012-sacha-baron-cohen-ryan-seacrest-ashes-joke-295288

70) Marketing Essentials, Glencoe-McGraw Hill, 2nd ed., p. 301

71) http://www.ais.msstate.edu/AEE/Tutorial/3203presselements.html

72) The Dream Job: Sports Publicity, Promotion & Marketing, Helitzer, p. 95

73) Marketing Essentials, Glencoe-McGraw Hill, 2nd ed., p. 303

74) http://pr.e-agency.com/pdf/sports_division.pdf

75) http://www.greenpacks.org/2013/08/15/brazil-to-introduce-biofuel-buses-for-world-cup-2014

76) http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-16/news/38558948_1_don-smolenski-turbines-desean-jackson

77) http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2010/05/18/Puma-Green-Packaging.aspx

78) http://www.ecofriendlymag.com/sustainable-transporation-and-alternative-fuel/nascar-goes-solar-at-pocono/

79) http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9488105/black-coaches-college-hoops-decline-figure-why-college-basketball

80) http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/7946245/women-gms-mean-business-minor-league-baseball

81) http://www.thenation.com/blog/168793/serena-williams-and-getting-emotional-title-ix#

82) http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7623932/opportunities-black-coaches-rise-college-football

83) http://www.tidesport.org/researchcorner.html