Happy Birthday, Twitter!
You’re a decade old and like many pre-teens, you’re experiencing some growing pains. You’re a bit indecisive (140 characters or 10,000 characters?). You have pimples (abusive accounts remain active after people have begged you to silence harmful trolls). Like in junior high and high school, bullies abound. The Internet as a whole has made people […]
Sports PR was front-and-center in this week’s news
It was quite a week of you’re into sports PR case studies. Or just into sports. Sure, there’s that college conference basketball tournament thing. A few overtimes, buzzer-beaters and upsets are always good for a sport that seems to emerge from a regular season slumber at this time each year. [Note to those people: the […]
Auburn football coach’s new car is a cool recruiting tool
We are our brands. Each time we step foot out the door each day, we subliminally share our brands in how we dress, act, what car we drive and its color. That’s why when I read the headline “Recruiting tool? Gus Malzahn’s flashy new sports car” on USA TODAY’s website, I said to myself, “absolutely.” […]
Social media is changing the way athletes make big announcements
When it comes to professional athletes announcing their retirements, the media planets are in the process of a major realignment. Last week former Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina defensive end Jared Allen announced that he was stepping away from professional football after playing 12 years in the NFL. He didn’t issue a press release […]
Sports network revenue stories educate consumers about more than stock prices
There is reason for sports networks and their corporate parents to be concerned each time a negative revenue report is released in 2016, and it’s not all about dollars and cents on the surface. Sports networks – ok, ESPN in particular – have a PR challenge, one I’m sure everyone in the sports television industry considers […]
Newton was wrong for his Super Bowl pressroom conduct, but shouldn’t be crucified
Super Bowl 50 armchair quarterbacks are running at full force today, and comments are not so much about the game as they are about one player. And that player isn’t Peyton Manning or Von Miller. Cam Newton critics are loud today. Newton’s Law ruled throughout the 2015 football season. With every dab and loud celebration, […]
The NFL could generate great PR beyond the Super Bowl
I was interviewed for a podcast last week when the host asked me about sports organizations that do the public relations thing wrong and what they could do to improve. I was really at a loss because there haven’t been any glaring examples as of late. Well … The host responded with, “you’ve been critical […]
The NFL could flip Concussion movie into a public relations win
I’m not a movie reviewer or a doctor. Like many of you, I’m a football fan, albeit one that often looks at professional football issues with a public relations eye. To me, there’s little that compares to the excitement of game days, so when statistics about the impact concussions have on athletes’ brains, I cringe, […]
Customer service is part of public relations
Get your feet off the counter, stand up and greet your customers with a smile when they walk through the door! I realize that customer service is more than a polite “hello, may I help you?” It’s more than asking a customer‘s name or about their day when he or she calls or engages in […]
Sports show love to the military for a price that’s not right
During the last several years, we’ve seen members of the United States military honored at professional sports events with heart-warming reunions, stunning standing ovations, waving flags and touching warrior tributes. The public loves the ceremony and thought that their favorite teams and leagues salute brave men and women that give their lives to help protect […]