5 Proactive PR Tips for Sports Figures

by Gail Sideman | March 26th, 2010 | View Comments

It’s official. Tiger Woods announced on his website that he will begin his comeback from the personal mega-bogey that derailed his professional career for four months.

Ben Roethlisberger is still fighting a sexual assault charge, his second such fumble in three years.

Four University of Oregon football players have been in trouble with the law in the month.

These are just some of the dozens of professional sports figures whose off-the-field actions have affected theirs and their organizations’ reputations.

Despite the proliferation of portable recording devices and media’s unprecedented coverage, athletes and coaches who enter the public limelight because of their talents, continue to endure public humiliation because of their own poor personal decisions. It’s for that reason I want to reach out via SportsNetworker with a PR primer. It could even be looked upon as an image savior.

Reputation Management: Athletes Facing Controversy

by Lewis Howes | February 23rd, 2010 | View Comments

(This is a guest article by Wesley Mallette)

Athletes in trouble. We see it every day in the news and find ourselves wondering aloud, “Wow. Did they really just say/do that?”

The vast majority of athletes will face a crisis of some proportion during their career or post-career. How they handle it is everything, and who manages them through it plays a major factor in the outcome, hence the need for true strategic communications professionals (i.e., seasoned PR people) on their team of advisors.

Too many athletes rely on less than qualified “handlers” to counsel them through the eye of the storm of controversy. They are foolish enough to follow the non-expert advice of, “We can handle this. Here’s what we’ll say/won’t say and this is what we’ll do. This will blow over.” Their reactions and responses will range from avoidance, vehement denial, finger pointing, and… the answer that is really not an option, “No comment.” Bad advice or no advice, we’ve seen it all too often and athletes are left wishing they could do it over again. Ask Tiger. Ask Roger Clemens. Ask Gilbert Arenas. Take your pick. There are hundreds of case studies in what NOT to do.

Ready, Set, Luge!

by Gail Sideman | February 12th, 2010 | View Comments

Will the Winter Olympics get more attention than people say and if not, is it a public relations issue?

It’s interesting that I hear and see people asking others if they are going to watch the Winter Olympics. A recent poll revealed that just 20 percent of Americans plan to make the Games a viewing priority. I found that number surprising since when it comes to the Summer Games, watching seems to be a foregone conclusion, especially with sports fans.

So, why the difference, or indifference, when it comes to the likes of competitive skiing, ice-skating and luge?

While I can’t answer this definitively, I can say that based on reports from Vancouver, site of this year’s Winter Olympics, challenges abound. There are cuts in NBC Sports’ staff (the network that owns the United States broadcast rights) from previous years, reports that the same company expects to lose money, the event’s covergirl, ski racer, Lindey Vonn is injured with a bruised shin and as of this writing, will try to compete, and from Michael Wilbon on “PTI”, maybe the Games have lost their luster.

Super Bowl Commercials Play Role in Branding

by Gail Sideman | February 5th, 2010 | View Comments

ramseymohsen A few days ago a reporter called and asked how I would advise a professional athlete if he wanted to endorse a hot-button topic in a forum as big as a Super Bowl audience.

My answer was not textbook public relations.

(I will reveal the outlet and topic upon its publication).

The reasons that athletes and coaches endorse products and services are as varied as the people themselves. Some do it because they patronize and truly believe in said organizations. Others pitch products because it fattens their bank accounts; some make themselves available for endorsements to keep their face in front of possible post-sports employers.

Find a Job in Sports: Be Your Own PR Agent

by Gail Sideman | January 26th, 2010 | View Comments

a natural sound I’ve decided to take a detour from writing about current issues and events surrounding sports public relations to provide some simple tips to young people entering the business.

I recently read a query from a college-age man who is set to graduate this spring. He asked for advice from the panel about how to get a job in sports the sports industry. I asked myself, “What took you so long to ask?”

My post today is an effort to help people who are preparing for this stage of education not have to ask that question. You’re read it right – as a second-semester senior in college, you will hopefully not have to ask how to break into your field of choice because you’ll have already done your research, laid a foundation for your own brand and even completed an internship or two. In essence, you must create your own public relations campaign and pitch yourself.

Athletes Step Up to Help Haiti Earthquake Victims

by Gail Sideman | January 20th, 2010 | View Comments

IFRC So many conversations of the last year, and certainly beyond, have focused on huge dollar figures that go along with professional sports and their high-paid, spoiled athletes.

During this past week, players from across the professional sports spectrum who are often portrayed as being little more than indulgent have shown quite the opposite personas. They have let their checkbooks act as their PR agents but most importantly, have proven that humanity comes first. The devastation of the 7.0 Earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12 was on the world’s minds and many who could afford to help, have done so.

University of Alabama Cancels Classes for BCS Title Game and Escapes PR Wringer

by Gail Sideman | December 22nd, 2009 | View Comments

brian_esquire Am I the only one who finds that the University of Alabama canceling classes January 6-8, thus postponing the start of its spring semester so its students and faculty can attend the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena, Calif., ironic?

I’m all for giving Crimson Tide fans calendar flexibility to travel to see their team take on the University of Texas for the right to call themselves title holders, but from a public relations standpoint, the decision flies right in the face of one of the reasons the Bowl Championship Series hierarchy says a college football playoff is not practical.

Well, This is Awkward. Tiger is Decade’s Top Athlete.

by Sam Taggart | December 17th, 2009 | View Comments

tiger woods 001 Three weeks ago, Tiger Woods had it all. He was the world’s best golfer, a superstar athlete with a beautiful wife and kids, millions of dollars, sound endorsements from big brands, and an untarnished image. Then, in the very early hours of Black Friday, Tiger Woods was involved in a single-car accident on his neighbor’s front lawn, and not because he was trying to get a jump on his holiday shopping. Allegations came out that Woods was cheating on his wife with a number (10+) of women. He eventually admitted to some “transgressions.” Woods then lost several of his endorsements and recently took an indefinite leave from the game of golf, presumably in an attempt to stay out of the public eye for a while.

Then, just when you thought you’d heard the last of Tiger for a bit, the Associated Press went and named Woods the decade’s top athlete. What timing! Only weeks after one of the darkest moments of Tiger’s life, he’s given a ridiculously awesome award. And here I thought I’d missed the window to talk about Tiger Woods.

Tiger Tales…This is No Children’s PR Story

by Gail Sideman | December 1st, 2009 | View Comments

tiger 01 Have you read and heard more than your share about Tiger Woods’ unfortunate meeting with a fire hydrant and a tree last Friday morning?

I think I have. But one last thing…and only because it’s the main, if not the biggest sports PR story this year, and is already leading Jay Leno’s monologue.

The quickie recap: World-famous professional golfer, Tiger Woods, decides to take a joy ride in his Cadillac Escalade at 2:30 Friday morning and upon leaving his driveway, tips a fire hydrant and makes contact with a neighbor’s tree. Upon hearing the ruckus, Woods’ wife Elin rushes out of the house and reportedly helps her husband. A neighbor calls 911 and tells the dispatcher that the victim is lying on the ground.

The Bowl Conundrum Structure Needs Public Relations Help

by Gail Sideman | November 23rd, 2009 | View Comments

BCS.

Sometimes that’s all you have to say to launch a storm of criticism about today’s way to select the best team in college football.

Just ask Bill Hancock, last week’s newly named executive director of the Bowl Championship Series. To be sure, Hancock is no Johnny-come-lately. He was the first director of the Final Four who helped grow that event to its immense stature, and in my brief interactions with him, found him to be one of the nicest individuals in college athletics. None of that would save him from what Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples called “one of the worst jobs in the world”, or an interview with Dan Patrick during which Hancock answered with scripted rhetoric and at times, seemed truly befuddled.