Archive for May, 2009

Generally, in the wide world of sports, when an athlete speaks out and criticizes their own organization in the media, that athlete comes across spoiled and immature and inevitably humbles themselves with an apology (usually by reading an insincere statement drafted by their agent). But earlier this week we saw an example of a veteran athlete, concerned about the direction of his team, make a calculated statement to the media questioning his organization’s front office leadership and decision making. In this case, the athlete, Peyton Manning, strategically used the media to not only send a message to his owner and [...]

Although most sports organizations divide up its business into separate departments (marketing, advertising, sales, community relations, etc.) the one common denominator in all areas of operations is public relations. Anytime a sports organization communicates a message of any type to its audience, the message must be vetted by a public relations expert to sniff out any potential communications missteps or embarrassing blunders. Two separate advertising campaigns promoting LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have been in full swing this NBA Playoff season as Nike’s “Most Valuable Puppets” and Vitamin Water’s “The Great Debate” have pitted the two NBA superstars against each [...]

With the impending prison release of former Atlanta Falcons superstar Michael Vick on the horizon, there are a number of factors and issues the National Football League has to consider and prepare to deal with. This situation is, for obvious reasons, a highly sensitive and potentially explosive one that Commissioner Roger Goodell will have to thoroughly review and handle appropriately – which there’s no doubt he’ll do. Regardless of ones personal feelings about Vick, the fact is he’ll soon complete his prison sentence and fulfill the conditions of his punishment for the crimes he committed. So as far as society [...]

ESPN announced earlier this week that Tony Kornheiser voluntarily relinquished his spot as color commentator in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth and that former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Jon Gruden is replacing him. On the surface it seems like a logical move by ESPN to transition Gruden into Kornheiser’s position. Kornheiser citied his fear of flying as the reason for stepping down from the booth. No one can blame a person who’s suffering from flying anxiety for wanting to limit his air travel. Plus Kornheiser is not leaving the network; he’s remaining as co-host of ESPN’s highly successful [...]

We’re all aware of the public relations problems the New York Yankees have suffered this season. The new stadium has brought a ton of negative press upon the Yankees (tax-free bonds, elimination of city fields and parks, exorbitant new prices, etc.) and the organization, like it or not, has had to recognize and deal with the extra distractions. Maybe the Yankees PR problems are their own fault, maybe their not. Either way, the Yankees have to accept the glaring PR issues and deal with them much more affectively and professionally. The worst thing an organization could do, especially one as [...]

Accused steroid cheat and pathological liar Roger Clemens appeared on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” Tuesday to apparently refute the content of the newly released book “American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America’s Pastime” (authored by the New York Daily News sports writing quartet of Teri Thompson, Nathaniel Vinton, Michael O’Keeffe and Christian Red).The book, of course, portrays the pitcher, one of the best of all-time, in an extremely negative light and essentially portrays Clemens as, among other things, a fraud for using performance-enhancing drugs to achieve his tremendous on-field [...]

The Miami Dolphins recently announced a name change of their football stadium – again. In a partnership with tropical-rock musician Jimmy Buffet, his restaurant chain and Anheuser-Busch InBev, the Dolphins now play in LandShark Stadium. The naming-rights agreement, however, will last only through the upcoming season, at which point the name will revert back to “Dolphin Stadium”. Although it’s probably a great idea for a sports team in South Florida to align itself, in any capacity, with Jimmy Buffet, I don’t quite see the point of renaming your stadium for just eight months. It defeats the whole purpose of the [...]

As a player on the New York Yankees, you’re constantly under more scrutiny and media pressure than if you belonged to any other team in any other sport. If you’re a Yankees fan or just follow the team, you know the history of players who were very good with other clubs then join the Yankees and struggle. Many times, those same players leave the Yanks and become productive again for another team. It’s understood to the media and Yankees fans that the pressures of playing in New York and for the most popular sports franchise in the world are often [...]