Close
About
FAQ
Home
Collections
Login
USC Login
Register
0
Selected
Invert selection
Deselect all
Deselect all
Click here to refresh results
Click here to refresh results
USC
/
Digital Library
/
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
/
College athletic directors and reputational risk: the public relations imperative
(USC Thesis Other)
College athletic directors and reputational risk: the public relations imperative
PDF
Download
Share
Open document
Flip pages
Contact Us
Contact Us
Copy asset link
Request this asset
Transcript (if available)
Content
COLLEGE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND REPUTATIONAL RISK: THE PUBLIC RELATIONS IMPERATIVE by Marc C. Vielledent A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS) May 2014 Copyright 2014 Marc C. Vielledent ii Acknowledgements As expected, this endeavor proved to be exhausting, frustrating and often humbling. Despite these adversities, this process ultimately endured as an incredibly rewarding experience. I would like to first extend my genuine gratitude and deepest respect to my committee chair, Jennifer Floto, for your unwavering support, effort and mentorship. You not only pushed me to improve at every turn, but without your consistent accessibility, this comprehensive result does not happen. I am forever grateful to have witnessed the manner in which you train, educate and inspire every single one of your students. I would also like to express my sincerest appreciation for Jerry Swerling and Jon Kotler. Your valued expertise, along with the time you dedicated to thoroughly review my work greatly enhanced my writing performance and research abilities. I fully recognize how fortunate I am to have received your feedback, encouragement and support. Often overlooked and undervalued at the University of Southern California Annenberg School is none other than Mike Ploszek, my academic advisor. Mike, this journey has been one of the most enjoyable of my life, for which you are a big reason. I cannot imagine another advisor campus-wide who operates with greater efficiency, candor and professionalism than you. My appreciation goes to each of my interviewees for your candid responses, cooperation and timeliness. I would also be remiss to not mention my Aunt Suzanne, who has been so integral during this chapter of my life. I must thank my all-time favorite teacher and mother, for all you have taught me in this lifetime, not the least of which is mastering the art of being a true night owl. Finally, to all my teammates, coaches, administrators and father: thank you for fostering the passion that burns in my soul for the universal necessity that is organizational teamwork and an endless belief in the power of the human spirit. All to whom much has been given, much will be required. And of those to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be asked. - Luke 12:48 iii Dedication This work is dedicated first and foremost to my best friend, confidant and wife, Becky. Nothing good in my life happens without you. I have no words to describe your incredibly inspiring selflessness, other than to say that it motivates me be a better person each and every day. I am eternally grateful for your strength, commitment and grace. I would like to also dedicate this project to my children Bella and Robert, as I pledge to makeup every second I may have lost with you while completing this process. Each day the sun rises is another gift for me to cherish your hugs, laughter and love. While this degree may ultimately be in my name, we will have undoubtedly ALL earned it together, as a family. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ii Dedication iii List of Tables/Figures vi Executive Summary vii Introduction ix Overview xi Research Methodology xi Previous Studies xii Perception of the DI Athletic Department xiii Special Considerations xv The Impact of PR on College Athletics 1 The “ESPN” Effect 12 Role of the PR Practitioner 12 Amount of Outlets and Analysis 13 The Business of DI Athletics: Money and Media 16 Dollars in College Athletics Enrollment Dollars tied to Success 18 AD Salary/Importance of hires to University 20 Network contracts 21 The Business of DI Athletics: Marketing 23 The DNA of the D1 Athletic Department 31 Organizational Structure 32 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of PR in DI Athletics 36 Good PR: Getting it Right 36 Bad PR: Getting it Wrong 41 Ugly PR: Long-Term Damage 44 Assessing the Key Players 51 What Matters Most to Stakeholders 52 Comparisons vs. Differences between priorities 59 The Newest “5 Star” Recruit: PR Support 61 v The PR Director: Communicate the Brand 66 What Does This Mean for PR? 67 Recommendations 67 Conclusion 69 Bibliography 71 Appendices Appendix A: Fall and Ruihley - AD View of PR in College Athletics 81 Appendix B: Standardized Email Request to Stakeholders 84 Appendix C: Interview Questions to Stakeholders 85 Appendix D: Interview Results/Feedback 86 vi List of Tables/Figures Figure 1: “Under the Lights” Notre Dame @ Michigan, September 10, 2011 3 Table 1: “Impact of FGCU 2013 March Madness Run” 19 Table 2: “DI Athletics Sponsorship Spending” 28 Table 3: “Who AD’s Identify as Top PR Professionals in Organization” 34 Table 4: Results of Data Gathered from DI Athletic Directors 52 Table 5: Results of Data Gathered from DI Coaches 53 Table 6: Results of Data Gathered from DI Student-Athletes 54 Table 7: Results of Data Gathered from College Sports Journalists/Media 55 Table 8: Results of Combined Data Gathered from Selected Stakeholders 59 Table 9: “What is the AD looking for in his or her PR lead?” 64 vii Executive Summary “To be clear, student-athletes are amateurs; intercollegiate athletics is not. The enterprise itself may not be professional, but those employed to administer and coach clearly are.” - Wallace I. Renfro, PR professional and Vice President of the NCAA, addressing the presence of corporate money in college athletics 1 Intercollegiate athletics is an $8 billion industry. Athletic directors and administrators are quickly evolving into high-powered executives that earn six or seven figure salaries, who sign million dollar contracts with corporate America almost daily. College coaches have become the best-compensated public employees in the United States. In 40 states, college coaches serve as the highest paid public state employee. 2 Everyone seems to be reaping record paydays from the popularity of college sports – everyone but the student-athletes. However, the focus of this research is not meant to examine the marriage of commercialized sports and academic institutions. Rather, in acknowledging the reality that is the big business of intercollegiate athletics, this examination identifies the primary organizational void. While some university presidents attempt to restore athletics to a subordinate role within the academic institution, fundraising is becoming increasingly difficult. Board members, alumni benefactors, and even state politicians increasingly apply pressure to see their alma mater have success on the national stage. University presidents’ number one job is fundraising, and many presidents are finding difficulty fundraising when they undercut the chances of the school’s athletic endeavors. 3 1 Mayyasi, Alex. “The Psuedo-Business of the NCAA” 17 May 2013. priceonomic.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 < http://blog.priceonomics.com/post/50660332678/the-pseudo-business-of-the-ncaa>. 2 Lee, Tony. “Report: College Coaches Highest-Paid Public Employees in 40 States” 9 May 2013. breitbart.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 <http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2013/05/09/Athletic- Coaches-Highest-Paid-State-Employees>. 3 Mayyasi, 2013. viii Enter the athletic director (AD). As the CEO of the athletic department, the AD is charged with managing the beast. While the name of the school or team may exist as something fixed, the brand of these entities exist only in the individual’s mind. Thus, the ability to communicate, shape and influence are vital skills needed to impact the industry’s stakeholders’ perspectives. Public relations practitioners serve as the gatekeepers ready to execute these functions for the athletic department. If major college athletics continues to evolve at its current speed, the necessity for athletic directors to invest in this currently absent lifeline will unquestionably accelerate. In doing so, the probability for profitable gains and lesser reputational risk propagates. Intercollegiate athletics creates publicity in a way few schools can replicate with other traditional marketing campaigns. Collective objectives tied to messaging and branding remains critical in the cutthroat realm of intercollegiate recruiting, licensing, sponsorships, alumni relations and publicity. Thus, to fill this void, the strategic imperative for the athletic director is to acknowledge the void, observe the institutional landscape, commit budgetary resources for the necessary talent, identify definable objectives and empower their PR professional. ix Introduction As a child, I watched my father work diligently as an athletic director (AD) at a rather large, successful high school in my hometown of Tucson, Arizona. I remember always being so impressed by the elements that went into fostering a championship culture, even at the high school level. Winning the right way seemed so incredibly challenging, yet so remarkably rewarding for all involved. As I went on to play Division I (DI) college basketball, I aspired to look deeper into the highest level of my father’s craft. The operational variables within a college athletic administration remained so appealing to me through the years because of the boundaries and constraints under which the department must operate to obtain success, without compromising institutional and educational values. However, through the years the internal and external factors affecting institutional values have become more complex and challenging. Chief among those factors are lucrative television contracts, licensing fees, merchandising and ticket sales that have turned athletics into a multi-billion-dollar industry, where an array of different stakeholders play a role in the success or failure of any given college athletic department. The reality of the “student-athlete” remains exceedingly controversial, especially in major college athletics. Thus, it is my belief that a majority of college athletic departments already have a persistent self-image problem in terms of both how they perceive themselves and how others perceive them. For the greater part of a decade, I have been involved in DI athletics as a student- athlete and assistant coach, as well as in an administrative capacity. This first-hand experience showed me the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with each stakeholder and every key audience. Alumni, boosters, fans, parents, media x representatives, student-athletes, coaches and administrators all demand constant communication and updated information. The common linkage for each of these factions often falls within the purview of a Public Relations practitioner, often with a title including the term “Sports Information.” Thus, it is only logical that a PR representative be involved in the decision-making process, as well as maintaining a direct line to the AD to effectively strategically communicate with each of these groups. I found myself baffled at the void in PR involvement across the athletic department. When used appropriately this function is solely responsible for communicating the athletic director’s key messages across all venues and platforms, to all audiences. Additionally, the crisis management and mitigation techniques routinely employed by the PR practitioner allows the athletic department to remain focused on highlighting the “brand” without interruption. A study conducted by Berger and Reber (2006) noted two theories as to why PR directors have lost influence within college athletic departments: “organizational leaders who just don’t get it and professionals who just don’t have it.” 4 If PR professionals intend to legitimize their necessity to athletic directors, it is essential to determine what variables determine success in a DI athletic department. Does this recipe for success even require a seasoned PR professional? The organizational structure must first be examined and understood, and then areas for improvement across departments must be identified. The key stakeholders who directly influence ADs decision-making must be analyzed. We must find these answers to determine if the PR director is truly the missing ingredient for successful departments in DI athletics. That is the intent of this paper. 4 Berger, Bruce K. and Bryan H. Reber. “Gaining Influence in Public Relations: The Role of Resistance in Practice” Routledge Communication Series, Taylor & Francis, 2006. Print. xi Overview Research Methodology In preparation for this thesis, the researcher conducted varying degrees of both secondary and primary research. To start, he conducted several informal phone interviews with select industry professionals for preliminary direction and insight. Secondary research included, newspaper articles, studies, findings, professional dissertations, websites, blogs and books. The qualitative research conducted throughout this paper is based on targeted samples used to investigate “the why” and “the how” behind what is most important in the decision-making process for Division I athletics administrators. The collected data is presented in the form of a hybrid survey/interview conducted with a variety of industry professionals. The writer distributed standardized questionnaires to more than twenty, veteran stakeholders within the industry. Each targeted individual was selected to best solidify the recommendations concluded in this paper. The topic of public relations in college athletics continues to evolve, thus it is subject to considerable interpretation and opinion. Despite the immense amount of historical information available, some of which is presented throughout this paper, the writer focused the majority of his collection within the past ten years. xii Previous Studies Two recent studies on this topic were conducted within the past three years. The first was conducted at the University of Tennessee in 2011 and examined Athletic Directors’ perceptions of the role of public relations within her/his athletic department. 5 The second study was conducted at Colorado State University, also in 2011, and it examined the strategic influence public relations practitioners possess within college athletic departments. 6 The Colorado study specifically focused on how PR practitioners’ managerial personalities, skills and styles would perform within various athletic departments. These two studies both greatly influenced the direction and recommendations ultimately adopted by the researcher. However, while neither of these previous studies insists on the necessity for dedicated PR support in college athletic departments, this paper will do just that. This thesis expands on the breadth of the intercollegiate athletic culture and its communications systems as a whole. It considers athletic directors, coaches, student- athletes and those media enthusiasts whom continually shape any and all developing, evolving storylines throughout college athletics. By acquiring input from each of these key stakeholders, a formula is developed for athletic departments and more specifically, 5 Fall, Lisa and Ruihley, Brody., “Public Relations in College Athletics: An Examination of Athletic Directors Perceptions of the Role of Public Relations in a College Athletic Department.” Dissertation, University of Tennessee 2010. Web. 22 Aug 2013 <http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCcQFjAA&u rl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unc.edu%2Fdepts%2Fexercise%2Fcsri%2FPower_Point%2FRuihley%2520102 0-1050.ppt&ei=lSXnUujSOM6JogSW6YDgBw&usg=AFQjCNH- G30PLR574cSAco6PHZI_XyjT7w&sig2=khk7A6H6BPUWJ2peWyQ-2A>. 6 Moore, Joseph H., “Predictors of Strategic Influence Among College Sports Public Relations Directors in College Athletic Departments: The Impact of Managerial Orientation and Leadership Personality Trait, Skill and Style” Dissertation, School of Education, Colorado State University Fall 2011. Web. 22 Aug. 2013<http://digitool.library.colostate.edu///exlibris/dtl/d3_1/apache_media/L2V4bGlicmlzL2R0bC9kM18x L2FwYWNoZV9tZWRpYS8xODI3NzA=.pdf>. xiii athletic directors, to apply as they move forward. This formula creates an opportunity to strategically capitalize on successes and triumphs, while also preventing the most common mistakes and critical pitfalls. While the previous two studies provided substantial data for the author to draw upon, it also furthered his ability to be more specific with the targets for a more comprehensive exploration on this topic. The Perception of the College Athletic Department The typical college athletic department is often referred to as “the front-porch of the university.” Utah State University athletic director Scott Barnes reinforced this sentiment in 2012 when he noted, “Athletics are definitely the front porch of this university. It is not the most important room in the house, but it is the most visible.” 7 Intercollegiate athletics continue to serve as the forum where students, alumni and community members gather to socialize and develop camaraderie associated with the college experience. This forum fosters a national and regional visibility where school pride is routinely promoted, campus life is enhanced and a common ground is found among alumni, parents and friends. Athletics provide these groups a feasible, available outlet to become – and remain – engaged in university activities. When Michael Young was named president of the University of Washington in 2012, he described himself as a “football president.” This nickname may have emerged from his firm belief in his promotion of athletics as being essential for institutional growth. These concepts reinforced that athletic programs are not only “the front porch of 7 Longman, Jere, “As Costs of Sports Rise Students Balk at Fees” New York Times 30 May 2009. nytimes.com Web. 14 Aug. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/sports/30colleges.html?_r=0>. xiv the university,” but they also serve as an important PR tool. 8 Under this philosophy, it is only fair to deduce that residents of this “front-porch” retain tremendous influence on the overall climate and atmosphere of the institution. In this instance, the most influential residents would be the student-athletes. However, the term “student-athletes” is subject to criticism from a wide range of skeptics who believe that intercollegiate athletics are substantially overvalued at institutions across the country. 9 The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) initially created this mirage of the “student-first” college athlete. The term “student-athletes” implies that all enrolled students who play college sports are engaged in secondary (“extra-curricular”) activities to enhance their education. The status of these enrolled student-athletes, the term suggests, is essentially the same as members of the debate team or the band. As the NCAA puts it, “Student-athletes must, therefore, be students first.” 10 In the United States, there is a strong strain of anti-intellectualism that undervalues intellectual culture and overvalues athletics. As a result, the perceived reality is that intellectual culture receives far less support than it should, and is generally regarded as the interest of an eccentric minority. Athletics, by contrast, are more than generously funded and embraced as an essential part of our national life. When our universities lower standards of academic excellence to increase standards of athletic excellence, they implicitly support the popular marginalization of the intellectual enterprise. 11 This is exactly why in today’s American culture the presence of PR professionals in college athletic departments is paramount to 8 Rolph, Amy. “New UW president on athletics: It’s the ‘front porch’. Seattle Post Intelligence 27 Apr. 2011. blog.seattlepi.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://blog.seattlepi.com/huskies/2011/04/27/new-uw-president-on-athletics-its-the-front-porch/>. 9 Gutting, Gary. “The Myth of the ‘Student-Athlete” New York Times 15 Mar. 2012 nytimes.com Web. 17 Aug. 2013. <http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/the-myth-of-the- student-athlete/?_r=0>. 10 Gutting, 2012. 11 Ibid. xv communicate effectively, while protecting the shreds of sanctity and integrity struggling to endure at respected institutions across the country. Special Considerations Globally, collegiate athletics programs vary significantly. In the United States, intercollegiate sports serve as a feeder system to professional sports. This system differs greatly from the vast majority of other countries throughout the world. Typically, government-funded sports organizations in other countries supplement their professional clubs. However, what distinguishes intercollegiate athletics in the United States is the economic and societal impact they have on American culture. American universities spend enormous amounts of money each year upgrading facilities, coaches, equipment, marketing strategies, media contracts and other components to generate greater revenue and improve their brands. The seven different levels of classification and quality make American intercollegiate athletics programs even more complex: Division I, II, III, NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association), NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) and the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association). 12 To account for this enormous disparity, the writer narrowed his efforts to formulate the most effective, precise recommendations. It is nearly impossible to explore the intricacy of each specific college athletic administration. Departments can differ in a variety of ways ranging from institutional emphasis, support, budget, size and scope. Exploring the current significance of public relations in college athletics across the board would require far more research plus an examination of numerous external factors. 12 Sanders, Theisen Calli. “The Administrative Reporting Structure of Athletics Directors in NCAA Divisions I, II, and II Intercollegiate Athletics. Montana State University Nov. 2004. Web. 13 Aug. 2013. <http://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1/2174/SandersC1204.pdf?sequence=1>. xvi The purpose of this paper is to serve the highest level. The author believes that by addressing the top – Division I – that some of the recommendations presented in this paper may trickle down to the other levels. Therefore, the research was limited solely to Division I (DI) athletic departments. The vastly different elements of DI athletic departments were also taken into account during these interviews to ensure that research was represented from all three levels of DI intercollegiate athletics: “high-major, mid- major and low-major” athletic departments. While this terminology is not officially acknowledged by the NCAA, the distinction between ‘high-major, mid-major and low- major” DI athletics began in 1977. 13 The term “high-major” typically refers to a school that is a member of one of the six power conferences, which also conveniently generate the greatest revenue. The term “mid-major” refers to schools outside of the six power conferences, where the number of competing DI teams and revenue is typically lower. The “low-major” distinction is relegated to a rather small contingent of remaining schools, which typically have minimal resources to regularly compete and perform at the highest level. Although this research considered administrators, coaches, players, PR professionals and journalists, the conclusions taken from their responses as well as previous studies might have differed had the data been collected on a larger scale and/or included additional levels. Lastly, though unlikely, the responses collected from these interviews may have been compromised by self-preservation or institutional agenda influencing the interviewees. 13 Sanders, Theisen Calli. 2013. xvii The following thesis will identify why DI athletic directors must immediately incorporate the PR professional into their long-term strategy for achieving their objectives. This paper will also explore how failing to recognize the necessity for this sustained PR support will result in severe reputational risk for any college athletic department in an increasingly competitive and commercial industry. 1 The Impact of Public Relations on College Athletics “Reality is irrelevant; perception is everything.” – Terry Goodkind 14 In 1879, the University of Michigan began competing in intercollegiate football. For over a century, night football at Michigan Stadium, commonly referred to as “The Big House,” was discussed as an option, only to be repeatedly shot down. University brass generally opposed night football, so games remained traditionally slated for the early afternoon. 15 However, all of that changed in 2011. University of Michigan’s new athletic director, David Brandon had no issues shaking up tradition in exchange for publicity and greater revenue. As a result, the debut of night football at “The Big House” was scheduled for Michigan’s annual gridiron game with the University of Notre Dame on September 10, 2011. With this announcement, PR tactics and techniques changed forever. The game was immediately highlighted across national sports syndicates as the first night game in the illustrious history of the famed Michigan Stadium. "This will be an unprecedented game day atmosphere that our fans have yet to experience at Michigan Stadium," Brandon said in a statement. 16 "It's a great opportunity to showcase our program, university and Ann Arbor to a primetime viewing audience. This also adds a new chapter to the storied rivalry between our two great programs." 17 Michigan football has the most all-time wins and highest winning percentage in college football history. Football at Notre Dame began in 1879 and boasts the second highest winning percentage in college 14 Goodkind, Terry. goodreads.com, Web. 28 Aug 2013. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/414364- reality-is-irrelevant-perception-is-everything>. 15 Rittenberg, Adam. “Michigan to host first night football game.” espn.com 18 Mar. 2010 Web. 02 Sep 2013 < http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/20585/michigan-to-host-first-night-football-game>. 16 Rittenberg, Adam. “Michigan schedules 2011 night game” espn.com 19 Mar. 2010 Web. 02 Sep 2013 < http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5006284>. 17 Rittenberg, 2013. 2 football history. The promotion and strategic messaging of these rivals continued to build for the months leading up to what proved to be a historic autumn evening in Ann Arbor, Michigan on so many levels. However, the leaders of the two athletic departments did not stop there. Both schools also announced they had partnered with Adidas to showcase and wear “throwback uniforms” for the upcoming September night game. “The compilation of elements from different eras of Michigan football makes this a unique and special uniform," Brandon stated in the weeks leading up to kickoff. "Our players have seen other schools and professional teams wear throwback uniforms and will now have an opportunity to showcase our tradition in a melding of styles. This will be a special event for our football program, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and all of our fans." 18 Similarly, Notre Dame players wore a large shamrock logo on their traditional gold helmets for the first time since the early 1960s. 19 What was the objective of both athletic departments synchronizing their efforts for one game of college football on a late evening in September 2011? The answer is simple: generating money and selling their institutional brands. PR opportunities for both athletic departments proliferated in the final days leading up to kickoff. ESPN’s “College Gameday” broadcasted live from Ann Arbor for three straight days leading up to the event. 20 Thousands of fans turned out at Ingalls Mall on the university campus to show their “school spirit” on national television. For an added knockout punch, the University 18 Smith, Erick. “Michigan, Notre Dame unveil throwback uniforms for game” usatoday.com 10 Jun. 2011. Web. 04 Sep 2013. < http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/06/michigan- throwback-uniforms-notre-dame/1#.Uucz9BatteU >. 19 Smith, 2013. 20 Rezler, Rich. “Your mega guide to Notre Dame vs. Michigan football game” annarbor.com 10 Sep 2011. Web. 02 Sep 2013. <http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/your-mega-guide-to-the-notre-dame-vs- michigan-football-game/>. 3 of Michigan athletic department announced just days before kickoff that during halftime the school would honor prominent icon Desmond Howard, a Super Bowl MVP and Heisman Trophy winner. 21 This only intensified the buzz surrounding the game. Despite the magnificent buildup and hype publicized by the two college athletic departments, record heavy rains soaked the city for most of the morning on the day of the game. This resulted in fans being unable to utilize the Ann Arbor golf course for public parking, which meant thousands of fans had to walk to the stadium from miles away. 22 Figure 1. “Under the Lights” Notre Dame @ Michigan, September 10, 2011 23 In the end, none of that seemed to matter. A single ticket on Stub Hub, an online ticket 21 Rezler, 2013. 22 Ibid. 23 University of Michigan Team Store. “Under the Lights: Notre Dame at Michigan” photography. 10 Sep 2011. mgoblue.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 <http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img- get/I00008cF6f8w3vPE/s/860/688/SE-UnderTheLights-TeamHuddle.jpg>. 4 broker, was sold for $4,000 the day of the game. 24 The 114,804 spectators at Michigan Stadium that night set the record for highest attendance for any game in college football history. On television, NBC stated that it was the most-watched Notre Dame primetime game in history. 25 The icing on the cake was that for this single game, these two universities earned a combined $128 million in revenue. After paying expenses, the two schools accumulated approximately $90 million in combined profit. 26 While the show on the actual field that evening certainly deserves a hefty slice of the credit, one cannot dispute the efforts of both athletic departments in promoting and publicizing the event to a national audience. Indeed, this single event certainly showcased the power and influence PR can have on the landscape of college athletics. However, skeptics may pine that the game had a built-in gimmick and, therefore, was easy to publicize and promote. The author will examine this type of lingering skepticism later in the paper. Butler University and the Final Four Butler University is a private university situated in suburban Indianapolis, Indiana with a 2012-13 undergraduate enrollment of 3,889. 27 Despite a respectable athletic history, the Butler Bulldogs intercollegiate programs compete primarily in the mid-major Horizon League. However, even tiny Butler can strike gold with the right formula and performance from its athletic endeavors. In 2010 and 2011, the Butler University Men’s Basketball team made unlikely and completely improbable back-to-back NCAA Division I National Championship game 24 Rezler, 2013. 25 Heisler, John. 100 Things Notre Dame Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Triumph Books, pg. 41, 2013. Print. 26 Dosh, Kristi. “Which Football and Basketball Programs Produce the Largest Profits” Business of College Sports 20 Jun. 2011 Web. 19 Sep 2013 < http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/06/20/which-football- and-basketball-programs-produce-the-largest-profits/>. 27 Butler University, forbes.com 12 April 2012 Web. 13 Aug 2013 <http://www.forbes.com/colleges/butler- university/>. 5 appearances. A study commissioned by the Butler athletic department analyzed the men’s basketball team two-year NCAA Tournament run. 28 Utilizing media firms Borshoff and Meltwater, Butler tracked print, television and online publicity generated by the Bulldogs’ march to back-to-back NCAA national championship games. 29 In 2011, the study monitored and evaluated media coverage of the Butler University men’s basketball team from mid-March to mid-June. During that period, Butler garnered an estimated publicity value of more than $500 million through television, print and on-line news coverage. 30 The study found that the performance of the Butler men’s basketball team generated more than $60 million in television publicity value, $2.7 million in print publicity value and $450 million in online publicity value. 31 The study did not include the publicity value of radio broadcasts or talk shows. Television coverage during the final two weeks of the 2011 NCAA Tournament alone, provided more than 7,600 mentions of the Butler men’s basketball team, with an estimated publicity value of more than $42 million. Overall, Butler basketball received nearly 10,000 mentions and reached an estimated audience of 1.4 billion. 32 “The big story here is that the quality of Butler University has been revealed to a nationwide audience through the success of our men’s basketball team,” said Butler AD Barry Collier. 33 “This incredible amount of exposure was earned on the court by our team and that is a credit to Coach Brad Stevens and the men's basketball team.” The lengthy study 28 “Butler Reaps Publicity Value From Final Four Run” butlersports.com 01 Apr. 2011 Web. 13 Sep. 2013 <http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010-11/releases/040111aab>. 29 “Butler Reaps Publicity Value From Final Four Run” butlersports.com 01 Apr. 2011 Web. 13 Sep. 2013 <http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010-11/releases/040111aab>. 30 Norlander, Matt. “Final Four runs earn Butler $500 million” cbssports.com 26 Jul. 2011 Web 13 Sep. 2013 <http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/30879290/1>. 31 butlersports.com, April 2013. 32 butlersports.com, April 2013. 33 Ibid. 6 found that the Butler’s total publicity during this period included 68,192 hits and more than 24 billion media impressions. 34 (Though strategic PR practitioners disdain media impressions as a valid measurement, the author includes it here because it was widely used and cited throughout the Butler case.) The University also experienced significant increases in enrollment, ticket sales, merchandise sales and charitable giving. Applications to Butler rose 41%, creating a greater pool of best-qualified applicants to select from an admissions standpoint. 35 The men’s basketball season ticket sales increased by 25% following the 2010 tournament run alone. 36 Obviously, sales of Butler athletic merchandise and donations to the athletic department also both reached all-time highs. The publicity boost did not stop there, though. Butler reached such high numbers over the course of the two seasons because of the Internet. The study also monitored any type of mentions for Butler on every social media platform, as well as YouTube, and was able to conclude this online audience produced more than $12 million in free advertising. 37 With Butler basketball and Butler University becoming a national household marquee, one can only imagine what the publicity draw is over the course of a season for powerhouse programs such as Duke, Kentucky and UCLA. 38 When compared to Butler, it would be reasonable to conclude that this publicity figure would, at the very least, double. Thus, the power and impact of publicity surrounding DI college basketball alone, confirms that athletic departments should ensure they hire dedicated PR professionals in order to maximize results. 34 Ibid. 35 Ibid. 36 Norlander, 2011. 37 butlersports.com, April 2013. 38 Norlander, 2011. 7 Scandal Impacting the Institutional Brand The skill and necessity for executing appropriate PR strategies certainly seems relevant in American society the most during times of crises or scandal. This fact holds true for any and all industries, to include the increasingly commercial enterprise of college athletics. Understandably, the public spotlight always seems to be placed on the organizations that have the most to lose. Historically, professional sports have suffered the most from scandal and crisis. However, in recent years, college athletics have began to take significant criticism from a variety of different media outlets. When analyzing from “big to small,” it is easy to identify that every professional organization in sports employs dedicated PR professionals to advise, assist and act during scandal or crises. Unfortunately, this has not been the case in DI athletics. Because of this, the institutional brand is indisputably suffering. It was only a matter of time before it hit the college ranks. Scandal has hit every major professional sport, often with its biggest stars and icons at the center of it all. Over the past decade, every major professional American sport has found itself immersed in a PR nightmare based on the actions of a few. The following represent a few of the more widely known and damaging cases. National Basketball Association (NBA) Kobe Bryant was universally known as one of basketball’s greatest stars in 2004. Bryant was coming off championship seasons in which not only was he the league scoring champion, but he was also the league Most Valuable Player. In 2004, Kobe Bryant was the face of the NBA. That same year, the then 24-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star, who was married with a young daughter, was charged with a felony 8 stemming from one count of sexual assault. Bryant eventually admitted to adultery, but was never convicted of the charges. 39 Luckily, both the Lakers and NBA had dedicated PR professionals within their respective organizations to address the ongoing investigation to marginalize the fallout for their brand from this scandal. National Football League (NFL) Similarly, any Americans familiar with the NFL and Super Bowl are no strangers to the on-field, postgame Disney World commercial. Typically filmed at the immediate conclusion of the Super Bowl, the Most Valuable Player (or most recognizable star of the team) shouts into the camera, “I am going to Disney World!” Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was featured as that star in 2007 and 2010. 40 Then in 2013, that star was Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. If you wanted to analyze a true PR makeover, look no farther than the image transformation conducted by the Ravens and Steelers PR teams and organizations that contributed to the process. Roethlisberger previously faced two separate sexual assault allegations over a three-year span. He was vilified in the media and eventually reached settlements with both accusers. In February 2000, Ray Lewis had been indicted in Atlanta on murder and aggravated assault charges. Lewis’ lawyers ultimately negotiated a plea agreement and the murder charges against him were dismissed, despite his guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice. Lewis admitted he gave a misleading statement to police on the morning after the killings. During this tumultuous period, the crisis-management 39 Cabell and Tuchman, Gary. “Kobe Bryant charged with sexual assault” CNN 16 Dec. 2003. cnn.com Web. 02 Sep. 2013 <http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/18/kobe.bryant/>. 40 Lionberger, Chuck. “DisneyDaddy: Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes say “I’m going to Disney World!” youtube.com 02 Feb 2009, Web. 14 Aug 2013 <http://disneydaddy.blogspot.com/2009/02/santonio-holmes-says-im-going-to-disney.html>. 9 tactics employed by both the Steelers and Ravens organizations have been widely studied by industry professionals. Major League Baseball (MLB) The 2013 summer was a major eyesore for MLB. Two of the league’s most prominent figures – 2012 MVP Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, along with the highest paid player in the sport, New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez –contributed to a critical breakdown in the integrity of both the game and brand. 41 Thanks to the steroid era, there is a new cardinal sin of baseball and it is lying to the commissioner’s office, and, by association, obstructing baseball justice. In these times, the egregious offense tarnishes the reputation of the game, which is ultimately worth the greatest price tag. 42 Clearly, this situation validated the demand for both successful PR and crisis management on behalf of the MLB institution as a whole. Professional Golf Association (PGA) Who could forget the fallout from the 2008 scandal involving Tiger Woods’ extramarital affairs? Woods and the PGA both flubbed the crisis substantially by committing multiple PR mistakes throughout the ordeal. Both parties failed to get out in front of the story, castigated the media on the topic, and refused to provide any details about exactly what happened at Woods’ residence on the night the police were called in November 2008. 43 All of these failures resulted in the public assuming the worst about Tiger, and rightly so. Moreover, these PR blunders cost Woods an estimated 90% drop in 41 Madden, Bill. “Failing honesty, not drug test, hurts MLB starts like Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun” NY Daily News 5 Jun. 2013. nydailynews.com Web. 14 Sep. 2013. <http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/madden-failing-honesty-drug-test-hurts-mlb-stars-article- 1.1364601>. 42 Madden, 2013. 43 “Tiger Woods’ six big PR mistakes.” prsa.org 7 Apr. 2010. Web. 07 Sep. 2013 <http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/view/8588/105/Tiger_Woods_six_big_PR_mistakes#.UrC20LyGiK4> 10 annual earning in 2009. However, the cost to the brand and reputation of the PGA, best known as “the gentlemen’s game that is golf”, was far greater. 44 Taking into account the tremendous growth in attention, coverage and national interest, college athletic departments now find themselves immediately scrambling or backpedaling when faced with any potential humiliation to their institutional brand. 45 Research throughout this paper will validate that this disorganization can be blamed on the lack of dedicated PR practitioners within the department. For example, consider these scenarios: The 2011 Jerry Sandusky sexual assault scandal will cost Penn State University an estimated $250 million in civil suits alone, not to mention the impact on the long-term reputation of the school. 46 Applications dropped almost 10% in one year from 59,000 in 2012 to 54,000 in 2013. 47 No PR department or staff was in place to address, advise or act as a communicative facilitator for the athletic department throughout the ordeal. 48 Further, as recently as August 2013, a cloud of uncertainty surrounded the status of Heisman Trophy quarterback and college football darling, Johnny Manziel. Opinions, judgments and debates erupted across the nation regarding how Texas A&M University should proceed regarding allegations that their beloved, star quarterback knowingly broke NCAA rules. The risk to the university was two-fold: the losses in revenue, attention and 44 “Tiger Woods’ six big PR mistakes.” prsa.org 7 Apr. 2010. Web. 07 Sep. 2013 <http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/view/8588/105/Tiger_Woods_six_big_PR_mistakes#.UrC20LyGiK4> 45 Perez-Pena, Richard. “In Report, Failures Throughout Penn State” nytimes.com 12 Jul. 2012 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/sports/ncaafootball/in-freeh-report-on- sandusky-failures-throughout-penn-state.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0>. 46 Armas, Genaro C. “Penn State’s Revenue Takes A Dive Following Jerry Sandusky Sex Abuse Scandal” Associated Press 11 Apr. 2013. huffingtonpost.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/penn-states-revenue-takes-dive_n_3064258.html>. 47 “Penn State applications down 9 percent this year” The Associated Press. 26 Apr. 2013 Web. 08 Aug. 2013 <http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/04/penn_state_applications_down_9.html>. 48 Perez-Pena, 2012. 11 success on the gridiron if the university suspended Manziel versus the fallout had the university turned a blind-eye and waited for the NCAA to rule on Manziel. 49 A recurring theme throughout this paper: no PR practitioner was in place on the athletic department staff to advise, assist or act. 50 Regardless, scandals like these have long been a possibility in college athletics, but the visibility and attention placed upon fast-developing crises like those at Penn State and Texas A&M certainly reinforce the negative impact these situations can have on the brand as a whole. 49 McGuire, Kevin. “Texas A&M’s Manziel Mystery: To Play With NCAA Fire Or Not?” 12 Aug. 2013 bloguin.com Web. 12 Aug. 2013 <http://www.bloguin.com/crystalballrun/2013-articles/august/texas-a-m-s- manziel-mystery-to-play-with-ncaa-fire-or-not.html>. 50 McGuire, 2013. 12 The “ESPN effect” Public relations, more often than not, is misunderstood by people outside of the industry. This is more than apparent throughout the realm of intercollegiate athletics. The traditional mindset about PR in this environment is no longer simply staying current on the latest statistics, trends, commentator’s issues, and “sweet spots.” 51 Increasingly, the lines between PR, marketing and advertising have become more blurred. This has taken the intercollegiate sports PR industry into a new direction. In short, once you get below the surface, PR is not what it appears to be from the outside. While the skill set can be broken down into interpersonal and professional skills, the future role of the Director of PR (historically categorized as the Sports Information Director), within today's athletic departments must adapt to the changes occurring in college athletics and within today's media. 52 For 34 years, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) has been a defining force in the landscape of sports; however, it has made an even bigger impact on the evolution of college athletics. The company broadcasts approximately 83% of all live intercollegiate athletics events seen annually in the U.S. 53 Through dozens of ESPN-branded television, web, and mobile platforms, the network shapes the ways in which leagues, teams, athletes and universities are packaged, promoted, 51 Moore, Joseph H., “Predictors of Strategic Influence Among College Sports Public Relations Directors in College Athletic Departments: The Impact of Managerial Orientation and Leadership Personality Trait, Skill and Style” Dissertation, School of Education, Colorado State University Fall 2011. Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://digitool.library.colostate.edu///exlibris/dtl/d3_1/apache_media/L2V4bGlicmlzL2R0bC9kM18xL2F wYWNoZV9tZWRpYS8xODI3NzA=.pdf>. 52 McCleneghan, J. Sean. “The Sports Information Director – No Attention, No Respect, and a PR Practitioner in Trouble” Public Relations Quarterly, Vol. 40, Issue 2. Jun. 1995 Web. 13 Aug 2013 <http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9509120066/sports-information-director-no-attention-no-respect-pr- practitioner-trouble>. 53 Greenfield, Karl Taro. “ESPN: Everywhere Sports Profit Network” businessweek.com 30 Aug. 2012 Web. 12 Aug 2013 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-30/espn-everywhere-sports-profit- network#p5 13 marketed, and consumed by the public. In a real sense, ESPN no longer covers intercollegiate athletics; it practically controls them. 54 "We've created… I was going to say a blurry line, but I don't think there is any line anymore as to who's in charge," says Andy Geiger, former AD at both Stanford and Ohio State University. "We're doing business with an entertainment company whose only way of surviving involves the number of eyeballs watching the screen," Geiger said. "That is the driving force in what I see in the majority of decisions being made." 55 For all that ESPN has lent to the growth of major-college athletics — through on- air exposure and with rights-fees payouts that schools have fed into stadium improvements, luxurious locker rooms and huge contracts for top coaches — there's an undercurrent of concern about the influence of the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” It is not just that its tentacles are everywhere: they are everywhere at once. 56 ESPN is a leading broadcast, print and online news outlet, which also reports on the news it often helps to create. ESPN’s multiplatform advantage consists of print, radio, broadcast television, cable television, Internet and mobile applications. Currently, it is the only of its kind, as no competitors come close to its assets in each of those platforms. The most recent endeavor, the WatchESPN Mobile app, allows users to watch whatever is on ESPN anytime, anywhere, provided the user is a cable subscriber. This app has been downloaded more than 10 million times. 57 However, beyond questions about ESPN's influence across intercollegiate athletics remain concerns about its pervasiveness. With 54 Greenfield, Karl Taro, 2013. 55 Berkowitz, Steve and Wieberg, Steve. “Is ESPN the main force behind realignment in college sports?” USA Today 1 Nov. 2011. usatoday.com Web. 20 Aug. 2013. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2011-10-27/is-espn-the-force-behind-college- conference-realignment/51019966/1>. 56 Greenfield, Karl Taro, 2013. 57 Greenfield, Karl Taro, 2013. 14 sister network ABC, ESPN retains a majority of the football and/or basketball TV rights of a vast majority of the NCAA's DI conferences and all but two of college football's 35 lucrative, postseason bowl games. As a television rights holder, ESPN is a business partner to a wide array of conferences and schools (its total college disbursement will average more than $700 million annually by next year). 58 "It approaches a monopoly, if it's not literally one," says Stephen Weber, a former member of the NCAA's DI board of directors. 59 Furthermore, social media has created a significant shift in the sports communications archetype; and NCAA regulations can barely keep up. The relationship between fans and student-athletes has evolved to a new dimension. No entity reigns supreme in capturing newsworthy social media material more than ESPN. 60 Social media has become both an asset and detractor for the overall success, image and perception of athletic department administrations, coaches and student-athletes. In the researcher’s interview with Mark Schlabach, a nationally acclaimed Senior Writer for ESPN.com, this factor was stressed repeatedly. Schlabach stated, “I believe every student-athlete should be allowed to use social media such as Twitter and Facebook, as long as they understand that they're not only representing themselves, but also their particular team and university. They also have to understand that by being a public figure, their Tweets and/or Facebook posts can have negative consequences for their teams and university. As 58 Ibid. 59 Berkowitz, Steve and Wieberg, Steve, 2011. 60 Trayers, Emily. “Student Athletes and Social Media – A Losing Record” sayitsocial.com 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Sep. 2013 <http://www.sayitsocial.com/2013/08/student-athletes-and-social-media-a-losing- record/>. 15 student-athletes, social media is more of a privilege than a right.” 61 Unfortunately for the institution, when intercollegiate athletes make a serious misstep on social media, mighty ESPN is readily available to pounce on it and inform the public. Consequently, as the ultimate powerhouse of influence for a college athletic department, “the ESPN effect” demands respect from every athletic department. Clearly, the success of ESPN has made it the leading communication brand in shaping power and influence. The college AD must recognize these realities and address them appropriately. The resounding solution for the director is to make an investment in appropriate, dedicated PR support. 61 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Mark Schlabach.” Email interview. 03 Aug. 2013. 16 The Business of Division I Athletics – Money and Media The primary mission of the greater majority of American universities is to educate and provide research, however it is also unquestionably in the business of generating profit. All too often, media groups will compare academic budget cuts and athletic budget increases. Yet, the different organizational relationship between the university administration and the athletic department administration often results in these generalizations being highly misleading. 62 The correlation between funding to an institution and its athletic department proves far more complicated than it appears. At many schools, athletic departments do not always receive the benefits of the revenue they create; however the monetary aspect of intercollegiate athletics remains paramount for many university administrations. As with any successful big business – which college athletics certainly is – marketing, advertising and PR directly influence funding. Consequently, as the dominoes start to fall, it is obvious that funding and politics drives almost every aspect of DI athletics. Last year, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football programs produced over $1 billion in net revenue. 63 Record-breaking television contracts were announced across intercollegiate athletics. Despite the enormous revenue, intercollegiate athletics continue to have an image problem. Universities are often accused of throwing their academic mission aside to fund their most revenue-producing athletic programs. Conference alignment is being revised as schools search for the most lucrative television 62 Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Most NCAA Division I athletic departments take subsidies” USA Today 1 Jul. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 24 Aug. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/05/07/ncaa-finances-subsidies/2142443/>. 63 DeRamus, Mosemak, Schnaars and Upton, Jodi. “NCAA college athletics department finances database.” USA Today 15 May 2012 usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-14/ncaa-college-athletics-finances- database/54955804/1>. 17 markets. 64 Universities are starting to show a sense of favoritism in funding their most lucrative athletic programs, before they fund others. Financial facts are analyzed, skewed and judged by the media in ways that further influence and shape key stakeholders’ views and opinions. 65 In the end, the economics of DI athletics is a critical catalyst for the success of not only the department, but also for the institution. It would be both shortsighted and naïve to assert that all athletic departments are created equal. In Saturday Millionaires, Kristi Dosh thoroughly examines this inconsistent perception. Dosh amplifies this point in her book when she asks, “When I say Boise State University, what is the first thing you think of?” 66 She concludes that outside of a small minority that might have attended school there, it is either the blue turf football field or the famous Statue of Liberty play the Broncos used to pull off the popular upset over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. It is unlikely anyone immediately thinks of Boise State as the 13 th -ranked public undergraduate engineering program in the country. 67 Dosh’s point is that football helped to make Boise State part of the conversation on a national level. From 2006-2011, the percentage of freshmen enrolling at Boise State from out-of-state jumped from 13.5 percent to 34 percent. Since out-of- state tuition is $10,400 higher per student, this alone generated an additional $8 million annually. 68 Additionally, the university was able to become more selective on admitting applicants. Over 70 percent of new freshmen applicants were admitted in 2006, 64 Berkowitz, Steve and Wieberg, Steve, 2011. 65 Schlabech, Mark. “NCAA: Where does the money go?” ESPN 12 Jul. 2011. espn.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013. < http://espn/go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6756472/following-ncaa-money>. 66 Dosh, Kristi. Saturday Millionaires: How Winning Football Builds Winning Colleges. Wiley/Turner Publishing, 2013. Print. 67 Dosh, 2013. 68 Ibid. 18 compared to only 54 percent in 2011. 69 Though the numbers at Boise State cannot be linked exclusively to football; the trend across the country is similar. Fellow state college, the University of Idaho, competed in intercollegiate football at a lesser level during this period, and saw its application numbers drop while Boise State’s rose. In fact, the out-of-state enrollment for freshmen at the University of Idaho dropped from 34 percent to 24 percent. 70 It is not uncommon for academics to plead that intercollegiate athletics do not foster an environment of advanced learning and that this endeavor has corrupted many universities. These critics also deny that national publicity for intercollegiate athletics directly correlates with increased applications or more selective enrollment, and in some cases, yes, even dollars for the university. These critics could not be more misguided, as Table 1 demonstrates. 69 Ibid. 70 Ibid. 19 Table 1. Impact of FGCU 2013 March Madness Run 71 On average, when a school goes from being mediocre to being great on the football field or basketball court, applications increase by 18.7 percent. 72 Facts such as this prove that intercollegiate athletics creates publicity and positive publicity translates to dollars. When timely, successful PR is executed, it undoubtedly improves the level of corporate growth in any industry, including intercollegiate athletics. Over the last four years, students at Utah State voted to increase their yearly athletic fee to $243, from $113, to help cover a $2.3 million deficit in the operation of varsity sports. Scott Barnes, the AD, said university officials persuaded students that competitive athletics would increase enrollment, donations and visibility. 73 While this 71 Doyle, Kevin. “Florida Gulf Coast University collects “about $15,000” during first quarter of 2013.” nbcsports.com 16 Jun 2013. Web. 17 Aug 2013 <http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/16/florida-gulf-coast-university-collects-about-15000- during-first-quarter-of-2013>. 72 Nobel, Carmen. “The Marketing Effect of College Sports” forbes.com 5 Feb. 2013 Web. 11 Sep 2013 <http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/02/05/the-marketing-effect-of-college-sports/> 73 Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Most NCAA Division I athletic departments take subsidies” USA Today 1 Jul. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 24 Aug. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/05/07/ncaa-finances-subsidies/2142443/>. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 Average daily visits to University Webpage Average daily visits to University Admission Page Royalties from University Merchandise (in dollars) Submitted Applications for Admissions February -‐ April 2012 February -‐ April 2013 20 perspective may be controversial, the importance of aligning the priorities of the university with the priorities of the athletic department cannot be overstated. A major component for success in this merger starts with hiring the right people, at the right time, for the right university. The selection of high-priority hires for any university has become increasingly scrutinized largely due to the high salary requirements for these positions. 74 Recognizing this, universities have reached out for assistance to ensure that they do, indeed, get it right. As a result, the price institutions have been willing to pay for this service has continued to rise. USA TODAY estimates that the average cost to a university that retains a search firm for assistance in the hiring of an athletic director, head football coach or head basketball coach is $75,000 per search. 75 Additionally, the salaries for these positions have ballooned. Athletics directors at schools in the NCAA's FBS make an average salary of roughly $515,000. This figure is up more than 14% since USA TODAY Sports last reviewed AD compensation in October 2011. While it’s a job with a high degree of difficulty, many experts believe that effective athletic directors are judged on their ability to raise more money, sell more tickets, win more games, graduate everybody, and not cheat. 76 These objectives require an AD to be armed with appropriate weapons in his/her arsenal. Thus, the hiring of appropriately trained and experienced 74 Heitner, Darren. “Are Executive Search Firms Worth The Cost to College Athletic Departments?” Forbes 22 Jun. 2013. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/2013/06/22/are-executive-search-firms-worth-the-cost-to- college-athletic-departments/>. 75 Heitner, 2013. 76 Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Major college ADs averaging more than $500,000 in pay” USA Today 6 Mar. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/03/06/college-athletics-directors-salaries- increase/1964239/>. 21 personnel ready to attack the atypical problem sets unique to DI intercollegiate athletic departments is no longer simply encouraged, but essential. For university presidents, the money being donated and offered to their athletic departments has proved impossible to ignore. Nowhere is the money more robust or easy to acquire than through television deals for intercollegiate athletics programs. In 2010, despite the faltering economy, the football-crazed Southeastern Conference (SEC) became the first to crack the billion-dollar barrier in athletic receipts. The Big Ten logged in closely at $905 million. 77 This enormous figure comes from an accumulation of ticket sales, concessions, merchandise, licensing fees, and other sources—but the great bulk of it comes from television contracts. 78 In recent years, four conferences — the Big 12, the ACC. the Pac-12 and the SEC— have signed football TV deals worth more than a billion dollars. Furthermore, the University of Texas created its own national network with ESPN, worth approximately $15 million annually to the university. The Pac-12 recently signed a 12-year, $3 billion contract with ESPN and Fox that includes a national cable channel and six regional outlets. 79 In 1984, The Associated Press estimated that all the college football television rights agreements in the newly deregulated landscape would generate $43.6 million. That was down from the $69.7 million paid for the entire NCAA package for the 1983 season. 80 To put that in perspective, ESPN will pay a reported $80 million to broadcast 77 Branch, Taylor. “The Shame of College Sports” The Atlantic 7 Sep. 2011. theatlantic.com Web. 12 Aug. 2013. <http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of- college-sports/308643/>. 78 Branch, 2013. 79 Staples, Andy. “How television changed college football – and how it will again” Sports Illustrated 7 Aug. 2012. sportsillustrated.cnn.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/08/05/tv-college-football/index.html>. 80 Staples, 2012. 22 the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2015. 81 Adjusted for inflation, those 1984 deals would be worth $90.3 million. So over the past three decades, one game will now be worth almost as much as an entire season of college football. According to some experts, college football remains a relative bargain compared to the NFL, meaning the earnings ceiling remains even higher. 82 It is clear that the massive publicity value gained for a university through the business of intercollegiate athletics is virtually unequivocal. The leaders at Boise State, Florida Gulf Coast and other universities have witnessed such results first-hand. In most scenarios, the roadmap of this theory goes like this: success in intercollegiate athletics leads to more applications. Higher numbers of applicants result in the university becoming more selective with whom they admit. Students with better academic profiles draw better professors and top professors lead to greater research grants and academic recognition. When the university has a better academic reputation, the quality of students and professors continue to increase and the cycle repeats itself with even greater results. Few schools can stand on the reputation of their academics alone. For schools like Boise State and Florida Gulf Coast – intercollegiate athletic departments serve as the conduit for their own financial sustainability and national visibility. 81 Berkowitz, Steve and Wieberg, Steve. “Is ESPN the main force behind realignment in college sports?” USA Today 1 Nov. 2011. usatoday.com Web. 20 Aug. 2013. 82 Staples, 2012. 23 The Business of Division I Athletics – Marketing Intercollegiate athletics create publicity in a way few schools can replicate with other traditional marketing campaigns. 83 The typical athletic department’s approach to strategically communicate with its stakeholders regularly falls under the responsibility of the communications director or even in some cases, the director of athletics. The marketing effort typically concentrates on the advertising tied to specific department or team campaigns. As the lines between PR and marketing become more and more blurred, collective objectives tied to messaging and branding remains critical in the cutthroat realm of intercollegiate recruiting, licensing, sponsorships, alumni relations and publicity. 84 Twenty years ago, a department’s options for reaching these different areas were much more confined. The common approach was to sponsor the three or four most profitable programs at the school and rely on the local newspapers or news networks to deliver their brand. 85 Now there are dozens of cable channels with programming that draws passionate followers, coupled with original programming that exists only online. An increasing opportunity for every intercollegiate athletic program, successful or not, has been greatly enhanced by the escalation of social media. The athletic department’s increasing dependence on social media to effectively communicate and increase their branding continues to rise. Social media has created a conduit for publicity and communication in which the dialogue and promotion is a two- 83 Dosh, Kristi. Saturday Millionaires: How Winning Football Builds Winning Colleges. Wiley/Turner Publishing, 2013. Print. 84 Dosh, 2013. 85 Ibid. 24 way street. 86 Now, the consumer has an opportunity to talk to the brand or publicize the brand to other stakeholders. While many fans appreciate the increased connection with their schools, athletic departments love the fact that social media is an inexpensive approach to marketing and a great way to gather information on their fan bases. 87 Social media also allows coaches a larger platform to reach fans and recruits. Though there are risks involved, the advantages -- especially on the recruiting front -- can pay high dividends. How high of a priority for an athletic department has recruiting student-athletes become? Even at the United States Military Academy – widely considered to be a lower- tier DI competitor – recruiting the highest caliber cadet-athletes remains a principal interest. For example, in 2011-12, the men’s basketball program annual budget allocation by the athletic department was approximately $310,000. At the head basketball coach’s discretion, with approval by the AD, approximately $130,000 was designated for recruiting purposes alone. This figure was 42% of the program’s total annual budget, which is actually on the lower-end compared to other high-major DI athletic programs. 88 Devoting this proportion of funding for recruiting has become the norm and this example serves as a microcosm for the level of emphasis now placed on recruiting across intercollegiate athletics. The consensus is that a program needs to be willing to spend the money to find the talent. The surge in recruiting efforts for an 86 Schaap, James I. “Are Division I NCAA WAC sports profitable?” College of Business, Department of Managerial Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno Sep. 2013 Web. 03 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ijebf.com/IJEBF_Vol.%201,%20No.%208,%20September%202013/Are%20Division%20I.pd f>. 87 Schaap, 2013. 88 Easterbrook, Gregg. “Why are athletic departments so big?” ESPN 7 Dec. 2010. espn.com Web. 21 Aug. 2013. <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/101207_tuesday_ morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl>. 25 athletic department now requires synchronized efforts in fundraising, corporate contracts, athletic facility upgrades and renovations. Top-tier football programs invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to lure the highest-rated recruits. In a recent survey conducted by the Galain Stakeholders Corporation highlighted the important role that a campus’ facilities factor into a recruit’s decision. 89 After more than 170 DI student-athletes were individually polled, it was determined that a recruit’s opinion of a team’s playing facilities ranked as the fourth most important factor, while campus living facilities and team facilities ranked sixth and eighth, respectively. 90 Nationwide, DI athletic programs acknowledge this trend. At least 24 BCS football programs are currently engaged in or recently completed construction projects aimed at benefiting the recruiting and branding of their football programs. 91 The lowest-end of these projects include locker room upgrades, like those taking place at Syracuse University to the tune of $5 million. The high-end of the spectrum includes projects like University of Arizona‘s $72.3 million expansion to its north end zone stadium area. 92 By engaging in these projects, football programs and athletic departments are not only seeking to build the most impressive facilities, but they are also communicating their commitment to their programs. Model facilities such as the University of Alabama’s $9 million weight room and the University of Tennessee’s 145,000-square-foot Anderson Training Center make a 89 Jessop, Alicia. “The Surprising Factors Driving College Football Recruits’ College Decision” forbes.com 14 Dec. 2012 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1605115-what-makes-a-college- athletic-director-successful>. 90 Jessop, 2012. 91 Ibid. 92 Ibid. 26 significant difference in recruiting. 93 The most talented college athletes want to work in top-notch facilities because, ideally, that is exactly what they will be doing should they advance to the professional level. 94 These techniques are aimed partially at captivating the minds and impressions of the young athletes they are recruiting into their programs. Understanding how to market, influence, brand and effectively communicate is required to generate the funding required for sustained competitiveness in intercollegiate athletics. Similar to any other enterprise, a marketing and communications strategy requires time, resources and personnel. One example of how athletic departments have started to generate the necessary funding is through utilizing new platforms, such as social media. This has allowed these entities to meet objectives, advertise and keep their stakeholders interested. Social media has become an effective tool for departments to aggressively engage fans in an inexpensive way, while allowing current fans to essentially do the marketing for the school. 95 Louisiana State University (LSU) was among the first to embrace this philosophy in 2011, when the athletic department built an online brand around the school’s mascot, “Mike the Tiger.” Now “Mike The Tiger” has his own website, Twitter and Facebook accounts. 96 To put this into perspective, LSU’s athletic Facebook page has more than 200,000 “likes”, while fellow conference competitor, Vanderbilt University’s athletics page has less than 20,000. 97 With a greater visibility, 93 Jessop, Alicia. “The Surprising Factors Driving College Football Recruits’ College Decision” forbes.com 14 Dec. 2012 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1605115-what-makes-a-college- athletic-director-successful>. 94 Jessop, 2012. 95 Tomko, Michael. “College athletic departments use social media to increase fan engagement” Medill Reports, Chicago 19 Oct. 2011 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=190560>. 96 Tomko, 2011. 97 Ibid. 27 comes a greater opportunity for a university’s advertising, sponsors, alumni support and licensing. This directly correlates to greater revenue. The prospects in this forum are virtually endless, as the ceiling for profitability remains high. The way sponsorships are bought and sold in college athletics has changed dramatically over the past three years. The recent escalation of college head coaches’ salaries, combined with the constant pressure for ADs to adhere to shrinking budgets, have resulted in many ADs relying on corporate sponsorships to increase revenue. Athletic departments can raise money from corporate sponsors in a variety of methods ranging from selling advertising on the outfield fence of the baseball stadium, to allowing corporate sponsors to establish an information booth and distribute advertisements on the concourse in the basketball arena. 98 While an AD may be eager to welcome corporate sponsors with open arms and open checkbooks, the AD may at times be placed in a situation where he or she does not want the sponsorship to portray a negative image of the department or the university. For example, the AD may decide to decline an offer from Hooters or a cigar company for fear that it will negatively impact the family atmosphere and overall perception of the department. 99 Sponsorships across DI athletics have increased more than $160 million over the past five years, which is almost a 30 percent increase overall. 100 98 Bentley, Eric. “Intercollegiate Athletic Corporate Sponsorships and the First Amendment” thesportjournal.org 6 Mar.2008 Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://thesportjournal.org/article/intercollegiate-athletic-corporate-sponsorships-and-the-first- amendment/>. 99 Bentley, 2008. 100 DeRamus, Mosemak, Schnaars and Upton, Jodi. “NCAA college athletics department finances database.” USA Today 15 May 2012 usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-14/ncaa-college-athletics-finances- database/54955804/1>. 28 Table 2. DI Athletics Sponsorship Spending 101 Licensing represents another aspect of how effective marketing, PR and messaging can result in wins for both the department as well as the licensee. This advantage has been effectively employed at the University of Oregon. Currently, the school shares 50 percent of net revenue from licensing with the athletic department, although a significant portion of sales are attributed to athletic apparel, which is due to Oregon’s mammoth contract with Nike. 102 The licensing revenue for the school increased from $750,000 to $2.25 million from the period of 2005-2011. 103 This increase coincided with the national prominence garnered by the football and basketball programs during the same period. Other schools have similar practices when it comes to licensing, which can 101 IEG Sponsorship Report. “Inside the Evolving World of College Sports Sponsorship” 8 Apr. 2013 Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://www.sponsorship.com/iegsr/2013/04/Inside-The-Evolving-World-Of-College- Sports-Sponso.aspx>. 102 Feldman, Bruce. “Best in College Sports: Innovation sets No. 2 Oregon apart” CBS Sports 17 Jul. 2013. cbssports.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on- sports/22794406/best-in-college-sports-innovation-sets-no-2-oregon-apart>. 103 Feldman, 2013. 29 generate millions of dollars. At LSU, the University also shares 50 percent of all licensing revenue. 104 Prior to its second football national championship in 2003 and first in 45 years, LSU had never amassed more than $1 million in licensing revenue in a single year. After the championship, licensing revenue increased to $3 million, in just one year. 105 By 2007, when the Tigers brought home another national championship in football, licensing was up to $5 million a year. With a 50/50 split, it clearly was not only the athletic department cashing in on its major program’s successes. 106 Royalties from licensing, advertising and sponsorship represent yet another sector where the business aspect of intercollegiate athletics prevails. Intercollegiate athletics have become an engagement tool for universities to market and monetize their efforts. Northwestern University recently hired two new professionals to free up time for Doug Meffley, associate director of athletics communications. 107 “Our interactivity with fans gives us a lot of influence because the greater reach creates more opportunities for support,” Meffley said. “Our goal is to engage, and by engaging we don’t only keep the supporters we have, but we also maintain advocates who can recruit their friends and foster greater support for our objectives.” 108 Departmental marketing efforts connect university administrators, coaches, recruits, alums, fans and other stakeholders via traditional advertising, as well as more modern means, to include social media. In this fast-paced landscape, it is becoming less 104 Dosh, 2013. 105 Ibid. 106 Ibid. 107 Tomko, Michael. “College athletic departments use social media to increase fan engagement” Medill Reports, Chicago 19 Oct. 2011 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=190560>. 108 Tomko, 2013. 30 feasible for the director of marketing to secure these opportunities and coordinate each at the same time. Northwestern University officials understand this demand, and in turn, made additional hires to address this need. PR support remains the perfect solution to tie each of these efforts together in order to increase and synchronize the branding of an institution. Thus, there is emerging necessity for the creation of designated PR support within the organizational structure of an athletic department. 31 The DNA of the D1 Athletic Department As of 2013, there are 122 professional teams organized in one of the four major professional leagues in the United States. Of these separate professional clubs spread across the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Hockey League (NHL), each has designated PR support or a designated PR department within its organizational structure. Why? Because professional sports teams recognize the need to employ specialists in this craft, and PR is a common thread across the industry. The risk of not having this support is great enough that not one single organization operates without it. As of March 2013, there were 350 schools with a team competing in at least one (if not both) of the two most nationally recognizable sports: football and basketball. 109 Out of these 350 competing schools, none have either a specific PR department or director within their athletic department hierarchy. 110 After all the details previously discussed between the business aspect of intercollegiate athletics, there certainly appears to be quite a disconnect with the professional ranks on this priority. The organizational structure of a DI athletic department is obviously subject to the nuances and differences that occur within each specific institutional reporting structure and design. Acknowledging that departmental structures are non-standardized, there is still a similar, stereotypical layout in place at the majority of schools. 111 In most cases, the AD oversees several internal directorates consisting of, but not limited to: 109 Sanders, 2013. 110 Ibid. 111 Belzer, Jason. “College Athletics Leadership And The Rigor To Succeed” Forbes 30 Apr. 2013. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2013/04/30/college-athletics-leadership-and-the-rigor-to- succeed-2/>. 32 compliance, marketing, facilities, communications, development, alumni relations, recruiting, academics, internal and external operations. 112 These responsibilities also coincide with the oversight of the different programs, teams and coaches. To assist with these responsibilities, there are generally senior associate athletic directors and deputy directors with more specific emphasis and oversight of these different areas. Again, while every department arranges its administrative structure differently, the composition and roles within it remain similar. As the profitability of intercollegiate athletics continues to grow, so, too, will the demand for leaders who are able to manage an organizational dynamic that has immense challenges both inside and outside of the traditional business world. 113 The closest position in athletic departments to a dedicated PR professional is the sports information director (SID). However, whether the designated professional is referred to as the SID, media relations or communications director, the people assigned to the PR tasks within an athletic department are certainly charged with a substantial responsibility. 114 The College Sports Information Directors of America states that this individual “acts as the communication link to a variety of the institution’s public stakeholders, which include the staff, media, fans, community members, alumni, student- athletes, parents and prospective students.” 115 The SID also simultaneously operates as a publication and web professional, for which the demand has significantly increased. The idea of the PR practitioner as merely a publicist runs counter to what many researchers and scholars proclaim, which is that 112 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Daniel Kingston, Athletic Director at Bowling Green University.” Email interview. 01 Aug. 2013. 113 Belzer, 2013. 114 Moore, 2011. 115 Ibid. 33 PR, first and foremost, is a management function. The job requires a person who understands the world of professional and collegiate sports and who is trained in news and sports writing, public relations, media relations, crisis communication, and ethics. 116 Sports organizations, whether professional, collegiate or amateur, deal with the same challenges faced by corporate PR practices. These challenges include media relations, relaying key messages to their targeted publics, maintaining ethical practices, fostering alliances with appropriate stakeholders, and crisis management. 117 Therefore, how an AD aligns her/his organizational structure to dedicate the appropriate personnel and resources to fulfill these responsibilities is vital. From the perspective of those in higher education, “the public perception of university athletic programs is often considered a principal aspect in building the brand image of the respective institution.” 118 Yet, as recently as the 2010 CoSIDA convention in San Francisco, SIDs universally expressed that they have seen their influence diminish within their departments over the past 20 years. 119 A similar trend has occurred with college faculty members. As universities become more corporate, decision-making is becoming more top-down. Instead, SID’s previous influence has gradually been reallocated to marketing professionals, fund-raisers, senior woman administrators and business managers. The takeaway is that in most departments, the SID (dually assigned as the PR director) no longer maintains the occupied seat at the decision-making table. With greater consequences now being placed upon these responsibilities, it is only appropriate to ask the question: Why have SIDs and/or the PR director failed to earn a 116 Moore, 2011. 117 Ibid. 118 Ibid. 119 Ibid. 34 role as key influencers within their respective departments? 120 This question should be of great concern not only to the AD, but also within the organizational hierarchy. A common counterargument to this belief is that the budget for this additional PR specialist does not exist. A common myth ADs believe is that they already designate professionals who are able to excel in these areas. A recent examination performed at the University of Tennessee observed ADs’ perceptions of the role of PR within their departments. The study identified critical oversights. In short, there was a tremendous gap in communication between the AD and his or her top designated PR officer or SID. Less than 11% of the 99 ADs in DI athletics polled confirmed dedicated PR support. 121 Less than 8 percent of the ADs confirmed that they have dedicated PR professionals in place and stated that they already had individuals performing typical PR practitioner functions. The job of the PR industry is now to convince these AD’s otherwise. Table 3: Who AD’s Identify as Top PR Professional in Organization 122 120 Fall and Ruihley, 2010. 121 Ibid. 122 Ibid. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% "Yes" to designated PR Pro in Department (62 of 99) "No" to designated PR Pro in Department (37 of 99) 35 The athletic department is similar to a living organism that morphs over time. Therefore, there must be dedicated experts incorporated into the organizational structure to address the constant changes, issues and responses, while providing administrative counsel and support. 123 For ADs to recognize this necessity, they must be willing to spend the money to hire the right PR professional who can accomplish their objectives. Many ADs remain not entirely sold on the payoff for this support. However, the following research will illuminate why PR often makes the difference between the success and failure of an AD, her or his department and even in several extreme cases, the reputation of the institution as a whole. 123 Alden, Betsy Dr., “Organized for Success” Alden & Associates; Athletic Management Online-Only, Journal 05.22 (Aug./Sep. 2010); n. pag. Web. 16 Aug. 2013. <http://www.aldenandassoc.com/resources/published-articles/158.html>. 36 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of PR in D1 Athletics Though there may not be a consistent emphasis placed on the positioning of PR within an athletic department, the craft in action is routinely visible across major college athletics. ADs often execute this craft by the management and implementation of specific, targeted strategies, which often result in great financial value for their programs, department and university. 124 Others often take severe missteps or employ flawed concepts under a specific set of circumstances or ideas, only to create tremendous havoc for their programs, department and the university. The following research analyzes examples of specific athletic departments PR strategies and their outcomes. Good PR: Getting it Right The University of Oregon’s athletic department is nationally recognized as “the Nike school.” However, its rise has been one shrewd maneuver after another to position itself as “the cool school.” 125 This transition was not an overnight process. In 1996, only an hour after the Ducks football team was throttled by Colorado in the Cotton Bowl, Nike CEO Phil Knight held a meeting with a few of the school's biggest boosters and head football coach, Mike Bellotti. 126 Knight, an Oregon alum and former track team runner, asked the coach, "How can we help make Oregon better?" Bellotti told the Oregon powerbrokers that he needed an indoor practice facility to combat the Pacific Northwest weather, as well as new infrastructure to improve their national perception as a committed football program headed in the right direction. That same night, the school raised approximately $10 million through Knight’s efforts, recalled one athletic 124 Alden, 2010. 125 Feldman, Bruce. “Best in College Sports: Innovation sets No. 2 Oregon apart” CBS Sports 17 Jul. 2013. cbssports.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on- sports/22794406/best-in-college-sports-innovation-sets-no-2-oregon-apart>. 126 Feldman, 2013. 37 administrator. 127 "Nine months later, the Moshofsky Center was built," said Jim Bartko, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development. 128 This was the turning point for Oregon athletics. Significant funding began to filter into the university, largely because of Knight. As facilities and national publicity ensued, recruits improved. As recruits improved, the Oregon football and basketball programs, among others, began to rise not only within the then-Pacific 10 Conference, but nationally as well. 129 Another publicity and endorsement maneuver that highlighted the distinctness of Oregon athletics was their uniform innovation. As a sponsor, Nike routinely presented Oregon athletics with innovations and ideas. Some of these were embraced by the administration, while others were vehemently disapproved. In 2006, Bellotti allowed the seniors on his team to decide what uniform combinations his team should wear for each game. There were 384 different combinations to choose from, which ironically enough, were hardly uniform. 130 However, this outside-the-box gamble of unveiling multifaceted uniform combinations each weekend generated national buzz, anticipation and publicity that became associated exclusively to Oregon athletics. While some of these combinations were deemed to be hideous, others were considered revolutionary and appealing to a younger generation of potential recruits. Oregon athletics leaders publicized and positioned the move effectively to attract the attention of the key audiences they were targeting. Winning with these high-level recruits generated enormous funding and gave Oregon a national platform previously absent in the school’s 127 Feldman, 2013. 128 Masteralexis, Barr, and Hums. Principles and Practice of Sport Management. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, March 2011. Pg. 461. Print. 129 Masteralexis, Barr, and Hums, 2011. 130 130 Ibid. 38 140-year history. 131 In recent years, controversy arose regarding the perception that Nike “bought” these university enhancements. Many skeptics have nicknamed the school the “University of Nike.” However, the AD embraces the moniker, calling the new $68 million football center the "economic engine" for the entire athletic program. 132 However, PR across university channels and specifically within the athletic department has helped to curb criticism and potential NCAA ramification. This happened because university communication experts managed expectations and disclosed only the most effective data on their conduct, to avoid any significant sanctions or long-term damage to the institution. There are certainly other examples of PR efforts by an athletic department that can pay huge dividends. These examples do not always involve Fortune 500 sponsors or shiny, state-of-the-art, athletic facilities. During the preseason leading up to the 2012-13 football campaign, the University of Southern California spotlighted a Heisman frontrunner in senior quarterback Matt Barkley and the Trojans began the season as the #1-ranked team in the country. What followed was a disastrously disappointing season of mediocrity and negative storylines. The drama surrounding the program did not just stem from losses that were mounting on Saturdays. Head coach Lane Kiffin was consistently fighting off waves of negative publicity on a national scale. Kiffin was accused of trying to cheat twice: once when there was a suspicious jersey number switch of backup quarterback Cody Kessler in the middle of a game against Colorado, and another when game balls were being deflated by a student- 131 Wells, Jane. “Oregon unveils its new multimillion dollar football complex” cnbc.com 13 Aug. 2013 Web. 14 Aug. 2013 <http://www.cnbc.com/id/100959599>. 132 Wells, 2013. 39 manager against Oregon. 133 Off the field, Kiffin remained under scrutiny for banning a beat writer from the Los Angeles Daily News of any future access because of the reporter’s coverage of an injury to USC’s placekicker. 134 On top of these issues, during USC’s underwhelming Sun Bowl appearance against Georgia Tech, Kiffin was accused of purposefully not showing up with his team to a “Sun Bowl Welcome Dinner” which was scheduled to showcase both schools for critical bowl sponsors. 135 These stories certainly portrayed Kiffin and the football program, as well as the athletic department and university, in a very negative light. However, as a Los Angeles-based athletic department, USC is no stranger to the importance of PR and promotion. With the news spreading rapidly about USC’s football coach not showing up for the Bowl sponsorship dinner, USC AD Pat Haden, fully understood that they were likely facing very negative sentiments from CBS, which was broadcasting the bowl game to a national television audience. So USC officials acted quick and strategically. To portray the entire program in a positive light despite their disappointing season, the communications staff recalled footage they had of a preseason humanitarian trip to Haiti. The trip to an earthquake-ravaged country showed USC football players volunteering to build houses and bring supplies to people mired in poverty. 136 This was certainly not your typical fun-filled college vacation. The piece explained that in conjunction with a disaster relief organization, Hope Force International, 16 football players visited the areas of Leogane and Sous Savanne and spent four days volunteering in the hostile 133 “21 Questions ESPN’s College Gameday Staff Should, But Won’t Ask Lane Kiffin” collegespun.com 10 Oct. 2013 Web. 14 Oct. 2013 < http://collegespun.com/pac-12/usc/21-questions-espns-college- gameday-staff-should-but-wont-ask-lane-kiffin#>. 134 Ibid. 135 Ibid. 136 Paskwietz, Garry. “Lending a helping hand.” ESPN 23 May 2012. espn.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. < http://espn.go.com/colleges/usc/football/story/_/id/7961189/haiti-humanitarian-trip-life- changing-experience-usc-trojans>. 40 environment. 137 The players also solicited donations for supplies that were handed out. There was an orphanage visit and even a soccer game on a small patch of grass at a Haitian school. In a critically sound strategic move, the USC athletic department sent a videographer along to document the trip. 138 The USC athletic department reached out to CBS just prior to the bowl game to ascertain whether the network would consider showing the reel during one of their game segments. Sure enough, leading into halftime, the team’s Haitian humanitarian trip was highlighted as a “must-see story viewers did not want to miss during halftime.” Sure enough, this footage led off the halftime broadcast and generated a much-needed “good-news story” to help influence their key stakeholders, along with a national television audience. Just several days before the 2013-14 football season kicked off, the USC athletic department and football program was at it again. In a clear attempt to make Kiffin seem more approachable and personable, the Trojans ended football practice early exactly one week before their season kickoff. Coach Kiffin and preseason All-American and Heisman candidate Marquise Lee were documented driving an ice cream truck and delivering ice cream to the Trojan Marching Band as they practiced on a hot August afternoon. The production crew interviewed Coach Kiffin, Lee and several members of the band. "I've been doing this for 44 years," band director Art Bartner said. "I've never seen anything like this. Now, on occasion we serve the kids ice cream. But I've never seen the head football coach drive onto our practice field." 139 Within 12 hours, this footage and story hit ESPN and soon the nation was receiving the footage of Coach 137 Paskwietz, 2013. 138 Paskwietz, 2013. 139 Klein, Gary. “Watch Lane Kiffin, Marquise Lee deliver ice cream to band” latimes.com 23 Aug. 2013 Web. 01 Sep. 2013. <http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-usc-football-lane-kiffin-ice-cream- 20130823,0,1381700.story?track=rss#axzz2d3bxcNo9>. 41 Kiffin and his star All-American taking the time to recognize those who do so much for their program and school. 140 Not only does this certainly appear to be a successful PR stunt, but it also exhibited the advantages that can come from employing different PR strategies with a targeted, specific objective. Both USC and Oregon athletics demonstrated that getting PR right could serve as an incredible asset to the departments and schools. Winning games and playing to sellouts provided a clear PR advantage in such a highly competitive landscape. Bad PR: Getting it Wrong As big-time college athletics, -- specifically football and basketball -- have grown into a multi-sponsored, million-footed behemoth; the urge to reduce each season to a few personalities has become ever more absurd and more necessary. 141 One has to believe there are some actual people under all the piles of money. Last season, the sport gave us Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. He was the first freshman Heisman Trophy winner and the only quarterback to beat powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide in 2012. As the public learned in the off-season, Manziel’s ability for excitement and improvisation extended well beyond the field, as some of his antics in bars, casinos and fraternity parties were highlighted across social media platforms. 142 For pundits facing seven long, dry months of injury reports and replay footage, Manziel was a windfall of information via his own social media accounts. The last college player to attract this level of attention was Tim Tebow; however Tebow was famous without being all that interesting. 143 He 140 Klein, 2013. 141 Robertson, Campbell. “Thriving on Chaos, Manziel Shocks a Traditional System” nytimes.com 23 Aug. 2013 Web. 25 Aug. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/sports/ncaafootball/thriving-on-chaos- manziel-shocks-a-traditional-system.html?_r=0 >. 142 Robertson, 2013. 143 Robertson, 2013. 42 built a colossal following by simply being nice, polite and dependable. The public could pretty much anticipate where Tebow was every Saturday at 2 a.m. In the weeks leading up to the 2013 season, Manziel’s brushes with catastrophe blossomed into a full-fledged romance after an ESPN report indicated that he charged fees for his personal autograph. If proven, the allegations could have ended his college career, as well as Texas A&M’s freshly implanted attractiveness. Still, Manziel’s institutional loyalty has never been very credible. He was widely criticized for stating on Twitter that he “could not wait to leave Texas A&M” during the 2012 offseason. 144 Truthful or not, unfortunately the statement was publicity disaster for him, the football program and the institution. Throughout his downward spiral during this period, Manziel spent a lot of time defending himself online. The negativity became a drug he both hated and could not kick, as he read every social media response and often fired back on Twitter. 145 It certainly appeared that a hundred people insulting Manziel on Twitter became more influential than a hundred thousand cheering in a stadium, because of his selected responses. 146 The crux of the Manziel situation is the lack of oversight and support provided by the athletic department to help both their interests and Manziel’s in branding himself for the National Football League. The lack of social media training, regulations and consequences at A&M and elsewhere reflect an increasingly volatile intercollegiate realm where every action has the potential of being highly scrutinized in the court of public 144 Thompson, Wright. “The trouble with Johnny” espn.go.com 30 Jul. 2013 Web. 04 Aug. 2013 <http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny-manziel-celebrity-derail-texas- aggies-season-espn-magazine>. 145 Thompson, 2013. 146 Ibid. 43 opinion. 147 The poor professionalism displayed by the university has been exhibited on multiple levels. The first is the lack of initial response by the university, athletic program or football team concerning Manziel’s escalating antics. The second example occurred when Texas A&M’s chancellor finally spoke out in August 2013 (just weeks before the football season) and declared his unwavering support of Manziel based on the evidence he has seen. 148 This response would have backed the entire university into a corner had the situation developed any further. The silence exhibited by both the athletic department and the school throughout the Manziel ordeal certainly relayed to the public and A&M stakeholders that no comment would be issued until the investigation was completed. The sudden campaign by the university chancellor and his failure to mitigate any further risk during the ongoing turmoil certainly exhibited PR inexperience. The consequences of intercollegiate athletes’ actions on social media are becoming dreadfully problematic for universities. Where is the safety net for the student- athletes, the athletic department and the university? This thesis argues that the blanket of protection provided to an athletic department in these situations could be in the form of a dedicated PR professional who is able, willing and ready to help train those continually representing their brand, like a Johnny Manziel. In the end, all parties would benefit from such a solution. 147 Robertson, 2013. 148 Ibid. 44 Ugly PR: Long-Term Damage As detrimental as poor PR can be to an organization’s fiber, the most damaging PR is the sort that is practically unsalvageable. In these circumstances, professional support is absolutely imperative for damage control to the athletic department, but more importantly, for the school. In 2011, Penn State University was rocked by the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault scandal and the manner in which administrators failed to act, despite previous knowledge of the crimes. Much has been written about this situation. No one has claimed that Jerry Sandusky’s actions were anything other than horrific. However, what university leaders did in reaction to the scandal -- tearing down much of what Penn Staters held dear, all because of their shared shame – may have been worse. 149 As a result of this incident, when the NCAA announced sanctions a $60 million fine, four-year absence from bowl games and 13 years’ worth of victories being erased from the record books on Penn State’s football program, including the Penn State community, as well as much of the college athletics world, were shocked. These sanctions were unprecedented and sent a message that irresponsible behavior at the leadership level would not go unpunished, even if that punishment hit the present, non- culpable student-athletes more than those directly involved. 150 Did the future players (who will now be without scholarships to Penn State) partake in hiding information about child abuse? Were former players who strived to get those victories into the record books lacking a moral compass? The NCAA may have created some of its own ugly PR issues with these sanctions, but this also provided a small window of opportunity for Penn State 149 Thompson, Charles. “Two years later, Penn State can’t shake the Jerry Sandusky fight” The Patriot News 29 Mar. 2013 Web. 20 Aug. 2013. <http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/03/two_years_later_penn_state_sti.html>. 150 Kreider, Allison. “Penn State PR – One Year Later” blog.loispaul.com Feb. 2012. Web. Aug 2013 <http://blog.loispaul.com/blog/2013/02/penn-state-pr-one-year-later-part-iii.html#.UhuNeRbvxz8>. 45 PR to change its own national perception. 151 Mike Mauti, a linebacker on the 2012 Nittany Lions football team, was carted off the field in the first quarter of the Indiana game with a season-ending knee injury. His initial response to his personal adversity is still considered by Penn State faithful as the first sign of healing for the entire university. Mauti brushed off the end of his career by stating that there is more to look forward to at Penn State than football. He stated that “one man did not build this program, so clearly one man sure as hell will not tear it down.” 152 This statement sent a clear message and somewhat salvaged the season. Fans, opponents and critics began to see a different side of the Penn State brand. The team stood as men, ready to tackle the adversity that was ahead. From a PR standpoint, the lack of negativity and complaining became a refreshing turn for those telling the Penn State story. This display, made by a single player, did more to heal the reputation of the program and institution than any efforts the university had executed to that point. 153 For 15 years, Steve Manuel has been a senior lecturer of PR in Penn State's College of Communications. Manuel believes this scandal is a textbook case on demonstrating how an institution should not respond to a crisis of this magnitude. The university was aware of the pending grand jury allegations in March 2011, at the very latest. However, when the news broke in November 2011, including claims of perjury against Penn State AD Tim Curley and senior vice president for business and finance Gary Schultz, response from the university was slow in coming. The university president’s first statement was to express unconditional support for Curley and Schultz. 151 Kreider, Allison. “Penn State PR – One Year Later” blog.loispaul.com Feb. 2012. Web. Aug 2013 <http://blog.loispaul.com/blog/2013/02/penn-state-pr-one-year-later-part-iii.html#.UhuNeRbvxz8>. 152 Kreider, 2012. 153 Ibid. 46 "The golden rule of public relations is you have to get something out in the first 60 minutes, and mentioning the victims always comes first”, believes Manuel. 154 “Bad news doesn't get better with time. When you cede the message to (critics or adversaries), you lose the battle." Manuel was also troubled by the "climate of silence" that the Penn State administration took when the news that Sandusky had been charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse was announced. 155 "This was a crisis in the making for at least three years," Manuel said. "Penn State knew this shoe was going to drop, and even then, it failed to prepare.” 156 Russ Williams, senior VP-crisis and issues management at Cohn & Wolfe, said that one way to move forward is through the reevaluation of a culture and a concerted communications effort. "Penn State needs to make a major push toward bolstering its credibility as an academic institution,” says Williams. “That requires an ongoing, concerted effort to reestablish credibility with past, current and future students. New faces of leadership beyond those within the athletic program need to emerge. The stories that will win back support for Penn State are those of students doing exceptional work, and the stories of alumni that have achieved greatness as a result of their Penn State education." 157 After so much reputational damage, the Penn State Board of Trustees finally acknowledged it was time to obtain professional PR support. The university hired PR expert, Lanny Davis, who attempted to manage the escalating crises of President 154 Gardiner, Andy. “Instructor tells Penn State class school lost PR battle” usatoday.com 15 Nov. 2011 Web. Aug 2013. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/story/2011-11-15/Penn-State-scandal-PR- class/51223314/1>. 155 Gardiner, 2011. 156 Ibid. 157 Advertising Age. “Can PR Save the Penn State Brand?” adage.com 25 Jul. 2012 Web 2013. <http://adage.com/article/news/pr-save-penn-state-brand/236316/>. 47 Clinton and Martha Stewart. However, with approximately $400-plus million in PR damage done to the university, the support arrived way too late. 158 Another example of a university administration and athletic department exposing their lack of investment in PR occurred at Rutgers University in 2013, with the scandal involving the conduct of their head men’s basketball coach, Mike Rice. In December 2012, Rutgers AD, Tim Pernetti, suspended Rice for inappropriate verbal and physical abuse toward his players. The university only fired Rice once the video of his previous conduct was made public on April 2, 2013. 159 The difference, of course, is that the world saw a video that Rutgers was trying to keep under wraps. Since the firing, Rutgers has been in a PR free-fall. Yes, Rice was fired, but the university took a massive misstep when officials revealed that Rice would receive a $1 million settlement over a contract dispute. 160 Then, athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned. However, Rutgers later conceded Pernetti would receive a $1.2 million settlement. Next came the backstory about the university’s general counsel: one of Rutgers’ key legal advisors, John Wolf, who was previously consulted about Rice’s behavior, informed university administrators that he did not think there was anything wrong with it. Rutgers President Robert Barchi announced Wolf was resigning “from his leadership position as an advisory counsel.” 161 However, Wolf was not really leaving. He was still working at Rutgers as a staff attorney, making $280,000 a year. In the wake of protests over the revelations that he was still on 158 Thompson, 2013. 159 Kelly, Mike. “At Rutgers, a matter of vision” northjersey.com 14 Apr. 2013. Web. Aug 2013. <http://www.northjersey.com/columnists/kelly/kelly_041413.html?page=all>. 160 Rosenberg, Michael. “Does Rutgers even know how to run an athletic department?” Sports Illustrated 28 May 2013 sportsillustrated.cnn.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130528/rutgers-julie-hermann-hire- controversy/>. 161 Kelly, 2013. 48 board, Rutgers leadership finally let Wolf go. 162 Clearly, President Barchi misfired on the crisis management and PR concerns for Rutgers. Barchi never asked to see the initial video of Rice, even though it was readily available. However, Barchi conceded to the media that had he seen the video prior to the video being made public, he would have fired Rice. 163 It was management double-talk, but the damage didn’t end there. Next came the issue of the payouts the fired employees were receiving. Public outrage reached a national level in April 2013 and the moment called for firm leadership, as well as a clear-eyed perspective to assure the university that the administration had an informed control over the decisions being made. When asked about the payouts, Barchi stated: “I don’t want to seem like I am trying to weasel out of a comment here, but there are issues of employment contracts and employment law and I’m not in a position to comment on them.” 164 It is apparent that the leaders are completely blind and oblivious to the firestorm they face for their long-term reputation and future. The Rutgers Board of Governors commissioned a report produced by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a global law firm. 165 The review followed criticism of the university's handling of allegations made against Mr. Rice. In the end, the report concluded that Rutgers needed to seek PR professionals. It was determined that these professionals would be critical moving forward, yet university leadership chose not to implement the recommendations. Unfortunately for all key stakeholders, Rutgers University leadership was not done making huge PR mistakes. On June 2, 2013, 49-year-old Julie Hermann was selected to take over the 162 Kelly, 2013. 163 Ibid. 164 Ibid. 165 Rosenberg, 2013. 49 Rutgers' athletic program. Hermann, the first woman to head Rutgers' athletic program and one of three female ADs at the 124 schools that make up college football's top tier, promised a restart for the department following the ouster of its men's basketball coach and the resignation of other officials. However, it was then reported that Hermann quit as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach 16 years prior, after her players submitted a letter complaining she ruled through humiliation, fear and emotional abuse. 166 "The mental cruelty that we as a team have suffered is unbearable," players wrote about Julie Hermann. In the letter submitted by all 15 team members, the players said Hermann called them "whores, alcoholics and learning disabled." 167 Several women also stated that playing for Hermann had driven them to depression and counseling, and that her conduct had sullied the experience of playing DI volleyball. The players told The Newark Star-Ledger that Hermann, after hearing these words, responded to them directly: "I choose not to coach you guys." 168 When asked about this history in her introductory press conference at Rutgers, Hermann hesitated. She then claimed that she did not remember the letter or the incident. "I never heard about any of this, never name-calling them or anything like that whatsoever. None of this is familiar to me." 169 However, historical reports at the University of Tennessee indicated otherwise. “That initial press conference was awful — simply a disaster to be blunt,’’ Ronn Torossian, president and CEO of 5W Public Relations stated. “Julie Hermann seemed to 166 The Associated Press. “New athletic director at scandal-scarred Rutgers reportedly accused of emotional abuse of players” foxnews.com 26 May 2013 Web. 28 Aug 2013. http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/05/26/new-athletic-director-at-scandal-scarred-rutgers-reportedly- accused-emotional/>. 167 Ibid. 168 Ibid. 169 Ibid. 50 be completely unaware and unprepared that she is now in the big leagues of intercollegiate athletics.” 170 This leads to the question that this thesis continues to implore: Where is the dedicated PR support? The university failed to invest in this essential service and, in return, a mockery was made out of the Rutgers leadership, new and old. Both Hermann and Rutgers University administrators certainly seemed oblivious to the culture in which they operate. 171 While even the best PR will not prevent such willful stupidity, it will certainly prepare and advise against the fallout resulting from such behavior. 170 Robbins, Lenn. “PR nightmare looms for Rutgers and Hermann.” New York Post 07 Jun.2013 nypost.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://nypost.com/2013/06/07/pr-nightmare-looms-for-rutgers-and- hermann/>. 171 Robbins, 2013. 51 Assessing the Key Players As this thesis previously addressed on several levels, there are multiple factors that make a considerable impact on the success of a DI athletic department. Different stakeholders contribute to this success, or lack thereof, in a variety of ways. These stakeholders also present varying perspectives in their manner of influence. Thus, with the intent to build upon previous studies conducted on PR in college athletics, the researcher attempted to isolate trends. This research began with identifying the most critical stakeholders. The AD is understandably easy to identify as a fundamental influencer of PR within his or her department. The AD determines the overall direction, funding, hiring and operational support dedicated to department, program or contributions that best further the overall interests of the university. 172 Next, the coach is the driver that steers the vehicle, or in this forum, the program itself. Therefore, the researcher determined it to be vital to acquire college coaches’ impression of PR in their quest to be successful. Further, the student-athlete should never be overlooked and consequently, their input served as a key determinate in the researcher’s findings. Lastly, the media’s view of PR rise in value across intercollegiate athletics allowed the researcher to accumulate a steady base of key stakeholders for this topic. Upon determining the most informative stakeholders, ensuring an adequate representation of the varying levels of college athletics proved substantial. With 350 universities involved in either DI football or basketball, recognizing a clear disparity 172 Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Major college ADs averaging more than $500,000 in pay” usatoday.com 6 Mar. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. < http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/03/06/college-athletics-directors-salaries- increase/1964239/>. 52 between departments is easy. Some schools are rich, while others are poor; some public, others private; some very large, with other schools small. 173 Subsequently, the researcher recognized this disparity and accounted for it in his selection of interviewees and primary research. Strategic selection of athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes and journalists transpired, with high-major, mid-major and low-major conference representation and standardized questioning. Nationally renowned, award winning sports journalists, writers and authors were asked these same standardized questions. One element that obviously differed was the interviewee’s professional background and position. That said, several key trends were identified through this research. The feedback from the different panel of professional stakeholders interviewed can be seen in the figures that follow. The researcher conducted standardized interviews with multiple DI athletic directors situated across the various levels (high-major, mid-major and low- major) of DI athletics. This research yielded the following results: Table 4. Results of Data Gathered from DI Athletic Directors 174 173 Sanders, 2004. 174 Primary research compilation, athletic directors, 2013. Key to Success for Athletic Department - (as per ADs) Winning Funding Image/Perception Maintain/Building Relationships Quickest Deterrent for Success for Athletic Department - (as per ADs) Losing Funding Negative Publicity Poor Communication 53 Next, the researcher conducted standardized interviews with multiple DI coaches from a variety of sports situated across the various levels (high-major, mid-major and low- major) of DI athletics. This research yielded the following results: Table 5. Results of Data Gathered from DI Coaches 175 175 Primary research compilation, DI coaches, 2013. Where PR support should be focused in department- (as per ADs) Work w/ teams Engage stakeholders/ maintain contacts Responding to issues Coordinate Events Key to Success for Athletic Department (as per Coaches) Winning Funding Image/Perception Maintain/Building Relationships Quickest Deterrent for Success for Athletic Department (as per Coaches) Losing Funding Negative Publicity Poor Communication Where PR support should be focused in department- (as per Coaches) Work w/ teams Engage stakeholders/ maintain contacts Responding to issues Coordinate Events 54 The researcher then conducted standardized interviews with multiple DI student-athletes from a variety of sports situated across the various levels (high-major, mid-major and low-major) of DI athletics. This research yielded the following results: Table 6. Results of Data Gathered from DI Student-Athletes 176 Finally, the researcher conducted standardized interviews with college sports media and journalist professionals from across the country. This research yielded the following results: 176 Primary research compilation, DI student-athletes, 2013. Key to Success for Athletic Department (student-athlete perspective ) Winning Funding Image/Perception Maintain/Building Relationships Quickest Deterrent for Success for Athletic Department (student-athlete perspective) Losing Funding Negative Publicity Poor Communication Where PR support should be focused in department (student- athlete perspective ) Work w/ teams Engage stakeholders/ maintain contacts Responding to issues Coordinate Events 55 Table 7. Results of Data Gathered from College Sports Journalists/Media 177 On the topic of social media, as well as increased access to student-athletes, ADs offered similar instructions they impart to their athletic administrators and coaches. Chris Kingston, the AD at nationally respected mid-major Bowling Green University, believes this issue is rather delicate. “There are many issues in the world of NCAA compliance that “requires” monitoring,” said Kingston. 178 “Given the public nature of social media, a number of coaches and/or staff will “follow” student-athletes in an effort to remain connected, but once you declare that you are formally monitoring the social media accounts of student-athletes, the institution will be held accountable for each and every 177 Primary research compilation, select journalists/media, 2013. 178 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Daniel Kingston, Athletic Director at Bowling Green University.” Email interview. 01 Aug. 2013. Key to Success for Athletic Department (as per Media) Winning Funding Image/Perception Maintain/Building Relationships Quickest Deterrent for Success for Athletic Department (as per Media) Losing Funding Negative Publicity Poor Communication Where PR support should be focused in department- (as per Media) Work w/ teams Engage stakeholders/ maintain contacts Responding to issues Coordinate Events 56 tweet, post, etc.” 179 Kingston also admits that currently his organizational structure is not equipped to perform this task, from both an operational and legal standpoint. “Companies like ‘UDiligence’ are currently out there and offering outsourced servicing and monitoring social media. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see operations like that deemed illegal in the future,” Kingston concluded. 180 Boo Corrigan, the director of athletics at West Point, represented a viewpoint of a smaller, low-major intercollegiate athletic program. Corrigan stated, “We do the best job we can to monitor our athletes from our communications office.” 181 Corrigan also candidly disclosed that in his view: “Unfortunately, much of social media is only learned as a result of being burned and learning from the mistake or the mistake of others.” 182 When the author questioned coaches specifically about the changing landscape of college athletics regarding their key messaging coming directly from their athletes, they responded rather colorfully. Mike Blaine, men’s basketball coach at Cornell University, relayed: “Once a student-athlete becomes a part of a program, he/she represents that school, team and brand at all times. As such, every media outlet, to include social media, serves as a veritable microphone for the student-athlete and reflects on the values of the program, department and institution.” 183 Blaine also believes training, monitoring and accountability has now become of critical importance within athletic departments. Similarly at Liberty University, Coach Omar Mance is also a proponent of an increased monitoring over the messaging to their program’s publics. “Whether it is an AD, SID or 179 Ibid. 180 Kingston, 2013. 181 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Eugene Corrigan, Athletic Director at U.S. Military Academy.” Email interview. 08 Aug. 2013. 182 Corrigan, 2013. 183 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Mike Blaine.” Email interview. 03 Aug. 2013. 57 even an assistant coach, monitoring student-athletes messaging and behavior needs to occur as a precautionary measure, rather than as a police force,” Mance said. 184 In short, coaches and ADs both agree that there is a shortage of personnel dedicated to this emerging priority. While the risk with messaging via messaging resides with primarily with the student-athletes, it is important not to discount the emphasis and utilization with which departments, ADs, SIDs and coaches are routinely engaging, exploiting and strategically communicating with a program’s publics via these social media platforms. 185 During a candid interview, the researcher quoted a student-athlete named to the Academic All-American team, as saying, “I get it. Image and saying the right thing all the time is important to the athletic department and school. I don’t think any of us are naïve, but let’s be honest: in the end, what I do on the court is what’s truly valued in this culture these days.” 186 This comment signifies the growing disconnect between student-athletes and their publics. The pressure to both do and say the right thing is becoming increasingly tangible, but the opportunities to do and say otherwise have become equally as abundant. The researcher quoted another student-athlete as saying, “They say there is a 24 hour news-cycle, but that goes for everything these days – to include college athletics. Often, I laugh when my assistant coaches try to counsel me before practice about what I wrote the night before on Twitter,” he said. 187 “It’s especially comical when 184 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Omar Mance.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. 185 Trayers, Emily. “Student Athletes and Social Media – A Losing Record” sayitsocial.com 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Sep. 2013 <http://www.sayitsocial.com/2013/08/student-athletes-and-social-media-a-losing- record/>. 186 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #2.” Personal interview. 07 Sep. 2013. 187 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #1.” Telephone interview. 17 Sep. 2013. 58 it is clear that they are in greater need of communication training than I am,” he continued. 188 New York Times best-selling sports author, Jeff Pearlman believes that athletic departments would be wise to ensure their coaches, athletes and administrators understand how a misguided comment, quote or even tweet can ruin institutional reputations. “These individuals serve as public figures and stewards for not only their teams, but also their universities,” says Pearlman. 189 Wright Thompson, Senior Writer for ESPN, re-emphasizes Pearlman’s sentiments. Thompson stresses, “Players need to understand that saying something on Twitter or Facebook is exactly the same as saying into an ESPN microphone after a game on national television; for student-athletes, the ability to speak on behalf of their program or university is more of a privilege than a right.” 190 To augment the perspective from the media, acclaimed journalist Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports, affirms that educating student-athletes, coaches and administrators on strategic messaging has become, “the most important thing” to sustain or build the image of an athletic department. 191 In short, all athletic departments need to undergo message development sessions and media training on a regular basis. The compilation of these varying perspectives from respected, experienced professionals who directly shape and perform across the intercollegiate athletics setting is shown below: 188 Ibid. 189 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Jeff Pearlman.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. 190 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Wright Thompson.” Email interview. 13 Aug. 2013. 191 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Pat Forde.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. 59 Table 8. Results of Combined Data Gathered from Selected DI Stakeholders 192 In the end, the goal of this primary research was to clarify what matters the most in this competitive environment. The researcher determined the following in comparing and contrasting the consolidated results of all key stakeholders interviewed: § Student-athletes feel that winning or losing is 7 times more vital (when compared to other stakeholders) in determining the overall success or failure of the department § AD’s, coaches and media professionals collectively agree funding is the most critical factor in determining the overall success or failure of the department 192 Primary research compilation, all interviewed stakeholders, 2013. Key to Success for Athletic Department (combined perspective ) Winning Funding Image/Perception Maintain/Building Relationships Quickest Deterrent for Success for Athletic Department (combined perspective) Losing Funding Negative Publicity Poor Communication Where should PR support be focused in department? (combined perspective ) Work w/ teams Engage stakeholders/ maintain contacts Responding to issues Coordinate Events 60 § AD’s, coaches and media professionals collectively agree that engaging stakeholders and maintaining media contacts is the most critical support PR should provide § Coaches feel that image and perception is as critical to enhancing to success within the department, as negative publicity is to impeding success within the department § Optimizing the athletic department’s funding, success and communication with all involved signifies where PR can make a tangible difference in the view of key stakeholders 61 The Newest “5 Star” Recruit: PR Support As a business, DI athletics’ success heavily hinges on identifying, acquiring and developing the highest caliber of talent equipped with the skills to communicate and translate the vision of the department to its key audiences. The quality of recruiting is a fundamental thread facilitated by administrators, support staff, coaches and even the student-athletes themselves. 193 During official visits, it is not uncommon for ADs to participate in the process, given these are the same professionals often recruiting the most-coveted coaches to come lead their different programs. 194 It is also not uncommon for the AD to target specific professionals for his or her special staff. This is a universal practice for leaders in the corporate world. Any CEO is always going to want to surround themselves with professionals whom are talented, trusted and worth the investment. 195 This thesis has reinforced with countless examples the need for dedicated PR support within the organizational structure of a major college athletic department. The fact is, athletic departments simply can no longer hope to hit homeruns without a seasoned practitioner on staff who is readily available to exploit the wins and address the losses. The dedicated PR expert has become the blue-chip asset recruited to effectively communicate the successes and alleviate the failures in the department. Steve Webster, CEO of Crimson Marketing and Public Relations, specializes in outsourcing for sports publicity, marketing, special events, crisis management, media relations and training. The researcher attended a lecture given by Webster in January 193 Jessop, Alicia. “The Surprising Factors Driving College Football Recruits’ College Decision” Forbes 14 Dec. 2013. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2012/12/14/the-surprising-factors-driving-college-football- recruits-decision/>. 194 Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Major college ADs averaging more than $500,000 in pay” usatoday.com 6 Mar. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. 195 Ibid. 62 2013 and captured several takeaways from the CEO regarding the importance of good PR in DI athletic departments today. “For a leader to find the right person for their department,” Webster said, “he or she must hire based on the applicant’s ability to link team, network, agency and corporate PR tactics.” 196 With an increase in the number of undergraduates seeking PR careers in higher education, more attention is being place on the role of the sports information director (SID). However, the SID routinely struggles to execute the one of the most important elements of PR: expertise in advising. 197 While the SID is habitually one of the most diligent, committed professionals in the department, concerns about their influence continue to mount. Directors fail to respect the craft of PR and overload their SID with a multitude of responsibilities. Generally, this rationale is due to budget cutbacks prohibiting directors from dedicating enough resources for what is widely considered an additional service. 198 This is a mistake. In reality, the present road of the SID may be rocky, but the groundwork has been laid for an additional influencer: the PR practitioner. This professional must emerge as a force multiplier. In an athletic department, the roles and responsibilities of employees are often combined, mixed, substituted or much different than what their position’s traditional duties may encompass. 199 That said, the AD must devote the time to formulate the role of his or her leading PR practitioner. This description should include expert deputies, who are responsible for designing PR functions, diagnosing PR problems and developing appropriate solutions to them, not simply issuing press releases and schmoozing with key 196 Webster, Steve. “Marketing and Public Relations.” CEO of Crimson Marketing. University of Southern California. Taper Hall, Los Angeles, January 28, 2013. Lecture. 197 Moore, 2011. 198 McCleneghan, Sean J. The Sports Information Director – No Attention, No Respect, and a PR Practitioner in Trouble. Public Relations Quarterly Vol. 40, Issue 2, Pg. 28, 1995. Web 28 Aug. 2013 <http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9509120066/sports-information-director-no-attention-no- respect-pr-practitioner-trouble>. 199 Moore, 2011. 63 journalists. Additionally, the practitioner should identify who operates as mediators between the department and its key audience. These professionals must help the department to identify and solve its problems, as they arise, in a systematic manner in order to appropriately reinforce institutional values. As communication technicians, the practitioners’ writing, graphic and computer skills produce the optimal intended results for the organization as a whole. 200 The reality of the SID is that there continues to be a great distortion that they can also serve as the dedicated PR professional. Since ADs typically minimize the duties of PR appointees as non-essential to the overarching strategic vision for the department, it is a rarity for the designated PR official to be included in senior staff meetings. When polled, a small number of ADs included these professionals in their higher-strategic meetings. However, the AD’s indicated that their rationale was due to the professionals’ ability to: manage PR issues, recommend responses to PR issues, contribute to policy decisions and set PR goals. 201 This rationale is flawed: as demonstrated throughout this paper, we know that AD’s lack expertise in these areas. 200 Fall and Ruihley, 2010. 201 Ibid. 64 Table 9. What is the AD looking for in his or her PR lead? 202 In today’s environment, if these duties continue to be designated as an SID responsibility, failure will ensue. In most cases, this path will lead to an eventual burnout of the SID. These practitioners regularly work 60-80 hours per week, often every weekend of the academic year. Now more than ever, it is a “seven-day-a-week” job because even when the SID may be at home taking a break, fellow professionals or sportswriters can phone them with inquiries or requests. 203 Based on this scope of responsibilities, for any type of longevity there must be additional support allocated. At some point, the AD must ensure that his or her lead practitioner is an active, invested participant who is engaged in the strategic planning and development of the department. 204 202 Ibid. 203 Moore, 2011. 204 Ibid. 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 Top PR Of)icer's abilities by level of Importance to AD Out of 99 Division I AD's surveyed on scale of 1-‐5 65 Mark Bonavita of The Sporting News once compared the PR movement into intercollegiate athletics to that of discovering the most prized recruit on the baseball diamond. “The ideal PR person, in my book, is like what baseball scouts call a “five-tool” player,” wrote Bonavita. Five-tool players get the key hits, big home runs and timely stolen bases. They also throw the runner out at the plate and make spectacular plays in the field. “Basically, if you cannot do it all as the lead PR practitioner in major college athletics, it is time to relearn the basics.” 205 In this sense, the PR practitioner is the newest “5-star,” premiere talent for the AD to recruit and employ. 205 Silverman, 2011. 66 The PR Director: Communicate the Brand “Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication.” – Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University Men’s Basketball Coach 206 So what does this research and evaluation mean for public relations? PR is a solution to a growing epidemic and multitude of problems facing DI athletic departments. It means that ADs must concede that accomplishing their objectives is dependent on the successful communication with a variety of publics. Similar to any successful business equipped with the proper tools to strategically communicate and message appropriately, the realm of college athletics now demands this function. In the end, strategic messaging must be tied to university priorities and objectives. University presidents enjoy legitimate power because of their high-ranking position and authority to reward or punish. 207 The AD, in most cases, as a member of the inner circle, is routinely present and heard. This membership provides key advantages to the athletic department. Being in the university inner circle provides the AD a level of authority to convey and incorporate institutional objectives into his or her department. 208 The PR practitioner then must take this guidance from the AD and implement appropriate practices accordingly. 209 Thus, the PR practitioner’s seat at the decision-making table should not be recommended, but required. The departments used to be collaboratively fun operations based on the belief that administrators were merely “first among equals.” This is no longer the case and mistakes continue to occur as a result of decisions being made in a vacuum, top-down organizational manner. It is this lack of strategic influence within 206 “The Official Website of Coach Mike Krzyzewski”, 2006. 207 Santore, Greg. “The New Athletics Director.” insidehighered.com 12 Jul. 2013 Web. 10 Sep. 2013. < http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/07/12/what-colleges-should-be-looking-new-athletics- director-essay>. 208 Santore, 2013. 209 Ibid. 67 the athletic department that continues to confound and frustrate the PR practitioner, because in today’s workplace no one dares contradict the monarch. Therefore, in prioritizing the issues for the PR professional, the order of precedence should be: - Gain a seat at the decision-making table - Measure how the institution values public relations - Communicate with diverse publics - Reduce information clutter - Enhance the professional image of the athletic department - Establish measureable communication objectives The window for both the AD and the PR director to capitalize on these requirements is not only small, but is also closing fast. However, despite understandable challenges and reservations felt by both parties, the benefit for each cooperating to achieve their collective long-term goals remains too substantial to overlook. Recommendations: The call to action for the Athletic Director: 1) Acknowledge: the changing culture in college athletics and society. 2) Observe: your department as it currently stands. Can it handle the unexpected, in terms of the non-standard crisis or scandal? Are the appropriate, qualified professionals in place to immediately address? If not, what’s missing should become clear. 3) Commit: the budgetary space to pool the necessary resources for a dedicated PR professional within the department. 68 4) Identify: a set of definable objectives for the PR Director, which match the short and long-term priorities of both the athletic department, as well as the institution. 5) Adjust and Empower: Modify the organizational structure accordingly to empower your professional the ability to influence, communicate and message effectively across the department Once appointed to the position, the call to action for the PR Director: 1) Game Preparation: Similar to any successful coach or athlete, the PR director must first target and visualize areas and platforms across the department where he or she can and will be successful in attaining their goals. 2) Play hard: The PR Director cannot afford to sit back and see what develops “from the popcorn stand”. The director must take the initiative and be a difference maker within the department. This stems from continually finding the right opportunities and examples that only further the overarching messaging goals. 3) Understand the tempo: Every institution and athletic department operates differently. Understanding the importance of timing in the environment in which you operate is an undervalued skill that the PR professional must possess and apply habitually. 4) Deliver in crunch time: In any tense situation, it is important to employ the right individuals and ensure they are present to assist the leadership in making sound, informed decisions. Therefore, in a crisis, scandal or even an embarrassment for a given program, the presence of the PR professional is paramount. As displayed in this research, crunch time in an athletic department can spark a fire at any 69 moment. Therefore, the practitioner must be readily available to assist, advise and perform. 5) Watch the tape: After any big game, project or operation, improvements can always be made. Similar to a coaching staff calling the entire team in to see their mistakes after a competition, the strategic communicator should do the same. This practitioner must continually assess and review the impact of their actions once they are implemented. This process will pay huge dividends moving forward. Conclusion The roadmap to reaching the aforementioned recommendations proved to be a methodical process. Understanding the common perception of the typical DI athletic department helped to set the initial stage. Researching the impact of PR on college athletics in recent years verified the changing culture of the industry. Evaluating the effect of various benefactors, such as ESPN, assisted in identifying the corporate aspect of intercollegiate athletics. Analyzing the dynamic role of money, media and marketing in athletic departments- along with evaluating the organizational structure- proved critical in this research. After gaps in these general configurations were identified, the researcher applied a variety of examples regarding how PR is a growing necessity across DI athletics. Ultimately, this process revealed opportunities to conduct primary research from a balanced selection of interested industry professionals. The findings led to the confirmation that a dedicated PR professional is the redeeming solution for ADs across the country to be more effective in achieving their objectives. These objectives start and 70 end with the ability to communicate and sell their institution, department or programs respective brand. The brand expresses what prospects and publics think when they hear a specific name. While the name of the school or team may exist as something fixed, the brand of these entities exist only in the individual’s mind. Thus, the ability to communicate, shape and influence are vital skills needed to impact the stakeholders’ perspectives. Public relations practitioners are the gatekeepers ready to execute these functions. If major college athletics continues to evolve at its current speed, the necessity for athletic directors to invest in this lifeline will unquestionably accelerate as well. Without pursuing this investment now, the athletic department is sure to suffer. And when that happens, the AD is sure to lose big. 71 Bibliography Advertising Age. “Can PR Save the Penn State Brand?” adage.com 25 Jul. 2012 Web 2013. <http://adage.com/article/news/pr-save-penn-state-brand/236316/>. Alden, Betsy Dr., “Organized for Success” Alden & Associates; Athletic Management Online-Only, Journal 05.22 (Aug./Sep. 2010). Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.aldenandassoc.com/resources/published-articles/158.html>. Armas, Genaro C. “Penn State’s Revenue Takes A Dive Following Jerry Sandusky Sex Abuse Scandal” Associated Press 11 Apr. 2013. huffingtonpost.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/penn-states-revenue- takes-dive_n_3064258.html>. The Associated Press. “New athletic director at scandal-scarred Rutgers reportedly accused of emotional abuse of players” foxnews.com 26 May 2013 Web. 28 Aug 2013. http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/05/26/new-athletic-director-at- scandal-scarred-rutgers-reportedly-accused-emotional/>. Beard, Aaron. “College Athletic Scandals Show Complications With University Presidents And School Sports” Associated Press 05 Jun. 2013 huffingtonpost.com Web. 10 Aug. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/college- athletic-scandals-university-presidents-sports_n_3399419.html>. Berger, Bruce K. and Bryan H. Reber. Gaining Influence in Public Relations: The Role of Resistance in Practice. Routledge Communication Series, Taylor & Francis, 2006. Print. Belzer, Jason. “College Athletics Leadership And The Rigor To Succeed” Forbes 30 Apr. 2013. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2013/04/30/college-athletics- leadership-and-the-rigor-to-succeed-2/>. Bentley, Eric. “Intercollegiate Athletic Corporate Sponsorships and the First Amendment” thesportjournal.org 6 Mar. 2008 Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://thesportjournal.org/article/intercollegiate-athletic-corporate-sponsorships- and-the-first-amendment/>. Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Most NCAA Division I athletic departments take subsidies” USA Today 1 Jul. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 24 Aug. 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/05/07/ncaa-finances- subsidies/2142443/>. Berkowitz, Brady and Upton, Jodi. “Major college ADs averaging more than $500,00 in pay” USA Today 6 Mar. 2013. usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. 72 < http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/03/06/college-athletics- directors-salaries-increase/1964239/>. Berkowitz, Steve and Wieberg, Steve. “Is ESPN the main force behind realignment in college sports?” USA Today 1 Nov. 2011. usatoday.com Web. 20 Aug. 2013. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2011-10-27/is-espn-the- force-behind-college-conference-realignment/51019966/1>. Branch, Taylor. “The Shame of College Sports” The Atlantic 7 Sep. 2011. theatlantic.com Web. 12 Aug. 2013. <http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college- sports/308643/>. “Butler Reaps Publicity Value From Final Four Run” butlersports.com 01 Apr. 2011 Web. 13 Sep. 2013 <http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/2010- 11/releases/040111aab> Cabell and Tuchman, Gary. “Kobe Bryant charged with sexual assault” CNN 16 Dec. 2003. cnn.com Web. 02 Sep. 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/18/kobe.bryant/>. Clancy, Sean. “Crisis Counselor’s Open Letter to Paterno Family” 18 Jul. 2012 evolvingworldcommunications.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://www.evolvingworldcommunications.com/blog/crisis-counselors-open- letter-to-paterno-family/>. “The Official Website of Coach Mike Krzyzewski”, coachk.com Web. 13 Sep. 2013 < http://coachk.com/coach-k-media/quotes/>. Cowherd, Colin. You Herd Me: I’ll Say It If Nobody Else Will. Crown Publishing Group, 2013. Print. DeRamus, Mosemak, Schnaars and Upton, Jodi. “NCAA college athletics department finances database.” USA Today 15 May 2012 usatoday.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-14/ncaa-college- athletics-finances-database/54955804/1>. Dosh, Kristi. Saturday Millionaires: How Winning Football Builds Winning Colleges. Wiley/Turner Publishing, 2013. Print. Dosh, Kristi. “Which Football and Basketball Programs Produce the Largest Profits” Business of College Sports 20 Jun. 2011 Web. 19 Sep 2013 <http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/06/20/which-football-and-basketball- programs-produce-the-largest-profits/>. Doyle, Kevin. “Florida Gulf Coast University collects “about $15,000” during first 73 quarter of 2013.” nbcsports.com 16 Jun 2013. Web. 17 Aug 2013 <http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/16/florida-gulf-coast- university-collects-about-15000-during-first-quarter-of-2013>. Easterbrook, Gregg. “Why are athletic departments so big?” ESPN 7 Dec. 2010. espn.com Web. 21 Aug. 2013. <http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/101207_tuesday_ morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl>. Elfman, Lois. “Social Media’s Undeniable Impact on College Sports” 27 Jan. 2013. diverseeducation.com Web. 16 Sep. 2013. <http://diverseeducation.com/article/50932/#>. Fall, Lisa and Ruihley, Brody., “Public Relations in College Athletics: An Examination of Athletic Directors Perceptions of the Role of Public Relations in a College Athletic Department.” Dissertation, University of Tennessee 2010. Web. 22 Aug 2013 <http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=r ja&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unc.edu%2Fdepts%2Fexercis e%2Fcsri%2FPower_Point%2FRuihley%25201020- 1050.ppt&ei=lSXnUujSOM6JogSW6YDgBw&usg=AFQjCNH- G30PLR574cSAco6PHZI_XyjT7w&sig2=khk7A6H6BPUWJ2peWyQ-2A>. Feldman, Bruce. “Best in College Sports: Innovation sets No. 2 Oregon apart” CBS Sports 17 Jul. 2013. cbssports.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/22794406/best-in-college- sports-innovation-sets-no-2-oregon-apart>. Gardiner, Andy. “Instructor tells Penn State class school lost PR battle” usatoday.com 15 Nov. 2011 Web. Aug. 2013. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/story/2011-11- 15/Penn-State-scandal-PR-class/51223314/1>. Gleason, Brian. “Calhoun Encounter with Reporter Should Have Been Prevented.” PR in Sports 23 Feb. 2009. prinsportsblog.com Web. 11 Sep. 2013. <http://prinsportsblog.com/2009/02/23/calhoun-encounter-with-reporter-should- have-been-prevented/>. Gleason, Brian. “Pitino Owning Extortion Story.” PR in Sports 20 Apr. 2009. prinsportsblog.com Web. 11 Sep. 2013. <http://prinsportsblog.com/2009/04/20/pitino-owning-extortion-story/>. Goodkind, Terry. goodreads.com, Web. 28 Aug 2013. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/414364-reality-is-irrelevant-perception-is- everything>. Greenfield, Karl Taro. “ESPN: Everywhere Sports Profit Network” businessweek.com 30 74 Aug. 2012 Web. 12 Aug 2013 <http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08- 30/espn-everywhere-sports-profit-network#p5>. Gregory, Sean. “College Sports Spending: The Real March Madness?” Time Magazine 21 Mar. 2013 keepingscore.blogs.time.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013. < http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013/03/21/college-sports-spending-the- real-march-madness/>. Gutting, Gary. “The Myth of the ‘Student-Athlete” New York Times 15 Mar. 2012 nytimes.com Web. 17 Aug. 2013. <http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/the-myth-of-the-student- athlete/?_r=0>. Heisler, John. 100 Things Notre Dame Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Triumph Books, pg. 41, 2013. Print. Heitner, Darren. “Are Executive Search Firms Worth The Cost to College Athletic Departments?” Forbes 22 Jun. 2013. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitner/2013/06/22/are-executive-search- firms-worth-the-cost-to-college-athletic-departments/>. IEG Sponsorship Report. “Inside the Evolving World of College Sports Sponsorship” 8 Apr. 2013 Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://www.sponsorship.com/iegsr/2013/04/Inside-The-Evolving-World-Of- College-Sports-Sponso.aspx>. Jessop, Alicia. “The Surprising Factors Driving College Football Recruits’ College Decision” Forbes 14 Dec. 2012. forbes.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2012/12/14/the-surprising-factors- driving-college-football-recruits-decision/>. Joyner, James. “College Football Coaches Salaries Soar As College Budgets Fall” Outside The Beltway 22 Jan. 2012. outsidethebeltway.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013. <http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/college-football-coaches-salaries-soar-as- college-budgets-fall/>. Kelly, Mike. “At Rutgers, a matter of vision” northjersey.com 14 Apr. 2013. Web. Aug 2013. <http://www.northjersey.com/columnists/kelly/kelly_041413.html?page=all>. Klein, Gary. “Watch Lane Kiffin, Marquise Lee deliver ice cream to band” latimes.com 23 Aug. 2013 Web. 01 Sep. 2013. <http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-usc-football-lane-kiffin-ice- cream-20130823,0,1381700.story?track=rss#axzz2d3bxcNo9>. Kreider, Allison. “Penn State PR – One Year Later” blog.loispaul.com Feb. 2012. Web. 75 Aug 2013 <http://blog.loispaul.com/blog/2013/02/penn-state-pr-one-year-later- part-iii.html#.UhuNeRbvxz8>. Lee, Christopher. “College Athletics By The Numbers: A Deeper Look at Profitability” 29 Sep. 2010. sportsologist.com Web. 04 Aug. 2013. < http://sportsologist.com/college-athletics-by-the-number/>. Lee, Tony. “Report: College Coaches Highest-Paid Public Employees in 40 States” 9 May 2013. breitbart.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 <http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart- Sports/2013/05/09/Athletic-Coaches-Highest-Paid-State-Employees>. Lionberger, Chuck. “DisneyDaddy: Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes say “I’m going to Disney World!” youtube.com 02 Feb 2009, Web. 14 Aug 2013 <http://disneydaddy.blogspot.com/2009/02/santonio-holmes-says-im-going-to- disney.html>. Limpert, Rick. “What Are the Duties of an NCAA Division I Athletic Director” Yahoo! Contributor Network 12 Apr. 2012. voices.yahoo.com Web. 12 Aug. 2013. < http://voices.yahoo.com/what-duties-ncaa-divison-athletic- 11223350.html?cat=9>. Longman, Jere, “As Costs of Sports Rise Students Balk at Fees” New York Times 30 May 2009. nytimes.com Web. 14 Aug. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/sports/30colleges.html?_r=0>. Madden, Bill. “Failing honesty, not drug test, hurts MLB starts like Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun” NY Daily News 5 Jun. 2013. nydailynews.com Web. 14 Sep. 2013. <http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/madden-failing-honesty-drug-test- hurts-mlb-stars-article-1.1364601>. Mayyasi, Alex. “The Psuedo-Business of the NCAA” 17 May 2013. priceonomic.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 < http://blog.priceonomics.com/post/50660332678/the- pseudo-business-of-the-ncaa>. Masteralexis, Barr, and Hums. Principles and Practice of Sport Management. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, March 2011. Pg. 461. Print. McGuire, Kevin. “Texas A&M’s Manziel Mystery: To Play With NCAA Fire Or Not?” 12 Aug. 2013 bloguin.com Web. 12 Aug. 2013 <http://www.bloguin.com/crystalballrun/2013-articles/august/texas-a-m-s- manziel-mystery-to-play-with-ncaa-fire-or-not.html>. McCleneghan, Sean J. The Sports Information Director – No Attention, No Respect, and a PR Practitioner in Trouble. Public Relations Quarterly Vol. 40, Issue 2, Pg. 28, 1995. Web 28 Aug. 2013 <http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9509120066/sports-information- director-no-attention-no-respect-pr-practitioner-trouble>. 76 Moore, Joseph H., “Predictors of Strategic Influence Among College Sports Public Relations Directors in College Athletic Departments: The Impact of Managerial Orientation and Leadership Personality Trait, Skill and Style” Dissertation, School of Education, Colorado State University Fall 2011. Web. 22 Aug. 2013 <http://digitool.library.colostate.edu///exlibris/dtl/d3_1/apache_media/L2V4bGlic mlzL2R0bC9kM18xL2FwYWNoZV9tZWRpYS8xODI3NzA=.pdf>. Nobel, Carmen. “The Marketing Effect of College Sports” forbes.com 5 Feb. 2013 Web. 11 Sep 2013<http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/02/05/the- marketing-effect-of-college-sports/> Norlander, Matt. “Final Four runs earn Butler $500 million” cbssports.com 26 Jul. 2011 Web 13 Sep. 2013 <http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/30879290/1> Pappano, Laura. “How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life” New York Times 20 Jan. 2012. nytimes.com Web. 27 Aug. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/education/edlife/how-big-time-sports-ate- college-life.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>. Paskwietz, Garry. “Lending a helping hand.” ESPN 23 May 2012. espn.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. < http://espn.go.com/colleges/usc/football/story/_/id/7961189/haiti- humanitarian-trip-life-changing-experience-usc-trojans>. “Penn State applications down 9 percent this year” The Associated Press. 26 Apr. 2013 Web. 08 Aug. 2013 <http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/04/penn_state_applications_d own_9.html>. Perez-Pena, Richard. “In Report, Failures Throughout Penn State” nytimes.com 12 Jul. 2012 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/sports/ncaafootball/in-freeh-report-on- sandusky-failures-throughout-penn-state.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0>. Robbins, Lenn. “PR nightmare looms for Rutgers and Hermann.” New York Post 07 Jun. 2013 nypost.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://nypost.com/2013/06/07/pr- nightmare-looms-for-rutgers-and-hermann/>. Rolph, Amy. “New UW president on athletics: It’s the ‘front porch’. Seattle Post Intelligence 27 Apr. 2011. blog.seattlepi.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. <http://blog.seattlepi.com/huskies/2011/04/27/new-uw-president-on-athletics-its- the-front-porch/>. Rosenberg, Michael. “Does Rutgers even know how to run an athletic department?” Sports Illustrated 28 May 2013 sportsillustrated.cnn.com Web. 22 Aug. 2013. 77 <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130528/rutgers-julie- hermann-hire-controversy/>. Sanders, Theisen Calli. “The Administrative Reporting Structure of Athletics Directors in NCAA Divisions I, II, and II Intercollegiate Athletics. Montana State University Nov. 2004. Web. 13 Aug. 2013. <http://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1/2174/SandersC1204. pdf?sequence=1>. Santore, Greg. “The New Athletics Director.” Inside Higher Ed 12 Jul. 2012. Insidehighered.com Web. 21 Aug. 2013. <http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/07/12/what-colleges-should-be- looking-new-athletics-director-essay>. Schlabech, Mark. “NCAA: Where does the money go?” ESPN 12 Jul. 2011. espn.com Web. 11 Aug. 2013. < http://espn/go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6756472/following-ncaa-money>. Staples, Andy. “How television changed college football – and how it will again” Sports Illustrated 7 Aug. 2012. sportsillustrated.cnn.com Web. 16 Aug. 2013. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/08/05/tv-college- football/index.html>. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #1.” Telephone interview. 17 Sep. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #2.” Personal interview. 07 Sep. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #3.” Email interview. 04 Oct. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #4.” Telephone interview. 21 Oct. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Student-Athlete #5.” Email interview. 23 Sep. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Anonymous Athletic Director, Atlantic Coast Conference.” Email interview. 01 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Mike Blaine.” Email interview. 03 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Greg Byrne, Athletic Director at the University of Arizona.” Email interview. 02 Aug. 2013. 78 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Eugene Corrigan, Athletic Director at U.S. Military Academy.” Email interview. 08 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Colin Cowherd.” Personal interview. 14 Nov. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Pat Forde.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Chris Hollender.” Phone interview. 21 Sep. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Daniel Kingston, Athletic Director at Bowling Green University.” Email interview. 01 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Omar Mance.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Erin Mills.” Phone interview. 19 Sep. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Jeff Pearlman.” Email interview. 12 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Coach Mark Sembrowich.” Phone interview. 14 Dec. 2013 “Quantitative Research/Interview with Mark Schlabach.” Email interview. 03 Aug. 2013. “Quantitative Research/Interview with Wright Thompson.” Email interview. 13 Aug. 2013. Rezler, Rich. “Your mega guide to Notre Dame vs. Michigan football game” annarbor.com 10 Sep 2011. Web. 02 Sep 2013. <http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/your-mega-guide-to-the-notre- dame-vs-michigan-football-game/>. Rittenberg, Adam. “Michigan to host first night football game.” espn.com 18 Mar. 2010 Web. 02 Sep 2013 < http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/20585/michigan- to-host-first-night-football-game>. Rittenberg, Adam. “Michigan schedules 2011 night game” espn.com 19 Mar. 2010 Web. 02 Sep 2013 < http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5006284>. Robertson, Campbell. “Thriving on Chaos, Manziel Shocks a Traditional System” nytimes.com 23 Aug. 2013 Web. 25 Aug. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/sports/ncaafootball/thriving-on-chaos- manziel-shocks-a-traditional-system.html?_r=0 >. 79 Santore, Greg. “The New Athletics Director.” insidehighered.com 12 Jul. 2013 Web. 10 Sep. 2013. < http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/07/12/what-college s-should-be-looking-new-athletics-director-essay>. Smith, Erick. “Michigan, Notre Dame unveil throwback uniforms for game” usatoday.com 10 Jun. 2011. Web. 04 Sep 2013. <http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/06/michigan- throwback-uniforms-notre-dame/1#.Uucz9BatteU >. Schaap, James I. “Are Division I NCAA WAC sports profitable?” College of Business, Department of Managerial Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno Sep. 2013 Web. 03 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ijebf.com/IJEBF_Vol.%201,%20No.%208,%20September%202013/ Are%20Division%20I.pdf>. Thamel, Pete. “With Big Paydays at Stake, College Teams Scramble for a Spot” New York Times 19 Sep. 2011. nytimes.com Web. 14 Aug. 2013 < http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/sports/ncaafootball/in-conference- realignment-colleges-run-to paydaylight.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1387310133- mDHL8YVDRkQAUGMxBAu3Qg>. Thompson, Charles. “Two years later, Penn State can’t shake the Jerry Sandusky fight” The Patriot News 29 Mar. 2013 Web. 20 Aug. 2013. <http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/03/two_years_later_penn_stat e_sti.html>. Thompson, Wright. “The trouble with Johnny” espn.go.com 30 Jul. 2013 Web. 04 Aug. 2013 <http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny- manziel-celebrity-derail-texas-aggies-season-espn-magazine>. “Tiger Woods’ six big PR mistakes.” prsa.org 7 Apr. 2010. Web. 07 Sep. 2013 <http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/view/8588/105/Tiger_Woods_six_big_PR_ mistakes#.UrC20LyGiK4>. Tomko, Michael. “College athletic departments use social media to increase fan engagement” Medill Reports, Chicago 19 Oct. 2011 Web. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=190560>. Trayers, Emily. “Student Athletes and Social Media – A Losing Record” sayitsocial.com 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Sep. 2013 <http://www.sayitsocial.com/2013/08/student- athletes-and-social-media-a-losing-record/>. University of Michigan Team Store. “Under the Lights: Notre Dame at Michigan” photography. 10 Sep 2011. mgoblue.com Web. 21 Jan. 2014 <http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00008cF6f8w3vPE/s/860/688/SE- UnderTheLights-TeamHuddle.jpg>. 80 Webster, Steve. “Marketing and Public Relations.” CEO of Crimson Marketing. University of Southern California. Taper Hall, Los Angeles, January 28, 2013. Lecture. Wells, Jane. “Oregon unveils its new multimillion dollar football complex” cnbc.com 13 Aug. 2013 Web. 14 Aug. 2013 <http://www.cnbc.com/id/100959599>. “21 Questions ESPN’s College Gameday Staff Should, But Won’t Ask Lane Kiffin” collegespun.com 10 Oct. 2013 Web. 14 Oct. 2013 < http://collegespun.com/pac- 12/usc/21-questions-espns-college-gameday-staff-should-but-wont-ask-lane- kiffin#>. 81 Appendix A: Fall and Ruihley Study- AD Perceptions of PR in College Athletics 82 Appendix A: Fall and Ruihley Study- AD Perceptions of PR in College Athletics (Continued) 83 Appendix A: Fall and Ruihley Study- AD Perceptions of PR in College Athletics (Continued) 84 Appendix B: Standardized Email Request to Stakeholders Subject: Univ. of Southern California: Graduate School Thesis Request Sir/Ma’am, I understand that I am writing to you at the start of a very busy time of year- so I will be quick. I am a 2nd year graduate student in the Strategic Public Relations program at the University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication. I am currently in the process of conducting research for my graduate thesis, which is focusing on "Division I Athletic Departments and Strategic PR support". I understand your time is extremely valuable, but IF you'd be willing to provide NO MORE THAN 5 minutes of your insight: the attached interview/questionnaire consists of four questions, which are pretty straight-forward. I am asking these questions to select professionals in the industry: - Four Division I Athletic Directors (Pat Haden of USC, Greg Byrne of Arizona, Boo Corrigan of West Point and Chris Kingston of Bowling Green) - Four Division I Coaches (High, Mid and Low Major representation) - Four Division I Student-Athletes (High, Mid and Low Major representation) - Four Award-Winning College Athletics Journalists/Media Professionals I genuinely believe your feedback would assist me in the type of research I was hopeful to gain on this topic. I completely understand if you are cautious to provide this perspective to someone you know little about, so I have included a short personal bio for your review (should you feel the need). Thank you for your consideration. Very Respectfully, Marc Vielledent CPT, U.S. Army University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism 2nd Year MSPR Student C: 520-975-3460 85 Appendix C: Interview Questions to Stakeholders Questionnaire: Name, Title Date Inquiry Made: Feedback Received: University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) _____ Winning _____ Funding _____ Image/Perception _____ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) _____ Losing _____ Funding _____ Negative Publicity/Crisis _____ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) _____ Working with coaches and athletes _____ Maintaining media contacts _____ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues _____ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. _____ Training _____ Monitoring _____ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: 86 Appendix D: Interview Results/Feedback Questionnaire: Mr. Chris Kingston-Director of Athletics, Bowling Green State University Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 2, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___2__ Winning ___1__ Funding ___4__ Image/Perception ___3__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___2__ Losing ___1__ Funding ___4__ Negative Publicity/Crisis ___3__ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) ___3__ Working with coaches and athletes ___1__ Maintaining media contacts ___2__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues ___4__ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Does your athletic department currently have any of the following in place regarding the conduct of your student-athletes on their own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)? ___YES__ Training ____NO_ Monitoring ____NO_ Regulations/Standards If your answer is “Yes” to any of the above in RQ 4, please briefly elaborate: 87 Training: Social Media training is presented in multiple platforms throughout the year. It is a critical reality of today’s operating environment. If your answer is “No” to all of the above in RQ 4, please briefly state if you are or are not concerned with social media communication from your athletes? Monitoring: This is a very delicate issue when it comes to the NCAA. There are many issues in the world of NCAA Compliance that “require” monitoring. Given the public nature of social media, a number of coaches/staff will “follow” student-athletes in an effort to remain situation awareness, but once you declare that you formally “monitor” social media of student-athletes, you will be held accountable for each and every tweet, post, etc. We are not equipped to do that and there are a number of legal challenges associated with trying. Companies like “UDiligence” are currently out there and offer outsourced servicing of monitoring social media. I wouldn’t be surprised to see operations like that deemed illegal in the future. Regulations/Standards: The Code of Conduct (University and Athletics), as well as each team’s rules, address regulations/standards of accepted conduct, not specifically linked to social media, however. There are other constitutional hurdles when implementing “standards” (i.e. restrictions) on freedom of speech. Interestingly enough, 5 or so years ago, I would have rated image and relationships above the money. Don't confuse the "money" as being more important than the other factors, but understand that the money allows you to excel and realize a greater level of expectations in such a complex organization. Without the money, you have a difficult time protecting your image and establishing the right relationships. You MUST hire the right people - and that takes money. If you are one deep at every position, you have increased risk in hiring the right people to protect your image and foster the right relationships. Questionnaire: Anonymous -Director of Athletics, Atlantic Coast Conference Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 4, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___2__ Winning ___3__ Funding ___4__ Image/Perception 88 ___1__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___4__ Losing ___2__ Funding ___1__ Negative Publicity/Crisis ___3__ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) ___2__ Working with coaches and athletes ___3__ Maintaining media contacts ___1__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues ___4__ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Does your athletic department currently have any of the following in place regarding the conduct of your student-athletes on their own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)? ___YES__ Training ___YES_ Monitoring ___YES_ Regulations/Standards If your answer is “Yes” to any of the above in RQ 4, please briefly elaborate: We provide guidance and expectations to all student-athletes on social media, including best practices. These are presented to all in the Student-Athlete Handbook and covered throughout the year in team meetings. If your answer is “No” to all of the above in RQ 4, please briefly state if you are or are not concerned with social media communication from your athletes? Questionnaire: Mr. Greg Byrne -Director of Athletics, University of Arizona Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 4, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments 89 RQ 1: From your perspective, rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___1__ Winning ** “They are all critical” ___1__ Funding ___1__ Image/Perception ___1__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___1__ Losing ___3__ Funding ___2__ Negative Publicity/Crisis ___4__ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) ___1__ Working with coaches and athletes ___3__ Maintaining media contacts ___2__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues ___4__ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Does your athletic department currently have any of the following in place regarding the conduct of your student-athletes on their own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)? ___YES__ Training ___YES_ Monitoring ___YES_ Regulations/Standards If your answer is “Yes” to any of the above in RQ 4, please briefly elaborate: Media and Social Media Training, Compliance Training – all of which have significant consequences for violating/misbehavior If your answer is “No” to all of the above in RQ 4, please briefly state if you are or are not concerned with social media communication from your athletes? Questionnaire: Mr. Boo Corrigan-Director of Athletics, U.S. Military Academy Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 8, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent 90 Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___2__ Winning ___1__ Funding ____4_ Image/Perception ___3__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of your athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___4__ Losing ___1__ Funding ___2__ Negative Publicity/Crisis ____3_ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) ____2_ Working with coaches and athletes ____3_ Maintaining media contacts ___1__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues ____4_ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Does your athletic department currently have any of the following in place regarding the conduct of your student-athletes on their own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)? ____X_ Training ___X__ Monitoring _____ Regulations/Standards If your answer is “Yes” to any of the above in RQ 4, please briefly elaborate: We monitor from our athletic communications office. More responsive than I like but sometimes the training doesn’t effect as much as we want. Much of social media is learned as a result of being burned/inappropriate and learning from the mistake or the mistake of others If your answer is “No” to all of the above in RQ 4, please briefly state why you are or are not concerned with social media communication from your athletes? Questionnaire: Omar Mance- Mens Basketball Coach, Liberty University Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 12, 2013 University of Southern California 91 Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2__ Winning __1__ Funding __4__ Image/Perception __3__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __3___Losing __1__ Funding __2___Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) ___1__ Working with coaches and athletes ___3__ Maintaining media contacts ___4__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues ___2__ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. _Yes____ Training __Yes___ Monitoring ___Yes__ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: Training: It is the way student-athletes communicate and formulate ideas, so there needs to be training for the dos and don’ts as well as consequences. Monitoring/Regulations: Someone needs to have access to all forms of social media for student-athletes. It can be an AD, SID, or even an assistant coach that can get instant updates and monitor behavior as a precaution, not as the police. 92 Questionnaire: Mike Blaine- Men’s Basketball Coach, Cornell University Emailed: August 1, 2013 Feedback Received: August 3, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Winning __2___ Funding __3___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2___ Losing __3___ Funding __1___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __4___ Working with coaches and athletes __1___ Maintaining media contacts __2___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __3___ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __YES___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: 93 Social media accounts have become a means for fans of teams/schools to interact with and follow student-athletes. Once a student-athlete becomes a part of a program, he/she represents that school/team/brand at all times. As such, every social media outlet serves as a veritable microphone for the student-athlete. Therefore it is necessary and prudent for student-athletes to be trained, monitored, and held accountable for their activities in social media as their activity reflects the values of their team/program/school. Questionnaire: Chris Hollender- Men’s Basketball Coach, Mississippi State University Phone Interview: September 21, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Winning __2___ Funding __3___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2___ Losing __1___ Funding __3___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __2___ Working with coaches and athletes __1___ Maintaining media contacts __3___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __4___ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) 94 would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __YES___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: Extremely challenging to manage – even from a recruiting standpoint – everyone has a voice and this is actually more detrimental in terms of maintaining control over key themes and messages/perception of your program Questionnaire: Erin Mills- Women’s Basketball Coach, U.S. Military Academy Phone Interview: September 19, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Winning __2___ Funding __3___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2___ Losing __1___ Funding __3___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __4___ Working with coaches and athletes __1___ Maintaining media contacts __2___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __3___ Coordinate Events 95 RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __YES___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: It is necessary for our coaching staffs to monitor, but difficult to enforce without applying pressure. We don’t want our athletes hiding aspects of their lives from us- so acknowledging that we are watching their communication can do more harm than good. It is just such a thin-line. Training and awareness really need to be more of a focus across the athletic departments, from the top on down. Questionnaire: Mark Sembrowich- Former Men’s Basketball Coach, Yale and Stanford Phone Interview: December 14, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __3___ Winning __2___ Funding __1___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __3___ Losing __1___ Funding __2___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __4___ Working with coaches and athletes 96 __1___ Maintaining media contacts __2___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __3___ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __YES___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: Education and understanding of second and third order effects of how you present yourself should really be the primary goal of athletic departments and programs attempting to brand themselves in the most positive light. Questionnaire: Student-Athlete #1 (Anonymous – registered with university) Phone Interview: September 17, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Winning __3___ Funding __2___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Losing __2___ Funding __3___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships 97 RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __2___ Working with coaches and athletes __3___ Maintaining media contacts __4___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __1___ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __YES___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: They say there is a 24 hour news-cycle, but that goes for everything these days – to include college athletics. Often, I laugh when my assistant coaches try to counsel me before practice about what I wrote the night before on Twitter. It’s especially comical when it is clear that they are in greater need of communication training than I am. Questionnaire: Student-Athlete #2 (Anonymous – registered with university) Personal Interview: September 07, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Winning __2___ Funding __3___ Image/Perception __4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __1___ Losing __2___ Funding 98 __3___ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4___ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __2___ Working with coaches and athletes __2___ Maintaining media contacts __4___ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __3___ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES___ Monitoring __NO___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: I get it. Image and saying the right thing all the time is important to the athletic department and school. I don’t think any of us are naïve, but let’s be honest: in the end, what I do on the court is what’s truly valued in this culture these days. Questionnaire: Wright Thompson, Senior Writer, ESPN.com and The Magazine Received: August 13, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) 2_ Winning 1___ Funding 3___ Image/Perception 4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) 99 3____ Losing 1____ Funding 2____ Negative Publicity/Crisis 4____ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) 3____ Working with coaches and athletes 2____ Maintaining media contacts 1____ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues 4____ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. yes____ Training yes___ Monitoring yes__ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion on this issue: The players need to understand that saying something on twitter is exactly the same as saying into an ESPN microphone after a game on national television. Questionnaire: Pat Forde, Senior Writer, Yahoo! Sports Received: August 12, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) 1_ Winning 2___ Funding 3___ Image/Perception 4___ Maintaining/Building Relationships 100 RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) 1____ Losing 2____ Funding 3____ Negative Publicity/Crisis 4____ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) 1____ Working with coaches and athletes 3____ Maintaining media contacts 2____ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues 4____ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. yes____ Training yes___ Monitoring maybe__ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion on this issue: I'm not in favor of censorship or deleting accounts. Educating athletes on social media is the most important thing. I understand monitoring, but it shouldn't be heavy-handed. However, there are some instances where, if a player says something truly injurious to the program, discipline could be justified. Those consequences should be clearly defined when a player gets to campus. Questionnaire: Mark Schlabach, Senior Writer, Author and Journalist, ESPN.com Received: August 3, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ___2__ Winning 101 ____1_ Funding ____3_ Image/Perception ____4__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) ____1_ Losing ____2_ Funding ____3_ Negative Publicity/Crisis ____4_ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) _____2 Working with coaches and athletes _____3 Maintaining media contacts _____4 Recommending/Formulating responses to issues _____1_ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. ___Yes Training ___Yes__ Monitoring ___Yes__ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion on this issue: I believe every student-athlete should be allowed to use social media such as Twitter and Facebook, as long as they understand that they're not only representing themselves, but also their particular team and university. They also have to understand that by being a public figure, their Tweets and/or Facebook posts can have negative consequences for their teams and university. As a student-athletes, I believe social media is more of a privilege than a right. Questionnaire: Jeff Pearlman, NY Times Best Selling Author and Sports Journalist Received: August 12, 2013 University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Thesis Research: Public Relations and Division I College Athletics Collected by: Marc C. Vielledent Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this research is to examine how PR support correlates to the strategic success of Division I College Athletic Departments 102 RQ 1: From your perspective, (while ALL are important) please rank order which factor listed below is the most crucial in achieving success within an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2_ Winning __1___ Funding __3___ Image/Perception __4__ Maintaining/Building Relationships RQ 2: From your perspective, please rank order what is (or could be) the quickest deterrent to the success of an athletic department? (1 = greatest impact, 4 = least impact) __2___ Losing __1__ Funding __3_ Negative Publicity/Crisis __4__ Poor Communication/Lack of Partnerships RQ 3: From your perspective, where should the highest ranked PR professional or designee within a typical athletic department focus his/her efforts? (1 = most important, 4 = least important) __1___ Working with coaches and athletes __2_ Maintaining media contacts __4__ Recommending/Formulating responses to issues __3__ Coordinate Events RQ 4: Student-athletes’ own personal, social media accounts (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) have become a hot-button topic in recent years in terms of how this reflects upon the teams, the school, the brand, etc. Which of the following action(s) would you recommend for college athletic departments to take regarding the conduct of their student-athletes on these platforms? Please answer YES or NO for each. __YES___ Training __YES__ Monitoring __NO___ Regulations & Consequences RQ 4b: If you would, please briefly elaborate on your opinion of this issue: Ultimately, athletic departments look bad if they restrict an athlete’s speech. But they’d be wise to make sure students know how a misguided tweet can ruin a reputation, etc.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
Intercollegiate athletics creates publicity in a way few schools can replicate with other traditional marketing campaigns. Collective objectives tied to messaging and branding remains critical in the cutthroat realm of intercollegiate recruiting, licensing, sponsorships, alumni relations and publicity. Thus, to fill this void, the strategic imperative for the athletic director is to acknowledge the void, observe the institutional landscape, commit budgetary resources for the necessary talent, identify definable objectives and empower their PR professional.
Linked assets
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
Conceptually similar
PDF
Are public relations firms ready to lead in the new communication normal? the changing agency landscape and PR’s shifting roles
PDF
Getting genetically modified animals to market: the Mount Everest of public relations issues
PDF
Tailoring pharmaceutical public relations strategies to different markets: a case study of the launching strategies of Gardasil in the U.S. and China
PDF
Public relations implications for regulation of health blogs
PDF
2011 National Football League lockout: messaging in the context of professional sports labor disputes
PDF
Public relations vs. advertising for the big screen: the ever-growing role of strategic public relations in the effective marketing of theatrical motion picture releases
PDF
Selling the world: an exploration of the past, present and future of destination marketing
PDF
For the love of the game and community: evaluating professional athletes' charitable giving
PDF
An inconvenient truth about the public relations industry and greenwashing
PDF
When the mighty fall. Pro athletes and the media: how to mitigate and manage a scandal
PDF
Breaking new ground: defending and learning from the founding fathers of public relations
PDF
The American deception epidemic: why public relations practitioners should take notice
PDF
A study on how companies communicate and market themselves on Sina Weibo
PDF
Experiential public relations: the importance of strategic messaging, understanding target audiences, and analysis of successfully curated brand-consumer interactions
PDF
How a strategic public relations campaign can enhance the reputation of China's financial public relations industry
PDF
Review and analysis of the past, present and future of American talk shows in China based on the Daily show experience
PDF
Diversity in sports: The female athlete's college experience
PDF
The 2011 NFL lockout: labor negotiations and their impact on public relations in professional sports leagues
PDF
An overview of public relations in Hong Kong and its political, economic and cultural context
PDF
The entertainment value in food and its value to the public relations industry
Asset Metadata
Creator
Vielledent, Marc C.
(author)
Core Title
College athletic directors and reputational risk: the public relations imperative
School
Annenberg School for Communication
Degree
Master of Arts
Degree Program
Strategic Public Relations
Publication Date
04/23/2014
Defense Date
04/22/2014
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
athletic department,athletic director,Athletics,college,OAI-PMH Harvest,Public Relations,University
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Floto, Jennifer D. (
committee chair
), Kotler, Jonathan (
committee member
), Swerling, Jerry (
committee member
)
Creator Email
marc.vielledent@gmail.com
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-383409
Unique identifier
UC11296120
Identifier
etd-Vielledent-2400.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-383409 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-Vielledent-2400.pdf
Dmrecord
383409
Document Type
Thesis
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
Vielledent, Marc C.
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Tags
athletic department
athletic director