Athletes serve many responsibilities; their duty to interact with media members is one. Many athletes welcome this responsibility as they use their platform to share their thoughts with the world. At the same time, many have a distaste for this part of their job. the intermediary between these groups? Public relations professionals. the involvement of PR professionals and co-ordinating The relationship between these groups has seen constant change over time, as professional sporting leagues have implemented rules and responsibilities that ensure athletes put their pR training to use. As displayed in this early 200s interview between an ex giants player and an NFL reporter, athletes can get quite fed up when they receive questions that they do not appreciate. my new blog series "Athletes and the media: Friend or foe" will explore this relationship by assessing how these groups interact and more importantly, why. while acting as this intermediary, Pr professionals are responsible for several things. These professionals are crucial in helping athletes maintain positive images both within their craft and in their personal lives. Whether it be Running social media accounts, putting out press statements on behalf of the athletes, bringing forth endorsements or setting up interactions with the press, PR professionals play a massive role in the lives of many athletes, organizations, and media companies.
if you ask former seahawks running back Marshawn lynch a question in a press conference, he might say "I'm just here so I wont get fined". We were all taught growing up that honesty is the best policy and Marshawn certainly listened. Marshawn is not alone though. Many athletes feel similarly and do not agree with the intertwined expectations of their jobs that involve assisting the media in covering their sport. Journalism in the scope of sport can feel very invasive for many athletes. MISQUOTED WORDS, INTRUSIVE QUESTIONS AND CRITICISM CAN DAMAGE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE GROUPS. TENNIS SUPERSTAR AND 4x grand slam champion, naomi osaka started skipping press conferences due to the stress and trouble it would cause her. This resulted in fines and suspensions, however Osaka, like many others in similar sporting fields, rely on the positive PR built into their careers to tell their story, instead of letting reporters and the press do it. this examples serves as the basis for just how involved a PR professional is involved in this process. It is these professionals who may set up the press conference on behalf of a player, team, or league, while also serving as the reinforcements who clean up negative press when situations take a turn for the worse in the media. Many athletes are trained as soon as they walk in the front door of professional sports, and although this training may be used to deal with difficult situations, it is also used to shine a light on the men and women who entertain the world. The media gives athletes like lebron james and colin Kaepernick the opportunity to fight for change, while challenging social injustices. Proper journalism grants athletes the ability to express their minds, while connecting with fans, home states, entire countries and more. These moments can lead to endorsements deals, social buzz and opportunities that help leave athletes with a legacy far beyond the sport they play. As we dive deeper into the connection between our friends and foes, the ins and outs between the three groups involved In this complex relationship will be discussed and analyzed.
