So, what is Public Relations, you may ask? Better question. How does Public Relations play a role in the sports industry?
Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and their publics. Now, I know that definition sounds confusing, but have you ever heard of social media?
Crazy, I know, social media is everywhere, but when relating to sports and Public Relations, Sports Public Relations is about promoting individuals, teams and organizations through their own channels.
Nine times out of ten, these channels are social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and the newest form being TikTok.
Sports Public Relations is used to build an athlete and team’s image. Their image is crucial, not only for the athlete’s reputation but also for the organization they play and work for.
Unfortunately, there is a black hole in PR in sports, especially when social media is the most popular form of advertisement for these teams. It could create a sticky situation for athletes if they say something that the public should not hear or see. The Public Relations expert’s job is to clear up the situation and have their client apologize for their message.
On the positive side, Public Relations can create role models for more minor athletes who look up to the Major League athletes. These professional and collegiate athletes are now becoming role models for younger athletes.
Another big plus to PR in sports is the simple promotion of the organization or an individual player.
Public Relations professionals are in charge of sports teams and can oversee and maintain their image. These jobs range anywhere from running a webpage, social media pages, and making trades and deals with other teams.
These deals that occurred were a big deal with the NCAA. These trades correspond with how collegiate athletes can now make money off sponsorships.
Regarding Public Relations, this describes how players promote themselves and organizations while being a student at an institution. Now, players are starting to “make deals” and play the sport they love while getting paid. It is a win-win for both the player and that organization.
Some bigger teams and athletes can also be known as influencers. Influencers are a massive part of Public Relations; they essentially just promote themselves and each other.
This correlates with how sports teams use social media. They want to promote themselves to the public so fans can get excited or intrigued by their new season or any new information.
With social media and the idea of influencers rising, students are looking to Public Relations when looking for a major. Students are finding Sports Media and Public Relations a way to experience the professionalism of behind-the-scenes sports and working with their favorite team.
People with a Public Relations major/minor looking to work in sports will usually start with a social media job with a team and build their way up to a higher priority job within that team.
These jobs are highly appealing to students; it allows the student to gain experience in both the Sports Information and the Public Relations side of the sports industry.
Public Relations is not all about office work. You can get yourself out there and work with many organizations and sports teams. There is a path for everyone in Public Relations.
Zachary Berrott is a freshman sports information major with a minor in public relations and Megan Barry is a freshman sports media announcing major with a minor in public relations at Waynesburg University. Both serve as members of Waynesburg University’s chapter of PRSSA. Zach and Megan co-wrote this article about Sports in the PR Industry.
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