So for our textbook for Professor Steve Klein‘s COMM 371 class, Media Relations in Sport, we each have to post on one chapter in the text book.  Mine happens to be chapter 9.

This chapter of the textbook deals with publicity campaigns. Publicity campaigns are used to promote certain athletes, coaches, or athletic programs.  The two examples that the book uses are University of Oregon promoted Joey Harrington as a Heisman Trophy candidate by erecting a billboard in Times Square in New York City, and West Virginia University‘s social media campaign for their star quarterback, Pat White.  The chapter stressed the importance of making sure that both the coach and athlete approve of the campaign and are aware of the recognition it will bring to them.  It is the responsibility of the sports information director to prepare the athlete in particular for the wave of media attention that will be brought to him or her.

I think that this can be a tricky thing to do because of the possibility for things to go awry with the athlete.  If the athlete is not an honest person, then they may be willing to take money from someone which would terminate their eligibility as a collegiate athlete, and would bring about tremendous problems from the NCAA to the university.

In order to avoid a situation such as that one, the chapter recommends that the SID make completely sure that the athlete they wish to promote is not only deserving of those honors athletically, but that they are of high enough moral character that they is a low risk of the publicity campaign backfiring.