1. Chapter 1
1
Introducing SportIntroducing Sport
Public RelationsPublic Relations
C H A P T E R

2. Objectives
• Define public relations in sport and distinguish it from
related concepts such as marketing, promotion, and
publicity
• Understand the basic skills sport public relations
professionals need to perform their job
• Identify common forms of public relations practice in
sport
• Recognize the benefits the public relations function
brings to sport organizations

3. Sport Public Relations Defined
Sport public relations is a managerial
communication-based function designed to
identify a sport organization’s key publics,
evaluate its relationships with those publics, and
foster desirable relationships between the sport
organization and those publics.

4. Characteristics of Sport Public Relations
• Management function
– Senior-level, strategic consideration
– Broader than just a marketing activity
• Communications-based activity
– Public relations = Communications at organizational
level
– Fundamental to fostering relationships
(continued)

5. Characteristics of Sport Public Relations
(continued)
• Systematically approached
– Public relations as a process rather than a
product
– Integrated into organizational strategy
• Facilitates outcomes favorable to the
organization

6. Marketing and Public Relations
• Marketing function
– Product
– Price
– Place
– PROMOTION
(continued)
PUBLIC RELATIONS IS DISTINCT FROM
MARKETING

7. Marketing and Public Relations
• Mullin, Hardy, and Sutton (2007) believe that because
sport receives so much media attention, public relations
should be a fifth P in the sport marketing mix.
What do you think?
What is the definition of Sports
Marketing?

8. Distinctions: Marketing and Public
Relations
• Focus
– Marketing: consumers
– Public relations: publics (which
includes consumers)
• Goals
– Marketing: exchanges & target
marketing (reciprocation)
– Public relations: relationships, good
will, positive image

9. Marketing or Public Relations?

10. Marketing or Public Relations?

11. QUESTIONS...
• What are the basics skills needed to be
successful in public relations?
• Why is each skill pertinent to the profession?

12. Sport Public Relations Programs
While sport organizations may house a variety of
public relations programs, two are particularly
common:
• Media relations
• Community relations

13. • Meeting the information needs of the mass
media: Public information model of public
relations
• Generation of publicity for teams,
organizations, and individuals: Press agentry
and publicity model of public relations
Media Relations
Can you think of an
example of each?

14. Media Relations Activities
• Generating publicity
• Managing statistical services
• Assisting in media coverage
• Creating publications
• Generating online content

15. Community Relations
• Building relationships within the community
• Building and protecting image and developing
goodwill
• Key activities
– Unmediated communication programs
– Corporate social responsibility

16. Other Forms of Public Relations
• Employee relations: Internal public
• Investor relations: Critical for publicly owned
organizations
• Customer relations: More than customer
service
(continued)

17. • Donor relations: Critical public for not-for-profits
• Government relations
– Regulatory agencies
– Governing bodies
Other Forms of Sport Public Relations

18. Value of Public Relations
• Generating revenue
– Promoting the organization’s products and services
by generating publicity
“To get something from nothing, you need the validity that
only third-party endorsements can bring. The first stage of
any new campaign ought to be public relations” (Ries & Ries,
2002, p. XX).
– Producing a sellable inventory
– Enhancing organizational reputation with publics
(continued)

19. Value of Public Relations
(continued)
• Saving money
– Assist the organization in avoiding public relations
mistakes
– May outweigh the benefit of generating revenue

20. END CHAPTER 1