Public Relations Evaluation in Sport: Views From the Field

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to gain insights regarding how sport public relations practitioners in the United States define public relations goals, identify linkages between the public relations function and overall organizational goals, and evaluate public relations’ effectiveness. Using a modified approach to a method first employed by Hon (1997, 1998), the investigators queried 30 public relations professionals in diverse sport settings. Findings indicated that achieving some sort of outcome with an intended audience, although those outcomes varied, was the most common goal. Respondents also indicated that there were linkages between public relations and organizational goals, although the nature of those linkages was not always specified. The most common method of evaluating public relations was tracking media coverage.

Access, agenda building and information subsidies: Media relations in professional sport

“…The journalists who expressed an opinion on these issues seemed genuinely puzzled by this refusal to grant access to sources. For example, Ward (2013) wrote of the Basketball Australia decision: “getting [team member Matthew Dellavedova] on screen and in newspapers this week would be a priceless shot in the arm for the sport.” A review of the literature on sport media management serves to confirm why these journalists have been surprised by the actions of sport organisations, because the vast majority of academic research in this area has found that the main role of media staff is to gain media coverage by facilitating access, not by restricting it (Fortunato, 2000; Stoldt et al, 2009). In the context of this anecdotal evidence, that sport organisations in Australia and elsewhere are restricting sport journalists’ access to key sport sources, this study sought to explore how Australian sport media managers influence the production of news, through one critical case study of media management practice at a professional Australian Rules football club.…”

The importance of building positive relationships between Hispanic audiences and Major League Soccer franchises: a case study of the public relations challenges facing Houston 1836

“…23 Stoldt, Dittmore and Branvold presented a comprehensive overview of public relations issues specifically related to sports and describe how to develop and implement strategic public relations programmes. 24 Quirk and Fort discussed the business of professional team sports in the USA, including marketing, public relations and promotion. 25 A few studies have addressed the timeframe needed to adequately plan to market and publicize a team that has recently moved to a new city.…”

From Small Association to Global Pundit: 2009–2020

“…As noted by Biraghi and Gambetti ( 2015 ), the organisational reputation management process is in some degree parallel with the idea of ‘corporate branding’, which is ‘a crucial crossroad between “inside” and “outside” of a company acting as a “bridge” among key intangibles and as an “inside–outside” interface between company and stakeholders’ (p. 260). But whereas brand is consumer-centric, reputation is company-centric, meaning that the production of it ‘focuses on credibility and respect among a broader set of constituencies and is more likely to rely on public relations techniques’ (Stoldt, Dittmore, & Branvold, 2018 ). This company-centrism is rationalised because of the organisations’ desire for approval and status (Highhouse et al, 2009 ).…”