PR in the Sports Industry: Reputation is Everything

When was the last time you saw an online post blaming an athlete for something terrible that did or did not happen? Once a well-known person becomes subjected to the opinions of millions of people, their reputation can determine their popularity and ultimately the success of their career- if there’s still one left. This is especially important because many of these celebrity athletes are the face of the well-known brands which endorse them.

Have you felt disdain toward what once was your favorite athlete because their dark secret surfaced in the media? It might even make it hard to support the team they play for, or use the product they are the face of. Maybe you didn’t believe it at first, or perhaps you’re guilty of jumping to conclusions. Either way, an incident is an incident, and sometimes any publicity isn’t always good publicity.

In the world of professional sports, this pressure to have a polished record can affect not only the athlete but the rest of the organization. Fans often hold athletes to a high standard and might even care about their lives off the field. Combine the love for the sport, adoring their performance, and the fact that these athletes are on a diehards screen every day and the professional sports player may never get privacy. Most of the time, athletes are viewed as role models and should, in theory, act as such.

But what happens when they make a costly mistake in their image? Let’s look at a couple of examples:

You’ve probably heard of OJ Simpson, you know, a 6-time Pro Bowl selection and a 5-time All-Pro selection. Oh? That’s not how you remember him? In 1994, Simpson was accused of the murder of his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Goldman, and 3 years later found guilty.

What about the pro-golfer Tiger Woods? In 2009, Woods’ was accused of having affairs with over a dozen women. Long story short, he lost a sponsorship with Gatorade and several others, which caused him to lose money.

There are tons of other examples that you’ve heard of or probably even read about this morning, but the point is an athlete gets so much attention because they are extremely profitable. Remember, money is everything, and the more people support a team and keep an eye on their star athlete, the more that athlete is likely to land major endorsements, take part in movies license their names to video games etc.

Sadly, some athletes fall into the temptation of all the money they are paid. Many come from poor backgrounds where they had nothing but the clothes on their backs, and then their life changes in the blink of an eye which causes them to become entitled. Here comes the models, mansions, cars, and sometimes drugs.

Unfortunately, in many situations, it is that exact entitlement that causes them to abuse women. It is also important to acknowledge that behaviors and temptations such as being lustful, impulsive, and degenerative can also make them fall into the bad press and may also ruin their reputation. 

The next time you hear of an issue with a star athlete, think of how that makes you feel. If you don’t follow sports, you can still consider what will happen to an athlete’s career or team. If you don’t like any of this, encourage others to stop watching sports, but uh, good luck at winning that game.

Biography: Raegan Thompson is a senior graduating this May with a degree in screenwriting and a minor in public relations. She is interested in pursuing a career in the sports industry working in media relations or journalism. Before Raegan can reach that goal, she is currently working in CSUN’s marketing department and has a part-time job at a juice bar in LA Fitness. If she isn’t writing/doing homework, you can likely find her working out or reading.