It is important we hear from different voices in our industry.  For that reason, I accepted a pitch from Katrina at Comment Communications and after speaking with her, agreed to feature Wesley Mallette in our 10 Questions series…..

Wesley Mallette is Co-Founder and CEO of Comment Communications (formerly known as Elevation Sports & Entertainment) and President of Comment’s Sports Division.  A founding partner of the rising boutique firm, the former Division I football player and decathlete translates experience and passion into proven results for the firm’s client.

1.    It seems that every day, another athlete is getting into trouble. Why does it happen so often?

Based on what we see almost daily, it would be easy to believe all athletes are troublemakers. That’s simply not true. What’s important to recognize is that for every athlete we see front and center on ESPN who has found himself in the midst of some turbulent or controversial situation, there are many more who are doing the right thing. Unfortunately, because athletes live under such a microscope, when things do go awry, the whole world knows about it instantly.

2.    How can an athlete or an organization actually “prepare” for a crisis when a crisis is usually something that is unforeseen?

Living a life of honesty and integrity is the best way to minimize your chances of finding yourself embroiled in crisis, however, no one is immune.  Athletes should always keep their team of PR strategists and legal counsel in the loop at all times regarding what is going on in their world. Having no surprises means you’re never caught off guard.
The best way for any athlete or organization to actually “prepare” for a crisis is to have an action plan in place from day one. While you may not be able to anticipate the specific crisis or the tactics that will need to be executed, you can clearly define what the procedures and protocol will be — the lines of communication, designated spokespeople, media policy, etc. Then, if and when a crisis occurs, the plan is executed immediately and the situation is handled in a controlled manner.  The athlete huddles immediately with his or her team of advisors (i.e., legal counsel, crisis/strategic PR team, agent, manager, team execs or reps, sponsors, etc.), and determines the appropriate course of action and media strategy.

3.    From your perspective as a PR professional, how has social media changed the media landscape and does it help or hurt an athlete, especially in a crisis?

The advent of social media has changed the media landscape on so many levels and it can both help and hurt an athlete in a crisis. In the age of social media, communication is instant and can go viral in a matter of minutes. Anyone with a cell phone, camera or voice recording device; can snap a picture or record video of an athlete behaving badly, then upload to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, UStream, etc., and the next thing you know, whatever then were doing is now out there for the world to see —  and unfortunately,  judge — positively or negatively. Conversely, if there a rumor or a mistruth floating out there about an athlete, the athlete and his team can quickly correct it by being able to reach the fans directly and authentically, setting the record straight through social media.

To make social media work for them, athletes must clearly understand the benefits and pitfalls of social media.  Saying the wrong thing on their Facebook page, being tagged in the wrong pictures, Tweeting something inappropriate or offensive will spark controversy and can be extremely costly. It cost the NFL’s Larry Johnson his job in Kansas City after a series of inappropriate tweets.

In a crisis situation, social media should be a key component of the overall crisis communications plan because it provides an authentic way to connect with fans and media on the athlete’s terms, BUT it must be combined with a traditional media approach. Many people still trust traditional media outlets and often these reporters are driving the story and as a result, helping shape the public perception.  In other words, putting out a statement on your Facebook page, fan website, etc., is not enough when dealing with a crisis. Just ask Tiger.

4.    We can all name dozens of athletes who have handled a crisis badly, but can you give us examples of those who handled it well?

For as many athletes who have handled a crisis badly, there are also those who’ve weathered the storm and come back, arguably stronger than ever: Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Charles Barkley, Jason Giambi, and Andy Petite, and you can even toss in LeBron James after his his refusal to shake the hands of the Orlando Magic after the Cavs Eastern Conference Finals loss last season.

These individuals lost endorsement deals and credibility, but they all recovered.  And the reason is, they faced their issues head on.  They owned their level of responsibility.  They held themselves accountable for their actions and they worked hard to get through it. Their messages were consistent.  Their apologies were sincere.  Their “humanness” was believable and real.  But prior to whatever reputation or sponsorship damaging issue that confronted them, they built a significant bank of goodwill with the media, the public, and their fan base.  And somewhere in the midst of it all, at the core, was a sound communications strategy designed to help them face these painful issues head on, deal with them and work through them.

5.    Why is an athlete’s brand image so important and why do so many athletes seem to forget that it’s so important?

An athlete’s brand image and reputation is everything they have. It impacts their ability to land endorsement deals, sponsorship deals, contracts, off the field endeavors, etc.

There are a number of reasons why so many seem to forget, but one of the main reasons is that they tend to live in a bubble surrounded by people who say yes to them all the time. Being placed on a pedestal and given a false feeling they are “above the law” only leads to a horrible fall from grace when crisis hits because their perception of reality is off.

Too often, the feeling of invincibility combined with high salaries, less than qualified people around them advising their every move, focus on material things, superficial relationships, and unrealistic expectations, tend to cloud their judgment and ability to make sound decisions. Many athletes lose sight of the importance of brand image until they lose sponsorship dollars and endorsement deals, or lose their jobs outright. Ask Adam “PacMan” Jones about that. Gilbert Arenas is not far behind.

Your reputation is all you have at the end of the day. If it’s tarnished beyond repair, the chances of recovery are slim, not to mention your long-term career prospects.

6.    Crisis aside, what can an athlete do to improve or enhance his brand image on a routine basis?

Athletes should make sure they have a strong PR team around them to help develop and execute strategic public relations campaigns touting what they are doing OUTSIDE OF THEIR SPORT to improve the conditions of their fellow man/woman. Building up the bank of goodwill is so critical in this day and age because when crisis or controversy hits, the athlete will need to go to that bank and cash in some of those chips. The more athletes are known for their work in the community and their philanthropic commitments, the better it is in terms of creating a stronger reputation, an unflappable image, new financial opportunities (i.e., sponsorship and endorsement deals), spokesperson opportunities, etc.

Stay involved in the community. Be involved and have a voice. Contribute to the improvement of society and be a positive role model. Do something positive all the time and be genuine.  Get involved with something you truly believe in.  Your passion will shine through.

Also, staying out of trouble and always doing the right thing helps.

7.    It’s no secret that if you asked pro athletes what they most dislike about being in the spotlight, most would put dealing with the media near the top of their list. Why does there seem to be such an adversarial relationship between the media and professional athletes?

A large part is due to the fact that most athletes have never been properly trained in how to work with and handle the media. It is clear that those who have been media trained, fare better across the board.   Just ask Payton Manning.

Also, many athletes believe the “media is out to get them” (e.g., Barry Bonds) and perpetuate the adversarial relationship.

Athletes need to be coached and understand the media have a job to do and that jog is to report the story. The athlete plays a role in their ability to complete that job, especially when they are front and center in the story. Having the right PR team to coach and counsel the athlete and help them understand how this relationship works is critical.

8.    Despite their disdain for the media, it’s ironic that so many professional athletes want to work in the media once they retire. How easy or difficult is it for an athlete to make the jump to the sports broadcasting?

Although former athletes have advantages weighing in their favor to enter the broadcast booth following a successful (or at least semi-successful) career in their sport, not everyone is able to make the jump to the booth and do well. Because of their insight and first hand knowledge of the game, networks and media outlets are pre-disposed to hiring them as analysts, but each athlete is different and there’s no guarantee their on-field performance will translate into the ability to share their knowledge in an articulate way when the microphone is on.

How easy is it? That depends on the athlete and how quickly he or she can develop a commanding presence, understanding of how to communicate on television or radio and speak to viewers and listeners in a way they can relate to, understand and enjoy. It is not easy to do this and many athletes try to make the transition without proper training.

When you look at the number of former athletes in the booth and on-air now, you can see the ones that are doing well and the ones that clearly need help. One of the things we offer our clients is broadcast media training, where we prepare them for life after the game and the transition into the booth for a long and successful post-career.

9.    What would be your advice to a college athlete who is about to make the jump to the pros?

I have a lot of advice for athletes about to enter the professional ranks. I strongly recommend reading the article I posted on the subject on thesportscommentary.com (and will post again in April) as it outlines many of the key points. Ultimately, my best advice to them is to build and make sure you have a strong team of SEASONED PROFESSIONALS around you that are NOT “yes” men/women. They need top flight PR pros (different from publicists), legal counsel, agent, manager (if necessary), accountant/financial planner, sports psychologist, and security (if necessary). Surround yourself with people who are not afraid to tell you the things you need to know, not what you want to hear.

10.  How early do you think an athlete should consider media training?

As soon as he or she enters the collegiate ranks. Early and often. Media training is not – and should never be – a “one and done” deal. Take it seriously. There’s no way you would just go out and practice once and think “hey I got this down” and then show up for the games thinking the outcome will be consistently favorable, would you? So why any athlete would think that is how dealing with the media works is beyond me. Media training is necessary on an ongoing basis. Just like practice. Don’t get lazy with media training or it will impact the results of how you are presented through the media.

For more information about Mallette and Comment Communications, go to www.commentpr.com.

It may be November, but 2010 is just around the corner.  Where does the time go this year?

My guess is, part of your energy has gone into finalizing schedules, planning budgets, checking on event availability and things like this.  Even if you do not work in the sports industry and are planning an event for next year, you need to know what may conflict with your own agenda.  Ever plan a fundraiser and it lands on….. a March Madness game? the World Series?  Your home team’s biggest event of the year?

For that reason, I have developed a 2010 master calendar.  The main focus is on sporting events things like College football bowl games, the Super Bowl, Wimbledon but also includes events like published sports conferences from a variety of groups.  Additionally, there are a handful of non-sports events like  The Sundance Festival, CES (technology trade show) the Academy Awards as well as general U.S. holidays.  In all, there are more than 50 events so far and I am adding more as they are listed.

Here is the question of the day.  It is simple and is one question only.  I would sincerely welcome your feedback.  Please take a moment to participate!

Tom Ford, my old Athletic Director at UC Irvine (1990-92), is currently the Associate Athletic Director/External Relations at Cal State Northridge.  Tom, a 1977 graduate with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Pacific, has also served as an Athletic Director at the  at the University of Houston (1984-86).  He has 25 years of experience in and around college athletics.  I thought it appropriate we feature a college administrator and Tom Ford has the experience.  Here is our Top 10 questions for Tom:

1.    Tell Us What Your Average Day is Like:

A: I first open the daily newspaper to determine if something happened overnight that will adjust my agenda for the day ahead. If nothing occurred, I take the first hour to respond to phone calls, emails, correspondence through U.S. Mail (not much these days) and drop by visits from colleagues.  These positions in intercollegiate athletics are not always attending competitions and having fun. About 70% of our time is spent on personnel issues; whether it is coaches, administrators or student related. Therefore much of my day is spent dealing with personnel issues. I don’t have enough time to do what I enjoy which is fundraising and interacting with people.

2.     Tell Us About Your Career Path, Including Your Current Job.

A:  Most of my career has been in higher education and athletics administration. I began at University of the Pacific in Sacramento/Stockton; first as business manager of McGeorge School of Law; transferring after four years to the Stockton campus to work in business and financial services.  After short stint there …. off to intercollegiate athletics as executive director of the Pacific Athletic Foundation, the fundraising arm for Athletics. Next challenge was at the University of Houston as Assistant/Associate Athletics director for Fund Development/External Relations; then became the fourth Athletics Director of University of Houston.  After eight years at Houston, I moved to charlotte N.C. to join the Raycom Sports team (television sports syndicating firm) as Director of Program Development and Lead Consultant for Raycom Management Group. As DPD, I maintained relationships with universities and conferences for which Raycom held television rights.  The next stint was as Manager of Extended University (continuing education) at the University of Arizona. Had a cup of coffee there as the Athletic Director’s position at University of California, Irvine had my name written all over it. They needed a fundraising A.D. I departed from UCI over a disconnect with the Administration that wanted to drop baseball, men’s track & field and men’s cross country. They did drop all three and later reinstated the sports.   I spent the next twelve years in Kansas City as the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. A very challenging position consisting of soliciting sponsorship for events and activities at the annual Coaches’ Convention at the Men’s Final Four and fundraising for the NABC’s foundation. CBS paid $6 Billion dollars for the television rights of the Men’s NCAA Final Four for eleven years. As a result, CBS took over the sponsorship activities tying in the NABC events and activities as added value to companies purchasing commercial inventory in the NCAA Basketball tournament, eliminating my position.  I started my own business by bringing the 27 coaches associations into a purchasing group. I ran out of financial support before officially launching the business and had to get a real job. I am now the Associate Athletics Director for External Relations at California State University, Northridge.

3.     The best advice I ever received was….

A:  “Work hard, play hard and do the best at whatever you undertake and you will be a success.” John Wooden

4.     The top sports memories I’m fond of telling others.

A:  While at the University of Houston I was looking out my window in the Athletics Office when a yellow cab pulled into the parking lot. It wasn’t often that a cab would come to our building. I was curious to see who would be coming to visit. I watched as  a young man exited the cab. He kept getting out and getting out, dress in white from head to foot. He had to be seven foot tall, I thought to my self. He waited as the cabbie removed two large bags from the trunk. He grabbed the bags and head for the front door. I dashed to the door to meet him. As he entered, he placed the bags softly to the floor and began bowing and bowing toward me. He said “ I’m here to see Coach, Mr. Guy Lewis!” I happily escorted him to Coach Lewis’ office, thinking this guy could turn this program around. And, he did. Akeem Olajuwon became a Houston Cougar and would lead us to three consecutive NCAA Final Fours. He had help from Clyde Drexler and a number of other young men, Michael Young, Alvin Franklin, Larry Micheau, and Reed Gettys, to name a few. Oh, a side note: Carl Lewis was on our Track team and Freddy Couples was on the golf team. We won the national championship in golf three of the seven years of my tenure and went to the Cotton Bowl four times. What a great seven years!

5.     What Are Areas of Opportunity for Growth in Collegiate Athletics?

A: The most significant growth potential is for women in intercollegiate athletics. Title IX has some impact on the opportunity; however, the trend is to place women in middle management positions usually in promotions & marketing, compliance and fund raising. My sense is that women generally are tenacious fund raisers. Slowly, women are becoming the leaders of intercollegiate athletics departments experiencing the same struggle as African American males in becoming head football coaches.

6.     What is Your Advice for Someone Seeking a Position as a Senior Manager of Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA).

A:   Get as much experience as possible in every aspect of the ICA department. Do not get pigeon holed in one discipline. Most head administrators have strong backgrounds in fund raising and community relations. It is not often that you see media relations (SID), business officers or compliance officers rise to the top position. Most athletics directors are channeled from external relations.

7.     Mentors and their impact.

A: First person I would identify is Bob Winterberg, former VP for Finance and Administration at University of the Pacific. Without his encouragement to complete my degree I would not have achieved the success career I am enjoying. Bob also placed me in a position with the university that permitted me to complete my degree at the same time gaining valuable success under his tutelage.  The second; would be Cedric Dempsey, former AD at Pacific, Houston and Arizona; and, former President of the NCAA. Ced is an excellent administrator with strong integrity and pleasant personality. I owe much to Ced for the clear professional guidance he provided me over my career. The third person to whom I have gratitude is Jim Haney, Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. A guy who is a strong family man and one of devout Christian beliefs, Jim is a free spirited administrator. His ability to create a successful path to follow is remarkable. He is an administrator with a style that gives you full rein to operate in a position with autonomy and never one to micro manage. He places confidence in ability of those he hires resulting in successful management.

8.     Impression of working in College Sports vs Professional Organization.

A:   While I have not worked for a professional sports organization, I would liken my experience at Raycom Sports to that of a pro organization. It seems the non collegiate experience is more bottom line driven. The thing I missed most about being on a college campus is the interaction with the student athletes. It is rewarding to see these young men and women achieve in classroom and on the playing court, in the pool, on the track, on the field and on the base paths. (sounds like a cliché, but it is true.) One of the most rewarding functions I have attended is the academic achievement banquets for athletes. These young folks must be better organized and manage their time more efficiently than other students while being prohibited from working for financial gain as other students are permitted.

9.     Pepole wanting to work in sports should ……..

A:   Do not expect to get rich in being a professional administrator in intercollegiate athletics. Keep an importance balance between sports programs; by that I mean that a football, basketball or baseball program may be your front porch to your program and may be the only revenue generators. But, don’t diminish the importance of the other (non-ball) sports. Resource allocation is dictated by several factors; cost of operating, income potential, fundraising interest, title IX, visibility, etc. Keep in mind that each one of the coaches should and will feel their program is the most important. A realistic statement by the Administration on the allocation of resources should be communicated to every sports program while all coaches are in the same room so that no doubt is left that resources will be allocated for the best chance of success for the entire Athletics program.

10.  If I had it to do it all over again, I would ………

A: I’d do it the same way all over again.

If you have sports related questions, feel free to send a note via the comments section at www.sportsinfo101.com and we will do my best to have the experts answer them.

Our first question is from Steve and he is asking media and technology.

Question and Answers

Q:  

I’d be interested to see pieces on how the internet is changing how the news business and sports leagues interact, particularly with regard to images – still and video. Technology has caught up to old rules, and anyone inside the stadium can do a live broadcast. Be interesting to see some of the talent in sports communications opine.

– Steve

A:

The NHL’s Minnesota Wild and Xcel Energy Center have taken a very pro-active approach in regards to our web operations and use of photography and video. We have tried to connect our fans and woven our television, radio, and photography with our website on a daily basis. Wild TV and our radio pondcasts on our website www.wild.com are perfect examples of using our broadcast resources to bring our fans closer to our players while also achieving great success in driving additional fans to our website. We use daily feature videos and still photography to enhance the site on  a daily basis through the NHL and Wild season. Technology is changing and so is the use of our website. We have also tried to use MySpace, Twitter and Face Book to tell stories and direct message our fans in the new world of social media. The Wild feel this is the best way to reach our younger fans, while still giving the casual fan something different everyday and a reason to visit www.wild.com.

 Bill Robertson

Vice President of Communications & Broadcasting

Minnesota Sports & Entertainment