Jeff Twiss, Nate Greenberg, Dick Bresciani, Moose Hoffman…Legendary members of the Boston pro sports teams for decades…Never heard of them?…Well, they probably like it fine just that way…..That’s because they are the Media Relations gurus who can make a reporter’s life easy or make it miserable….And make no mistake about it, you need to have these people on your side…
Just like reporters, job descriptions for the Media Relations people have changed as well in this internet age…It’s no longer just handing out credentials and game notes and making sure stories don’t leak…Eric Lindquist is currently working for the American Hockey League’s Worcester Sharks…His ultimate goal might be play by play somewhere but he knows game day can be hectic…”We have The Worcester Sharks feed, the A-H-L feed, Facebook and I’m always e-mailing during the games…It’s almost triple the work the last few years”…But like many aspiring athletes who discovered they couldn’t hit the curve ball or the eighteen foot jumper, Lindquist found out it can be an amazingly rewarding challenge…
Brian Olive started his front office journey in college…Majoring in sports management, Olive hooked on with the Boston Celtics right out of school and now is one of three full time media relations workers…He deals with a lot of blossoming reporters and offers a word of advice to those walking into the room for the first time: “As fun as it is to be in the locker room, take the fan portion out of it and just realize you’re there to do a job.”…
But lest you think they are there just to serve, be advised they too have an agenda…The reporting field has swelled with bloggers and website reporters and people like Olive and Lindquist have to pick and choose who gets in….Lindquist was particularly candid when he stated, “The whole idea of me giving you a pass is to help us expand what’s going on here…Give us some love once in a while…I read their(bloggers) stuff every day and if they’re grilling my coach I’ll grab em the next day and say “what are you doing, help me out here”…The Media Relations people have bosses too and nobody likes negative publicity…
Coaches coach, players play, the Media Relations people know all the information…At the end of the day, reporters will find their jobs a lot easier if they have a friend in the front office…And look at it this way, as a rising Media Relations person, working your way up to the “bigs”, just might get a chance to wear one of those cool mascot uniforms!…what could be bad….
12 Comments
josh posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:51 pm
What stood out the most to me about this seminar was the contradictory nature of it in relation to pretty much all our other guests. I may be wrong, but I’m pretty certain that the beat reporters and a few of the other guests pretty much told us to avoid PR people when possible. This seemed odd to me until Brian went against everything we’ve heard when he said that going into a locker room you should get right to the point when talking to an athlete. He said something along the lines of “don’t just sit there and talk to him about the latest video game.” HA. I’m fairly certain one of the previous guests talked about how he used to talk about video games with one of the Patriots and that’s how they formed a relationship. It seemed ludicrous that he suggested not BSing with the players when all we ever hear about is relationships. I get that part of his job is to protect players from themselves but it’s ridiculous to think that we can do our job without the small talk portion.
Although I didn’t really care much for what Brian had to say, Eric I enjoyed. He seemed very laid back and casual and you could tell he was just being himself. This may have been due to the fact that he wasn’t working in the pros and even he admitted that it’s a lot more fun in the lower level leagues. Eric also reinforced some of the ideas we’ve heard in the past such as being yourself and developing your own style. Also, when he was talking about his interns and how he’ll give them the advice to keep it simple. As long as what they write is well-written and can be understood then they will succeed. These were all things we had heard from other guests.
Certainly having a friend in the front office would help and these guys are trying to do a job just like us so it’s important that both people respect and understand the other.
Rick Sobey posted on November 28, 2011 at 4:15 pm
One point that really stuck with me after the media relations seminar was when Brian Olive talked about “sticking to the story” in the locker room. This makes sense in a press conference or in a media scrum after a game; it is important to be professional and ask relevant questions; media members will get some strange looks if they bring up a question that has nothing to do with the game that just took place. However, Olive’s statement troubles me a bit because developing a personal relationship with an athlete is crucial, and it is impossible to get close to an athlete if you are only asking questions about the game. A media relations employee will try to limit the conversation a journalist has with a player, but it is very important to push hard for personal conversations in order to learn more about the athlete.
I’ve never had to deal with media relations in a sports environment, so it has always been easy to talk with athletes about anything; however, I figure that the closer you know a media relations employee, the better chance you get to talk more with the players. You would be able to talk to the players alone and get some information that nobody else can get. If the media relations employee has no idea who you are, then you won’t be getting that exclusive one-on-one interview with the team’s superstar. On the other hand, if you are at the team’s facility well before the game and talk with the media relations personnel about their family and form a close-knit relationship with them, then it would be more likely to get one-on-one time with the star athlete. Not only is it important to know the athletes; media relations people are just as important.
Another important point from the seminar came from Eric Lindquist when he talked about writers who sometimes criticize the team. Lindquist said that bloggers will sometimes write negative things about the coach, and as a result, he will approach the bloggers about this critical writing. I understand how he is simply doing his job to limit the publicity damage, but it is also important for journalists to point out a poor defensive strategy or a poor decision with clock management. If a media relations employee is upset about the critical writing, it is important for the writer to show them the facts. The writer shouldn’t just write a careless opinion piece with no support for the main point. It is crucial to back it up with facts, so you can respond when the media relations people are upset. Show them that you are knowledgeable about the sport (not only critical just to be critical), and then they will respect you more.
Craig Meyer posted on November 29, 2011 at 5:31 am
For much of this semester (I guess with the exception of the media critics), we’ve been dealing with one side of the sports journalism equation — i.e., with the journalists themselves and what it takes to succeed in the industry be it in print, broadcast, radio or online. As important as it is for us as aspiring sports journalists to hear what these people have to say, it is equally imperative that we have an understanding of the other side of this business — that is, the media relations aspect.
As Prof. Shorr mentioned, it’s almost a must that a journalist have good relationship with these people because they, for all intents and purposes, have control of the access that reporters have to players and coaches; thus, they become “our best friends” effectively. We see it now with an organization like the Patriots — information that comes out of a team can be controlled to the point where it is hard for journalists to get the answers they need. Media relations people like Brian and Eric do essential jobs for professional teams and it requires a delicate balancing act with the press, one that is essential for us to understand before going into the field.
While I do respect the job that media relations people do much more after that seminar, as Josh and Rick both mentioned, some of what they said seemed downright contradictory to what we’ve learned in class. When Brian was asked about his pet peeves, he talked about reporters getting to the point and not shooting the breeze. But as we learned from Chris Price and Peter Abraham, isn’t this how we establish trusting relationships with athletes and coaches? Additionally, Eric mentioned how he will approach a writer who writes something critical or negative about the team. Obviously, a team wants positive press surrounding it, but the press has to be allowed to do its fundamental job and that is to report the truth. Media relations people are undoubtedly helpful and I’ve had mostly positive experiences with the ones I’ve dealt with in the past, but after the seminar, I couldn’t help but wonder if media relations departments are simply there to put a positive spin on things while sometimes concealing the truth.
However, at the end of the day, it is all a balancing act, one in which everyone is simply trying to do their jobs. Athletes try to go out and win games, journalists try to get their stories and media relations professionals try to manage the exchange between athlete and media. We all work in this vacuum and it is important that we all understand each other’s roles, including those of media relations departments because wherever we go, even if it’s the Worcester Sharks, they too will be there working alongside us on a daily basis.
David posted on November 30, 2011 at 2:17 pm
It is interesting how passion can present itself in different ways. Both Eric and Brian have an amazing passion for their work, but they portray themselves in completely different ways.
Eric was clearly the more enthusiastic of the two, and when he spoke you could clearly tell that he was on his way to doing sports play-by-play. Eric articulated how he was involved in several different aspects of the Worcester Sharks organization and how each was integral to his progression. And as Josh mentioned in his comment, Eric’s work may be just a tad bit more laid back and fun because he works for a minor league team.
Brian on the other hand was less animated but his work ethic and underlying enthusiasm for his work still came through when he spoke. It seems that many of the comments made about Brian are extremely negative. So to respond to the negativity surrounding Brian I would have to say this:
Brian’s comments and perspectives came from his experience in a job in which has to balance and keep the best interests of the team, the players and the media in mind. I truly believe that Brian understands that the media’s need to build a report, and subsequently, a relationship with the players that they are covering, which is why part of his responsibilities includes managing special requests between reporters and athletes and athletes and the community. His comments were made based on the fact that he needs to balance several different interests.
I had a chance to speak with Eric and Brian in depth after the seminar two weeks ago. Eric spoke with the same cadence and lively tone when speaking both in the seminar setting and privately. Speaking to Brian outside of the seminar setting, in contrast to during, his vibrancy and vigor were significantly increased. He couldn’t stop talking about how much he loves his job.
I happened to find both what Eric and what Brian said to be very intuitive and beneficial knowing that their responses to professor Shorr’s questions came from different life experiences: Eric moving his way slowly up the ladder with the Sharks and Brian having stepped into a position immediately with a professional sports franchise. The takeaway from this seminar for me was that this industry has room for several different personalities.
Lee posted on November 30, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Media relations people are a resource, and one that I believe can be phased out of the equation the longer you stay in a locker room. Most of my work as a producer and reporter can be directly traced back to the media relations/SID’s here at BU. Freshman and sophomore year I worked constantly with two sports information people during broadcasts, and I would go to those same people to help me secure subjects for my videos. But like any other walk of life my network has expanded beyond the SID’s, and in most cases, I can work effectively without them. I know each one of them well and make an effort to be as nice and polite to them as possible. While I need them less and less to do my job, there are still times where they can really be a help in making a particular project come together.
I think that’s why we heard the veteran reporters talk about avoiding the media relations people. Peter Gammons doesn’t need to ask the Red Sox PR staff to get Josh Becket for him. He just goes up to Josh Becket and has a conversation. I really enjoyed the contrast in big team/small team and also the contrast in career goals. Brian seemed to be a hook-line-and-sinker PR guy, where Eric saw the role as a means to an end, with that end being play-by-play announcing.
Tyler posted on November 30, 2011 at 7:28 pm
My big takeaway from this seminar was a reinforcement of something Nick Gagalis hinted at earlier this year: if you want to be a sportscaster these days, you’ve got to do a whole lot more than just calling the games.
Eric clearly has his hands full with media relations responsibilities, and he seemed desperate for interns to take the extra work off his hands. If you remember, Nick got his Providence Bruins broadcasting gig through a media relations internship — it sounded like an odd connection at first, but I’m beginning to realize that broadcasting and media relations are very much intertwined, especially at the minor league level. 95% of the radio job postings in minor league baseball are “Broadcasting/Media Relations” positions. The two clearly go hand-in-hand, and if you want to get anywhere in the broadcast industry, it seems like you’ve got to be able to handle both.
On another note, I think journalism students could work well in certain media relations positions, especially as Sports Information Directors. Granted, much of an SIDs role is setting up interviews for other people, but look at GoTerriers.com, which is completely run by the BU media relations department. They produce videos, live blog on twitter, and write previews and recaps for every athletic event. Aside from the obligatory bias towards BU teams, there are certainly some similarities between their website and, say, the Freep sports section.
I guess I’m trying to say media relations seems like it could be a decent alternative if this whole journalism thing doesn’t pan out. And from what I hear, it’s a more financially secure way to live, as opposed to freelancing and eating Ramen. Now that I think of it, I know of at least 5 WTBU grads who are now working as SIDs at Bryant, Northeastern, and BU….maybe it’s a new fad.
Lacey posted on November 30, 2011 at 7:52 pm
This seminar brought to light a little known subject for me, how public and media relations directors function. For the longest time, I assumed that they were sort of the “enemy” restricting access to certain players and being somewhat callous in how they treat reporters. If anything, PR people seemed to be the exact opposite of a journalist; really being capable of screwing up our modus opernadi. What I thought PR reps did was try and find ways to make it difficult for reporters to get the information they needed for a story or package. Turns out that is not necessarily the case.
When Brian and Eric came in to speak with us, I immediately realized that these guys aren’t so bad–especially the boisterous Eric, whom did an excellent job discussing the ins and outs of his multiple jobs working for Worcherter’s AHL team; but excuse me, I digress.
These two PR men approached the seminar how I felt they would approach a request from a reporter for a specific player. They were careful and considerate, providing just reasons for why they act as they do, citing that there is a constant ebb and flow in appeasing the media and the athletes. Simply put, they have to stroke the egos of the players and make sure the journalists get what they want. It is a balancing act.
As the seminar progressed, both Eric and Brian responded to questions with thoughtfulness. Their answers were not plagued with premeditated, overused statements so stale that they could break their mouths with them. Instead, they opened up to the class and discussion, not hiding behind cliches or a wall of secrecy that seems to self-construct whenever most reporters want information from PR people. Maybe it is the stereotype that hurts PR individuals most. I never considered the challenge public and media relations men and women must face on a daily basis attempting to organize players, personnel and media events without agitating certain parties. These two guys really brought some quality information to the table.
Although I have no intention of ever being a public relations manager, I have acquired a new found respect for their work. This profession is something I feel can at times be stifling and very limited creatively, which I suppose would be the biggest reasons why I will remain in the journalism field.
Margot posted on November 30, 2011 at 7:55 pm
For those of us in the graduate program, we took an entire class in our second semester devoted essentially to how to be a media relations person. While we probably didn’t need a whole class for that, seeing as we are interested in journalism and not PR, it’s definitely important to know how these guys think and how to work with them rather than fighting them every step of the way.
Media relations people are more or less obstacles that journalists have to deal with in order to get access to an athlete for their stories. Brian said it himself, it’s their job to make sure the athletes don’t say anything that is not supposed to be discussed, i.e. interesting, with the press. As a journalist, these guys can be huge thorns in your side. Once again, it all comes back to relationships, as it has so many times over the course of this semester. The relationships that you foster with these people can either make or break your ability to get access or special scoops on the team your covering. Eric even said that sometimes he tips off reporters that he likes when something is going on with the team.
Being a media relations person is not something that I have high aspirations towards. I wrote enough press releases in Sports Com to tide me over. It also seems like you are responsible for babysitting a bunch of man-children all the time and making sure they don’t tweet anything stupid, or drive drunk, or shoot themselves in the leg, or have foot fetishes, or sexually harass team employees… Oh wait that’s just the Jets?? Honestly, is there a bigger nightmare then being a media relations employee for that team? I digress… But in all seriousness, it seems like journalistic skills are rarely utilized in this profession. How creative can you get when your writing up the starting line ups?
I think the most important thing that I got out of this is that it is to your benefit to try and develop a sort of symbiotic relationship with these people. Cover the team honestly and fairly, don’t go behind their backs, and hopefully they will throw you a bone every now and then and give you the inside track on a big trade story or something. Here’s hoping anyway.
Catie Tilton posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:59 pm
This seminar was by far my favorite. It is no surprise that I enjoyed listening to Media Relations professionals more than anyone else we have seen because I did major in public relations. When it comes to comparing reporting and public relations, public relations is my passion.
The main reason I choose PR over reporting is because I see a huge difference in relationships. From my own experience, I have seen Media Relations professionals become part of the team’s “family.” They get to know every single player on a very personal level. Their job is to be sure the athletes are portrayed in a positive light and in doing this; they become part of the athlete’s support system. Maybe it’s because the thing I love most about athletics is being on a team and from what I have experienced, the Media Relations department becomes part of the team.
On the other side, I don’t always see a positive connection between reporters and athletes because as we have learned, you must put aside your passion for the team or individual athlete and simply do your job. Your job is to write stories and to write the truth, whether it is positive or negative.
From my experience, I have seen a much better relationship between Media Relations and athletes than I have reporters and athletes. I want to become part of the team where my job is support the athletes and promote them for the positive things they do, as well as the work they put forth. I never want to have to write negatively about an athlete.
For these reasons, I really enjoyed having Eric and Brian in our seminar. The way they described their jobs is exactly what I have seen.
One thing that stuck out to me was when Brian stated, ”As fun as it is to be in the locker room, take the fan portion out of it and just realize you’re there to do a job.” It’s interesting because I think reporters really have to take the fan portion out of it, where Media Relations professionals don’t necessarily need to. Yes, you obviously can’t get star struck while controlling media in the locker room, but you still get to cheer your team on. Media Relations professionals can and have to be bias toward their team because they are mostly performing crisis communication. When shit hits the fan and someone screws up, it’s your job to show the athlete how to fix it by telling him or her the right things to say so that the media can write optimistic things. You are constantly working to support the team that you work for which allows you to remain a fan.
Patrick Hazel posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:47 am
I think I liked this seminar because of my PR background. I have much respect for media relations people, as their job is often hectic and fast paced.Trying to balance the management of players, reporters, coaches, locker room stories and journalists is no easy task, but Brian and Eric, just like most of the other speakers we had, have a genuine passion and respect for what they do. They really seem like they love the work they are doing which is important.
I was reading Lacey’s post, and she hit the nail on the head. PR people sometimes have to play a fine line between what they want to say and what should be said during the seminar. When dealing with press releases and writing for the media there is much you have to deal with, and keeping good relationships, just like all the other people who came to the seminars, is important as well.
I think being an SID is unique to the sports journalism world. Between setting up interviews, controlling the media, websites, there is a lot that an SID must juggle. I have an interest in writing for sports media, not necessarily being an SID, though. I love writing press releases, feature articles, and general press statements. I got my first experience with these in my media relations class two years ago, and these are things I think Brian and Eric are familiar with and love writing.
I liked this seminar because I feel like with my PR background, this is the one I could relate to most. I dont think I would ever be an SID, but you never know right? All that matters is to have enthusiasm and love what you do, no matter where you are and at what level.
Thats what I got from Eric the most. His job doesnt sound like the most appealing one, as he handles media relations work for the NHL Sharks minor league team. His energy and passion was glowing off him as he explained his work and routines. Maybe it was because he works for a minor league team is why he says he has so much fun, but regardless he seems very happy and enthusiastic with what he does. Brian, while not as enthusiastic, still gave us a unique perspective on what he has to deal with, from juggling Doc Rivers and players, to finally earning the trust of such a respected guy as Kevin Garnett of the Celtics. Very interesting stuff. I lean towards the PR side of sports journalism, but there is always a spot for a passionate person somewhere as long as they are committed to what they do and enjoy their work the way Brian and Eric do.
David Lombardi posted on December 1, 2011 at 1:02 am
It certainly is important to know media relations people if you want access to major sporting events that you are or even aren’t covering. I made good connections with the SIDs at Stanford from my time calling games there, and that was enough to obtain sideline credentials for the Oregon game when we visited earlier in November or a press row court side seat at Madison Square Garden for the Preseason NIT this past week… But aside from ‘cool’ perks, I know from experience it’s seriously important to develop solid relationships with media relations people.
For play-by-play, you’ll be forever thankful for the updated stream of stats and useful information that they’ll be sure to feed you during the broadcast and for any written job, having a a media relations guy looking out for you almost writes the story for with minimal work. SIDs truly are the bridge between journalists and the team, and anyone covering a squad would be foolish not to treat those guys right.
It’s especially important, though, to keep in mind that they are actually part of the team’s operation, and not part of the media. Obviously, they’ll try to put a pro-Stanford or pro-BU spin to things. So although the information you get from SIDs may be very convenient, make sure you take some of it with a grain of salt, because these guys are not committed to objective journalism; that’s just not in their job title.
I feel good journalism, though, entails criticizing a team/coach when necessary, even when the media relations person who credentialed you doesn’t like it… sometimes you just have to bite the bullet…. back your criticism up with facts, and you’ll get credentialed again.
Heidi posted on December 1, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Eric and Brian definitely shed some light on the media relations job. I have a better understanding of what they do now. I agree with some of what Josh said, though. Their outlook on things is much different than what most of the journalists we have talked to this semester said. It seemed that Brian, more so than Eric, wants journalists to build relationships with him and not as much the athletes. What really caught my attention was the comment they made about not making small talk with the athletes. I understand the phone interview thing that Eric said but in the locker room, that seemed odd. Didn’t Tedy Bruschi tell us specifically that there was a reporter that he always chatted with about his family was someone he always favored? After this seminar, I really see the two sides of the coin. I’m learning more and more that straddling the fence is a big part of this business. You really have to play to what everyone wants.
I also saw a big difference in Eric and Brian. Eric was really enthusiastic and open about things. You could really tell that Brian worked for a professional team. He seemed to have to think about every word he said. I would think that the constant pressure gets to you after a while.
I see the value in having people in this position as allies but I still think that the most important relationship you build is going to be the one with the athlete.
Also, kudos to Tyler for making his name a link to WTBU. Should I make mine a link to Felger and Mazz? (That one was just for you guys, L.T. and Lee!)