As strange as it might sound, being the reporter in the world of journalism might be the easiest job of all… Never mind you get to be the star of the story but just as often as not, a producer or assignment editor hands you your story, complete with scheduled interviews and if you’re really lucky, a photographer/editor…
Such is not the case with the people behind the scenes…
As the Executive Sports Producer for a major affiliate here in Boston, I was on call twenty four hours a day…It was my responsibility to make sure we had the story first, had it right and didn’t get beat… Calls in the middle of the night were regular occurrences…That midnight phone call on the night in October, 1982 when Bruins forward Normand Leveille suffered a brain aneurysm during a game in Vancouver was par for the course…As was the six A.M. call from Assignment Editor Howie Levings, telling me our Washington DC affiliate was reporting that Celtics number one draft pick Lenny Bias had overdosed on cocaine…Both called for immediate action, putting the pieces in place…
So, it was particularly telling when, at the most recent Boston University Sports Journalism Seminar, I asked New England Patriots Media Director Stacey James if he felt like a “fireman” some times…James smiled and immediately understood the reference…”You’re always putting out a flame”…That includes making sure Coach Bill Belichick’s message gets out there loud and clear: “We’re always trying to eliminate the distractions, (stressing) what’s important for the football team.” Longevity in any job sometimes speaks volumes…. James predates owner Robert Kraft and coach Belichick, so he must be doing something right…
The media relations people can be your best friends and sometimes your most important link to the players and information. The basics, credentials, access, practice times are second nature but confirming information and damage control play equal roles…Matt Johnson handles media relations for the Manchester Monarchs East Coast Hockey League team…He’s the Vice President of Brand and Marketing officially and the gatekeeper when it comes to what you, as a reporter, need to do…You’ve never been in a professional locker room and can’t imagine what that means…But as Johnson told us, it’s a two way street; “It’s an interesting dance (trying to gain access), Generally you’ll hear people say I’m with so and so organization and once that is established, that it’s something they’re trying to do for a job versus just coming in to get access, then you can go from there.”…
Johnson and James are constantly being pushed and pulled, trying to satisfy their bosses, their players and coaches and their fans who want more and more information…You don’t make any friends when you stand up in front of assembled reporters and say “Last question”…
For those wanting to work in media relations, Johnson and James had words of warning…Johnson relayed how he had to wear the Springfield (MA) Falcons mascot suit on a 95 degree day at a water park one time…James’s caution was a bit more personal; “The hardest part of my job is explaining to my wife why I’m two hours later that I said I would be”…But let’s be honest here, James also has five Super Bowl rings…It all goes with the territory…..
It’s been quite a couple of week for James and the Patriots…A Super Bowl loss, a sports talk radio host insulting Tom Brady’s daughter, Ron Borges’s Boston Herald story and most lately, former Patriot tight end Christian Fauria’s degrading imitation of Don Yee…I would say James has earned his stripes (or whatever they give out in the station house)…Johnson has mixed feeling about all that…Certainly he wants to keep his team in the news but not so much in that same way….The Monarchs currently lead their division and Johnson is happy to fly under the radar……
There’s an old saying – “be careful what you wish for”…James and Johnson might be at different ends of the spectrum right now but they are great examples for students to learn from…
The media people are your conduit…Build the bridge, don’t burn it…
11 Comments
Taylor Ventrice posted on February 19, 2018 at 1:49 pm
As a sports broadcast journalist, I didn’t know much about the media relations side of sports, but after speaking with Stacey James, VP of Media Relations at the New England Patriots, and Matt Johnson, VP of Brand and Marketing at the Manchester Monarchs, I realized just how vital their positions are.
This past weekend I was preparing for an upcoming interview, and one of the practice questions was, “do you want to learn a little about a lot, or a lot about a little?” The exact question James had asked our class last Thursday. And, obviously, this is a difficult question to answer, but as Johnson said, “[we] need to be well versed in a lot of things,” especially in this industry. “You have to have writing skills, social media skills, be able to shoot and cut video,” said Johnson, along with a lot of other qualities. So, this seminar helped me answer that practice interview question. I want to learn a little about a lot so that I am well versed in almost every aspect of the career I am working towards. Granted, I basically need to master all of these skills, but knowing how to do all of them well, is much better than being a master at just one skill, in my opinion.
Another important topic discussed with James and Johnson was relationships. Relationships are incredibly significant in this industry, especially for Johnson. Johnson said there are specific writers that he will help out more because he has relationships with them and to build a relationship, Johnson said to attend practices, team events, etc. As a student journalist, you know from day one that relationships are crucial. The better relationship you have with a player, a coach, or a staff member of the organization, the more likely you are to have an easier time writing a story or interviewing them. And getting those stories and interviews is the key to success in this business. As James mentioned, even though being apart of a well-known company, ESPN, CBS, Fox, etc., will get you in the door for the interviews, having a good connection with the player or coach will help you more. They will be more willing to answer those difficult interview questions; which, again, is essential for writing an excellent article.
Lastly, when asked what the hardest change of the industry has been over the years, James said, “I loved being able to influence and balance a story back then…we don’t have influence anymore.” Fact – checkers used to call before a story broke, but now stories break on Twitter, whether they’re correct or not. In 2018, reports are easily fixed on Twitter, with the next tweet that follows. Listening to James explain how reporters checked their stories with the media reps was foreign to me. I can’t imagine a reporter doing that in this era. But, seeing how much the journalism industry has changed in just over 20 years makes me think of where we will be in the next 20 years; which brings us all the way back to week one with Rob Bradford and Emerson Lotzia. No one has a firm answer, but the concept is mind-blowing to think about.
Elizabeth Pentikis posted on February 20, 2018 at 5:29 pm
https://goo.gl/TH6izG
Ashleigh Shanley posted on February 20, 2018 at 8:33 pm
Media Relations Blog Post:
In our most recent Sports Broadcasting Seminar, our guest Matt Johnson was asked if he always wanted to work in sports – particularly hockey, since he is the Vice President of Brand and Marketing for the Manchester Monarchs. He surprisingly said no, not really. Johnson disclosed that he has a memory of walking into Fenway for the first time and he got “this feeling.” A feeling he wanted to share with everyone, and through journalism Johnson realized he could recreate that reaction for others to experience.
This instantly clicked with me.
When I was nine years old, my dad took me to my first Michigan Football game. I was told the stadium was special, but words cannot describe the feeling I got walking into the Big House for the first time. It was a combination of excitement, chills, nerves, and adrenaline.
And that feeling comes back every time I visit the Big House.
In fact, similar to Johnson, the need to reproduce that feeling led me to develop my unwavering interest in sports. I started following every Michigan football game and all of college football. Then I began watching Michigan basketball and following March Madness. Until, I eventually became invested in all college sports.
While that special feeling led me to follow and love college sports, I really became interested in the endless stories that are hidden within college sports. But, who tells those stories? Until last week, I thought it was only sports journalists that wrote articles profiling athletes and teams. Little did I know, each team has their own reporting crew – the media relations department.
“Part of our job is to create the stories,” said Johnson. “With bigger teams, they’re already there for you.” However, as Johnson mentioned, with minor league teams and some colleges you have a considerable opportunity to explore and find the stories.
This is the exact reason I became interested in journalism – particularly sports journalism. I want to tell people’s stories, and every athlete has their own unique tale. In college sports especially, there are so many stories of how each individual athlete got to where they are. These athlete’s stories might not be as high profile as Kyrie Irving’s or Tom Brady’s, but each story is still important and helps create a more intimate relationship between the fans and the players.
“You can connect with people if you can tell stories,” said Stacy James, the New England Patriots Media Director. Building that connection is one of the main jobs of media relations. And that is exactly what I want to do – whether it is as a reporter with a network or as a team reporter I want to create a relationship between athletes and fans. Thanks to this past seminar, my eyes were opened to a new career path
“It provides a lot of stability,” said James about serving as a media relations coordinator.
Starting out, these jobs can be great for new sports journalists. Media relations positions allow journalists to engage in daily reporting; they give us the freedom to find and tell players’ stories; and we get access to various events, games, and staff.
One long term limitation for a journalist staying in one of these positions is the inability to practice a reporter’s main job: giving both sides of the story. While working for an athletic team, covering controversial topics can be very difficult. As a team reporter, you are asked to paint the team in a positive light, instead of reporting both sides of the story.
James said, you have to get as much information as possible and then get your side of the story out. This is the biggest difference between sports journalists and media relations: balanced stories. While a sports reporter is required to give both sides of the story and remain unbiased, working in media relations you are meant to give the story that paints the team, athlete or program in a better light.
No doubt, either career path allows a new sports journalist to hone their skills. It all comes down to whether one wants to be a part of the team or a part of a network, and neither option is wrong.
Jane Rose posted on February 20, 2018 at 10:04 pm
Before this week’s seminar I never really gave much thought to the media relations aspect of sports journalism, but now I see just how intertwined the two are.
Journalists who forge relationships with those in charge of media are far more likely to get the breaking story, the coveted interview, or even just the press pass into the game.
A lot of people would think that journalists simply ask the questions and write the story, but the relationship with someone representing the team is a whole other part of their job.
Scandals in sports make the job much easier for journalists, giving endless story possibilities. But I never thought about the other side of that — how the team involved is represented.
Stacey James of the Patriots said that these big stories with the team, such as Josh McDaniels backing out of his deal with the Colts, are what force him to be home much later than he promises his family. I can’t imagine trying to fight the flames of stories that impact the organization (especially the negative ones) and now when news strikes I will definitely keep in mind how the media relations person is handling it and not just how it is being reported. I think it will make us all even better journalists when we consider the other side as well.
Matt Johnson from the Manchester Monarchs went through some of his duties and said that he is the one basically keeping players happy by getting their families tickets or arranging their meetings with reporters. In turn, they do the things that help public relations for the team, like hospital visits. As a fan, I’ve attended quite a few of these events with players and it’s truly interesting to know who is in charge of these.
The tips Matt gave about what to say when requesting credentials were helpful and I plan to use in the future, where I typically feel intimidated.
On a side note, I had a fan moment when Matt discussed the Monarchs because as someone very familiar with the LA Kings, hearing names like former Monarchs Jonathan Quick and Dustin Brown come up in conversation genuinely brought a smile to my face.
This week definitely showcased the relationship I have to have with media professionals to do the best job possible as a reporter. It also emphasized that I never want to be on the other side, but I have respect for the people who do.
Matt Dresens posted on February 21, 2018 at 5:40 pm
Initially, I was very excited that when I found out Stacey James was coming from the Patriots, but as the seminar went along, I found myself connecting more an more with Matt Johnson from the Manchester Monarchs. When I asked the question what drove him to get into the sports business, his response was very telling.
He said that he when he walked into Fenway Park, looked up through the seat entrance and saw the field he had a feeling. A feeling that he wanted to express. To that, I say bravo.
I knew a long time ago that I wanted to be in the sports industry and its because I love the games. I also love that feeling when you walking into a stadium, experience a thrilling game or moment and I want to be the one who can tell that story.
Along with describing that “feeling,” “being first” is another huge motivating factor, at least for me. I tend to look at most things in life as a competition. I want to be first and I want to be right. Even from my experience in this semester in 514, I feel that pressure to get the inside track on a story. I want to beat the Free Press at their own beat. I love that aspect of the business, but I can only imagine it gets more stressful as you move up the ladder, especially being the lead director.
Another aspect of the industry that was talked about at great length was the idea of being “on call” all the time. I don’t know if I’m biased here, but both of my parents work in the medical industry. I see my mom get up at 4:45 am four times a week to work a “part-time” job. My dad works on call two weekends a month and lives in the hospital half the time. To me, I guess I’ve just grown up with people being on call my whole life. Its just been natural for me to assume that you’re never really “away from the office.”
I think one of the downsides to PR is that they are trying to put out their own message and spin stories in a way that will hurt the team the least. I also think a lot of the time, people can see right through that. Then there was the situation that arose after the Seth Wickersham article was published.
As you know, the article used unnamed sources and was hit piece on the Patriots, but more specifically Tom Brady. The team then put out a statement saying that some of the article was factually inaccurate. This lead to people picking sides as to who to believe.
I really think that a lot of people distrust not just the sports media, but media in general, but I believe that more people just see PR as glorified damage control more than anything.
That’s not to say that Matt and Stacey are in the wrong. They have a job to protect their brand, but at what point does the brand become more important than the truth?
Andrew Mason posted on February 21, 2018 at 9:16 pm
What Kind of a Bridge Can You Build?
From the moment I looked at this semester’s seminar list of guests, I painted an image in my head of who I thought media relations professionals Stacey James and Matt Johnson would be: rude, hot-headed New Englanders who hate journalists more than Bill Belichick hates smiling. However, I was shocked by how chill and relaxed they both were. “Balancing forty different schedules”, putting out flames left and right, dealing with writers you’ve never heard of trying to get an interview with your star goalie, are all things that would lead me to gauge my eyes out. Seriously. But both gentlemen were calm, cool, and collected. Over this past weekend, the more I thought about last Thursday’s Sports Journalism Seminar class, I realized there’s not enough yoga in the world to keep somebody under that much pressure from stressing out beyond repair. Both James and Johnson must be putting on an act of some sort. As the face of a franchise that the media sees on a regular basis, media relations men and women have to act as if all is well and keep their temper and anxiety levels down – even in Rob Gronkowski “really did just say that”.
I’ll be completely honest here. Like James admitted of himself when he was a freshman in college, I too had ZERO idea how important media relations people really are to journalists in the real world. Of course, most of my sports reporting work has been through UC Irvine and Boston University, so all I’ve ever had to deal with were colleges’ SIDs – which, for the most part seem to understand that we are students still learning the craft. And while the SIDs are an important step in the process, I’ve found it’s even more crucial in establishing a foundation with the athlete. But jeez, these media relations individuals truly are both the “bridge” and the difference between getting our job done or not when it comes to covering professional sports.
Simply put, nobody is getting meaningful access to key players or coaches on the Patriots or Monarchs without James or Johnson knowing about and agreeing to it. And if either does decide to let you (and therefor your outlet) into a locker room, they still aim to manage what is gathered. James noted that his ability to “shape” a story has decreased due to the Internet and the lack of fact-checkers calling in before a story in published like they used to. Although James and Johnson would probably want to strangle me for saying this, this trend is exactly what I want to see as a sports journalist. Adding obstacles to a media relations person getting in between the truth and my published story that reaches the public is great for the principles of journalism and relaying information. As long as I know James and Johnson are trying to influence the news I gather, I know it’s even that much more important to not be a lazy reporter.
In terms of mending and building relationships with less popular teams’ media relations personnel, Johnson’s advice of sending your article to him when finished stuck with me. It’s both humbling and a flattering to know that the person who allowed you to enter their locker room or talk to one of his or her players is actually following up and checking your work – hey, I’ll take as many clicks as I can get. But in all seriousness, we as journalists essentially now have three readers or audiences to write for – fans, our editors, and now the actual sports teams we are covering. The tough part is finding that balance. How can I craft a story that is accurate, interesting to my editors and readers, and all the while doesn’t burn my bridge?
Of course, tending to all three is equally important. But we must always keep in mind that there is no “Command-Z” in this business. Piss somebody off once, odds are you’ll never see the inside of that locker room again.
Jessica Citronberg posted on February 21, 2018 at 9:20 pm
This week was quite unique compared to the other seminars we’ve had. Stacey James of the New England Patriots and Matt Johnson of the Manchester Monarchs came to join our class and talk about their experiences in the media relations field.
I didn’t really know what to expect going in to the class, but by the end of class I felt like I had learned so much. I really liked the contrast between the two teams they represented. The contrast between an NFL team and an ECHL team was apparent in how they do their jobs. They have completely different roles when it comes to media relations.
Stacey mentioned that he works on getting the unique story of every player, no matter their place on the roster. That’s really the kind of story I like to write. Feature pieces are some of my favorites to write and read.
Matt’s job is completely different. He is looking for as many people to cover the Monarchs as possible. Stacey has copious amounts of reporters to the point that he has to turn people away, and Matt is looking to fill up a press box.
In my journalism classes, I usually don’t learn about anything media relations. I really benefited from this class and from Stacey and Matt’s testimonies.
Regardless of your career path in sports media, it’s important to realize that media relations people and journalists have to coexist. In my opinion, they shouldn’t only coexist, but there should be a strong bridge between the two. If you’re going to work together, you need to be respectful of the other people in the industry. It’s definitely not a bridge worth burning.
Overall I think this was a great seminar and I’m glad that we got to learn about the media relations side this week.
Matthew Doherty posted on February 21, 2018 at 10:29 pm
Journalists and broadcasters get all the fame and recognition in the sports media world but without media relations professionals, their jobs would be significantly more difficult.
So when New England Patriots Media Director Stacey James said “you’re always putting out a flame,” it stuck with me.
In last Thursday’s seminar, I experienced a new side of sports communications as I’m sure many of my other classmates did as well. We all know Patriot writers Ben Volin and Greg Bedard or broadcaster Scott Zolak, but James, the man behind the operation, is much less known. That’s life as a media relations professional.
Sure media relations isn’t “sexy” and there’s behind the scenes work. But as Matt Johnson, the Vice President of Brand and Marketing of the Manchester Monarchs mentioned, it’s A LOT of hard work.
Johnson said he arrives to the rink at 7 a.m. on game days and doesn’t leave until… 11 p.m., sometimes even later. He puts media packets together, schedules interviews, gives credentials, etc. People like Johnson put in so much work to make journalist’s jobs easier. For that, they not only deserve credit but they require respect.
As an aspiring journalist, I learned from James and Johnson about how important and precious the relationship is between journalists and media relation members. They are the path to my stories and ultimately my career if I’m a journalist. If you get on their bad side, you are sure as hell being passed up on the next story idea. You CAN NOT do your job as a journalist without media relations, so don’t screw it up. It’s crucial to not only build a relationship with people like James and Johnson, but treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. I now know that it will go along way towards my career.
Both Stacey and Matt also opened up another side of the sports media world to me. My career focus has always been writing and broadcasting. I got into journalism because I love sports, I love attending games, and I love telling stories. Well, I learned that you can do all of that in media relations too. You don’t need to be a famous broadcaster, or hot-take columnist, or radio host to work in sports. There are so many jobs behind the scenes that allow you to work in sports media.
Yes, Matt and Stacey do a lot of “dirty” work and “put out fires”. But at the end of the day, their main job is to tell stories, just like writers and broadcasters. They just do it in a different way. Writing for the Boston Globe or broadcasting for ESPN has its perk but so does James and Johnson’s jobs. Stacey has five rings and probably gets more words out of Belichick than any media member ever will. Johnson is obviously working his way up in the field but I’m sure he has formed close relationships with players and organizational members that traditional media members can’t.
Every job has its positives and negatives. Stacey and Matt showed me that their is another side to sports media that might not be as “sexy” but is still worthwhile. And as a journalist, you better build the strongest bridge you can with those media relations people.
Laura Guerriero posted on February 21, 2018 at 11:13 pm
I think the most surprising takeaway I learned from this week’s seminar was that those that work in media relations do not just work with storytellers, they are storytellers. I had never thought of media relations as a storytelling job, but hearing New England Patriots Media Director Stacey James talk about how he uses the media to gain information in order to mold the story from the Patriots’ point of view put things into perspective for me. Yeah, media relations is about monitoring the team and putting out statements, but those statements need to be carefully crafted to avoid as much damage as possible. I don’t know if it’s just me, but that seems more difficult than being a reporter that’s writing about tonight’s game.
I also hadn’t thought about how the profile pieces highlighting players’ personal stories are curated by media relations. Although people that work in media relations have a job to make the teams they work for look good,they still take on the role of a journalist/storyteller through finding and showcasing these stories.
This brings me to my second takeaway: media relations is all about being able to successfully do everything at once. It sounds like my parents preparing for Christmas dinner at our house- organized chaos. Making sure both the team and media are situated and comfortable, “putting out fires” when they arise, and even performing tasks that aren’t necessarily in their job descriptions are just some of the things James and Manchester Monarchs Vice President of Brand and Marketing Matt Johnson discussed have to do on a day-to-day basis. That’s a lot of trust to place on one person, but mutual trust is one of the most important pillars of media relations, as Johnson briefly discussed. Not only does there need to be trust between the media relations personnel and the team to keep things running smoothly, there needs to be trust between the media and media relations in order to convey the correct information to the public (as well as to build that much-needed relationship between the two).
As a beat reporter for BU’s women’s hockey team for the FreeP’s sports section as well as a former cheerleader, I found a lot of what Johnson said about media relations in a smaller market resonated with me. Although these are collegiate and not professional teams, there are still similarities, such as the push for ticket sales. The cheerleading team attends less-frequented games on campus and works closely with the director of marketing and promotions to run events that would bring in more students, families, and fans to see the games. For the FreeP, there are typically the same three people reporting at each game, and so much importance is placed on games like the Beanpot, which receives attention from media outlets outside of BU’s, such as the Boston Globe
I was talking to Jane at the end of the seminar, and we both agreed that we would both probably find it very hard to keep secrets like those working in media relations do. I’ll probably have to get better at that before heading out into the real world.
Shane Rhodes posted on February 21, 2018 at 11:43 pm
It was quite interesting to hear things from the media relations side of the table this week rather than from the media itself. However different or opposite the professions may seem, there are a lot of things that both media relations people and journalists seemingly have in common.
Both sides are just looking for stories to tell. Matt Johnson noted that, with the Monarchs, he is constantly trying to promote the players and show who they really are; while the motives may differ, journalists essentially do the same thing. People read stories from both sides in order to understand the players and who they are as people, good or bad.
In a way, making friends with the media relations people is almost as important as much as important as establishing a relationship or connection with the players. Guys like Stacy James and Johnson can make our job that much easier by providing ease of access to players, coaches, and other benefits down the line. On the flipside, they can make our lives that much harder should they be provoked or antagonized by writers. Being in constant contact with one another, it’s important to maintain a positive link with media relations in order to keep access open; if you don’t have access there is no reason for your employer to keep you around.
Media relations and journalism also seem to overlap on surprises and the difficulty in covering them; James and Johnson both said surprises can be the hardest part of their job, whether it be running damage control or otherwise, and the same could be said for journalists. While big news about a specific player or organization, controversial or not, could be good in terms of business and viewer traffic, it can be difficult to cover such events on short notice. And because of the internet, that difficulty is only heightened as everyone races to be the first to report in on a story.
A running theme that our guests have made sure to hammer home in each seminar — James and Johnson did a very good job of this — has been the importance of versatility in both the journalism field and the media relations field; not only is it key to landing a job but it is essential to diversify in order to remain relevant in the industry. Both James and Johnson said that, starting out, they were asked to do everything on the job. The same will likely be required of us, whether it be writing, shooting video, doing live shots, etc. Elaborating on their thoughts a bit, it is important for us to prove to prospective employers that they cannot do without us, or that we can provide them with some form of content that people will engage in and want more of. Sustainability is survival in modern journalism, so if you manage to get readers to come back you’re going to stand out amongst the crowd.
Overall, I thought James and Johnson were some of our better guests this semester because they introduced a different perspective to our work. Regardless of whatever potential disagreements media relations people and journalists may have on promoting the brand versus promoting the truth, having that perspective from the other side could be a huge benefit going forward.
Alanna McDonough-Rice posted on February 22, 2018 at 1:07 am
I think that the most important part of the discussion with Matt Johnson and Stacey James was the idea of “building bridges.” You have to build them with not only the players, the coaches, and within your industry, but also with the fans. Johnson talked about the feeling he got whenever he walked into a game and how he wanted to help recreate that feeling for people. I think that the feeling he can provide to the fans by ensuring a great experience for them is what really makes the industry special. Johnson provides the players with opportunities to meet the fans, volunteer in the community, and make an impact on peoples’ lives that not only enhances their image, but also the fan’s connection to the game. No one wants to see a team that has a bad reputation in the community or a team that’s rude to fans, so Johnson does a great job making sure the team-fan connection is strong and bridges aren’t burned because of one player’s mistake.
As a hockey fan myself, I think Johnson’s job of traveling with the team, preparing for pre- and post-game coverage would be amazing, but it is time consuming. From seven in the morning until 11 at night on game day and traveling for several days, Johnson’s job is non-stop. Staying on top of all the players, their families, their friends, the fans, and the 40 schedules of all of those people and the reporters is a lot and making sure none of those bridges are burned would be incredibly taxing.
James’ job on the other hand seemed to be more about fielding media away from the players and being sure that comments weren’t made on things that should be left alone. While Johnson has to “bleed out” or over report and give all the necessary information about a negative situation to make sure it gets reported properly, James has to make sure not to provide an official comment on situations or rumors that should be ignored. James said that during phone calls or emails he always has to be sure to say he is not officially commenting on a situation. Reporters might take things differently than he meant and it can become more of a nightmare when dealing with a situation.
In my opinion the most important thing to remember with both of their jobs is that no matter what, you have to be on top of your game. Whether you’re with reporters, teams, or fans, you always need to make sure you’re focused on maintaining positive connections and giving everyone that same feeling of excitement that you get when you’re walking into a stadium.