2019 Sports PR Summit Recap

Authored by Montclair State University School of Media and Communications

Photos by Brad Kinzer and Libris by Photoshelter

It was a great day to be in the sports industry at the seventh annual Sports PR Summit held at The Players’ Tribune in New York City on May 21. The event brought together some of the brightest minds in the sports, communications and media business to discuss stories from their professions as well as issues in sports media. This included current and former athletes, executives, journalists and public relations professionals.

CONVERSATION #1 – Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill

After Sports PR Summit founder Brian Berger welcomed the attendees, the first featured conversation kicked off with a bang as NBA Hall of Famer and current Vice Chair for the Atlanta Hawks Grant Hill discussed his dual roles as a team executive and Turner Sports broadcaster with Ric Bucher of Fox Sports and Bleacher Report.

Hill discussed his belief in the motto “Don’t fear failure, fear success” and emphasized how handling success helped him immensely throughout his career.

Hill also addressed the importance of technology and social media in an athlete’s career. He believes that because players are constantly being watched by the media, it helps them deal with success and failure, citing the enormous microscope Zion Williamson has been under at such a young age. Hill emphasized how important it is for athletes to have a voice and to the medium to express themselves in an authentic way.

At times, journalists and athletes clash. Hill believes that for the media and athletes to work well with each other, mutual respect must be shown on both sides. “It’s a partnership,” Hill said.

Hill is also on the NCAA’s Board of Governors and served on the Rice Commission, which investigated a myriad of issues in college basketball.

Hill discussed his broadcasting career, and the challenges of calling a Duke game during the national tournament, and staying neutral when commentating. This was extremely difficult for Hill due to Duke being his alma mater and his close relationship with Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Hill ended the conversation focusing on how he believes players should speak their minds on social media. He encourages his players to stay informed on current issues so that they are knowledgeable about issues before they address them.

CONVERSATION #2 – 60 Minutes Correspondent & Sports Illustrated Executive Editor Jon Wertheim

The second conversation featured Sports Illustrated Executive Editor and 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim who discussed issues in sports media with WFAN host Maggie Gray. Wertheim discussed his franchise altering stories he co-authored about the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Wertheim provided candid insight for the PR executives in attendance about how they can work more effectively with reporters.

He also provided an inside look at his sit down with members of the Golden State Warriors for a report on 60 Minutes which aired in April — “The Talent And Mindset Behind the Golden State Warriors’ Dynasty.” The piece detailed some of the ups and downs for this team, including the team’s three championships wins as well as their devastating 2016 NBA Championship loss.

CONVERSATION #3: NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern

The third conversation certainly was a crowd-pleaser as former NBA Commissioner David Stern shared some of his experiences in a discussion with Sports Business Radio host Brian Berger. Stern addressed how the image of the NBA changed throughout his time as commissioner. At one point, some referred to the NBA as a league filled with “thugs and punks.” That imaged changed significantly in the 1980s.

Stern weighed in on topics ranging from Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook’s 2019 NBA Playoffs press conferences (and his “next question” responses) to how the NBA handled the “Malice at the Palace” with the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons in 2004 and how that crisis might have been viewed had it taken place in the social media age that exists today.

Stern also delivered a master class on the evolution of media, as well as his love of old school print media (he still gets three newspapers delivered every day).

Stern, who does not use social media regularly, believes that some people act “demented, delusional, and disgusting” when criticizing players on social media. He believes that some players struggle with this criticism because they’re perfectionists and are not used to being criticized. He also thinks social media criticism affects players’ mental health.

The Commissioner Emeritus discussed three big things coming to sports — legalized sports betting, legalized recreational cannabis and Esports. On legalized sports gambling, he said,  “It’s going to change everything, enormous wealth … ratings will go up.” However, he said what needs to be policed is “information.”  Stern added that he’s worried about the prospect of more gambling addictions.

The conversation ended with Stern talking about how sports can truly unify people and bring awareness to social issues. “If you want to engage the world in a single conversation, the way to do it is through sports,” he said.

CONVERSATION #4 – The Players’ Tribune Roundtable

The afternoon kicked off with a roundtable discussion moderated by Carl Scott, the Supervising Audio Producer for The Players’ Tribune. The roundtable featured Knuckleheads podcasters as well as former NBA players Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson. Scott also helps out with the podcast, assisting with audio as well as providing questions for Miles and Richardson to ask the guests.

The Knuckleheads podcast features high-profile athletes having informal conversations about basketball. Without a set format, the show is more like “barbershop talk” as they like to refer to it.

Miles said they ask questions in a way that is more conversational, as if they were just catching up. They also aim to ask questions the players are comfortable with, questions that they wouldn’t mind being asked themselves.

This type of format is unusual for many podcasts, even sports ones. However, as Richardson put it, the podcast is “for the players and about the players.” The main goal of the Knuckleheads podcast is to have athletes share their experiences in a relaxed, informal session.

“We want players to feel compelled to tell their stories and how they really are (outside of basketball), so hopefully the younger generation of players can learn from their experiences,” Miles said.

 The podcast has become extremely popular amongst current and former NBA players. Stars such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Jayson Tatum have been on the show. Other retired athletes such as Dwayne Wade and Allen Iverson have been featured as well.

CONVERSATION #5 – New York Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen

A conversation with New York Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen was up next, moderated by Matt Bourne, SVP, Communications for Major League Baseball. Van Wagenen was the first General Manager to take the stage in the 7-year history of the Sports PR Summit, so it was a perspective the attendees looked forward to hearing.

When faced with PR issues, Van Wagenen stressed the importance of working with your PR team to be proactive and accessible instead of reactive and unavailable.

Van Wagenen discussed the media availability he had participated in the day previous to the Sports PR Summit and how he and his PR staff prepared for that interaction with the media.

Van Wagenen is also one of the few General Managers in sports who is active on social media. He discussed why and how he uses social media, which provided great insight to the Sports PR Summit attendees.

CONVERSATION #6: The Modern Sportswoman – Gender Opportunities in Sports, Past and Present

The event concluded with a conversation with Olympic gold medalist gymnast and founder of Grander Inc. Nastia Liukin; Olympic silver medalist and founder of the LEAD Sports Summit Kara Lynn Joyce; and Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns President Mike Golub. These panelists talked with Gina Lehe, the Senior Director of External Relations and Branding for the College Football Playoff, about the importance of gender equity in sports.

“I love what the Players’ Tribune does,” Liukin said. “Their motive and their inspiration behind it. I like how they give athletes that platform to be really able to share their story, as I feel like you don’t always get the chance to do that.”

The conversation focused on how having mentors is a key to success. “I always made an effort to be a good mentor,” Liukin said, citing the influence her family and other gymnasts had on her career. Having Olympic gold medalist gymnast Nadia Comaneci as a role model pushed Liukin to succeed at the Olympics. Her app, Grander, gives support to athletes by connecting them with mentors.

Liukin said that people don’t see the blood, sweat and tears that went into her Olympic gold medals and that television creates a perception that being an Olympian is easier than it looks.

“It’s important to open up and be vulnerable to the young girls,” Liukin said about the mentoring experience.

Joyce discussed her role as the Founder and CEO of the LEAD Sports Summit as well as her part in a documentary entitled “Touch the Wall” that chronicled her journey as well as that of Olympic gold medalist swimmer Missy Franklin. “It was a behind the scenes look of what it really takes and how hard it is [to be an Olympian],” Joyce said.

The conversation also addressed gender inequity in areas of the sports world, in coaching and executive roles and in business. Only 0.4 % of sports sponsorships go to women, Joyce said.

“Sponsors have to invest in women as well in order to succeed,” Joyce said.

Portland Thorns (and Portland Timbers) President Mike Golub provided an inside look at how the Thorns women’s professional soccer team has become the most successful pro women’s sports franchise in the world, average over 19,000 fans per game. The Thorns became the first women’s pro sports team to be nominated for Sports Business Journal’s “Team of the Year”.

The 2019 Sports PR Summit ended with a Post-Event Networking Reception at The Players’ Tribune. Year #7 was a big success! Thanks to all who provided insight on stage and to all who attended.