Stats on Stats: Why PR needs the Numbers

Whenever people complain about the violence in sports, one of the first things they bring up is always concussions.In America, the two sports that concussions are most prevalent in are the two contact sports: Hockey and Football. In a response to the growing concern of the safety of the sports, the CDC came up with a brilliant program.

HEADS UP is a program designed to educate and train coaches, parents and athletes of youth sports to be mindful of how serious concussions can be. It also teaches everyone how to safely make contact with other players so concussions do not occur. They offer a free training program to coaches, and television spots are run advising parents to only sign up their children for sports with a HEADS UP certified coach. This is welcome news to parents who have been barraged by news stories the past few years about the dangers of living with unchecked concussions.

The worries of parents are not unfounded. Several athletes have committed suicide after not receiving proper treatment for their concussions. Junior Seau, a player for the San Diego Chargers drove his car off of a cliff with no warning and it was linked to concussions. In the information age, it is possible to let people know what truly caused this tragedy. Parents are rightfully concerned, but they should know that their children can still safely play sports.

HEADS UP is partnered with the right people as well. Some of the major partners include the NFL, the NHL, USA Hockey, USA Baseball and the NCAA. The leaders of American sports support this program, and it gives it credibility. The pros trust HEADS UP, so shouldn’t you?

After every American sports championship, the winner of the big game immediately puts on hats and shirts declaring that

they are this years champions. Their websites also instantly update to offer championship apparel. This means that both teams must produce insane amounts of championship material. There is one problem with that. Only one team can win a championship. Many people may ask, what happens to the championship merchandise produced by the losing team? In the past, the losers would simply burn all of their inaccurate apparel, but in today’s world of social responsibility, that seems like a huge waste.

Fortunately, there is World Vision. A few years ago when the leagues realized that destroying misprinted merchandise might be a tad wasteful, they had the stroke of brilliance to donate this “useless” material to a worldwide charity that wants to help people. It is fascinating that in America a high quality Nike shirt that would normally retail at $30 could every be useless just because it has misinformation on it; but I digress. World Vision has been collecting the loser’s merchandise since 1994, and according to their website, world vision sends apparel to 25 different African countries. That is good work in my book.

It also doesn’t really matter who had the idea first, whether it was World Vision or the NHL, NFL, NBA or MLB. The point is that the leagues are doing something good for others. While it may not be something terribly difficult or demanding, they are still giving back to the community. So the next time you are mourning the loss of your team in a championship, remember that your team just gave a cold and hungry person a wonderful gift. I would trade every championship in the world for that kind of selflessness.

Forgive me for the lateness of this blog post. Yesterday when I should have been applying for jobs or blogging for my avid followers, I was online watching my team, the Texas Rangers during their spring training practice. I could rave for pages about how baseball is the greatest sport in the history of sports, but I will not. What I will say, is that MLB’s spring training is the greatest preseason for American sports.

In a brilliant article from boston.com, writer Michael Gee details why baseball fanatics love spring training, and I could not agree more. Gee details how for the fans who make the journey to Florida or Arizona, they are usually escaping the dismal February weather of anywhere else. It could be argued that Dodgers or Angels fans don’t need to escape southern California, but to those unfortunate souls who live in Milwaukee or Denver, the sun is a welcome sight. Major League Baseball makes these spring training games so accessible for their fans. The tickets are much cheaper than regular season tickets, and the ballparks are much smaller, giving the fans a more intimate time at the ballpark.

This added intimacy also lets fans meet their favorite players. My father took me to several spring trainings while I was growing up. Unlike regular season games, players spend hours before and after each game meeting fans, taking pictures and having a good time. I will always remember meeting Ken Griffey Jr., hugging Todd Helton and getting a signed ball from Ivan Rodriguez. During the regular season, fans wait hours to see their favorite players for 30 seconds, and often times the team must turn away hundreds of fans. During spring training, everyone is just happy that baseball is back. From a PR perspective, Major League Baseball knows how to cater to their fans. Thousands of people flock to the south on their own dime and pay for tickets. Spring training is necessary for the league. The players have to get ready for the grueling 162 game season and slowly prepare. The forward thinking executive who decided that practices and scrimmages should be accessible to fans is no doubt a wealthy person who has their spot already saved in heaven. The waiting is over for baseball fans, long live spring training!

It is Hockey Day in America, and NBC, NBCSN, and the NHL are celebrating by broadcasting four hockey games featuring only American teams all day. After spending the past several weeks developing an infographic that charts the growth of American hockey over the past 28 years, I can appreciate that hockey is finally financially viable enough to have a day devoted to the game. During intermissions the league highlighted some of their hockey partners in the country, including adult leagues, youth leagues, and charities that raise money for the children of veterans who may not be able to afford hockey gear.

This day is a great day for me. First of all, I am a huge hockey fan, so a day of hockey is heaven to me. More importantly, this day exemplifies some great public relations initiatives. One of the main reasons that people give for not being able to play hockey is the expense. The NHL made sure to devote time to highlight several charities that provide money to families specifically for hockey. This is not only a great corporate social responsibility initiative, but just like any great PR campaign, it pays off for the NHL as well. If the NHL provides money to kids who otherwise may not be able to play hockey, those kids play hockey. If those kids are good at hockey, those kids get drafted. If those kids get drafted, they play in the National Hockey League. If they play in the National Hockey League, they could be the next Wayne Gretzky. If they are the next Wayne Gretzky then the league can continue to see unprecedented growth across the boards. By creating these charities, the NHL is winning fans, doing good and expanding their own talent pool. So sit back, relax and watch the Minnesota Wild play the Dallas Stars tonight. While you are doing that, don’t forget that you are enjoying Hockey Day in America!

Last night, the best basketball players in the world played in a 48 minute game together. This should be the best game in the world right? Wrong. This event is called the NBA All-Star game and it is the worst 48 minutes of basketball in the world. I understand that All-Star games are usually panned by sports fans, but only one league in the United States that has the All-Star Game that matters. Major League Baseball has an All Star game that matters because whichever league wins the game gets home-field advantage in the World Series. This means that the game matters. Home-field advantage matters in baseball. If the American League wins the All Star game, that means that 4 of the 7 games in the world series get to be played in Boston. The town of Boston loves their baseball, so that is a huge advantage.

For every other sport, the All-Star game means nothing. In the NBA, the NHL and the NFL; the All-Star game does not matter. Every year, there are players who are voted onto the team who decide that they are not going to attend the game. Let’s think about this for a moment. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential All-Star. You are in the elite group of people who are already in the league athletes who are the best people in the world,  You have been voted to represent that league as one of the best players in the league, but they decide that they don’t feel like playing.

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. You should feel honored that you have been chosen to be in this game. Fans have voted (for every league) that you have deserved to have this spot. Play the game. Play it well. Play it as if it was game seven of the finals. If you do this, the fans love you. They have proven that. Tell your leagues to make the All-Star game matter. This is what we need in this sport.

In class we have been making infographics for the past week. Let me tell you, it seems like it is fairly straight forward, but it is not. I cannot seem to  translate the golden ideas in my head onto the screen, and it is thoroughly frustrating. It shouldn’t be difficult to visually show how the trade of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings sparked massive growth in the NHL, right? Wrong. I have learned three things in the creation of infographics that all people should know.

1. Draw out what you want, don’t just keep it in your head.

Sometimes the idea in your head won’t even work on the page, you have to visually see it before you start to create.

2. You must be flexible and willing to change your idea.

My infographic has only been in my head for about a week and a half, but it has already changed in both content and design. Am I going to present the information on an ice rink? Should I present the information on the back of a Wayne Gretzky jersey? Should the information also contain Gretzky statistics or just statistics on league and sport growth? Your infographic will not be perfect right from the jump, ask everyone you can what they think and you must be willing to change your idea.

3. Don’t get frustrated when you see better infographics.

Infographics online look amazing. They are often made by graphic designers who live to create on Adobe Indesign. As an amateur infographic creator, don’t be too hard on yourself. The infographic should look professional, but don’t be upset if you don’t win any design awards.

On any given day, sports fans seem to be less than satisfied with their team. It seems like there are always new stories about the Yankees hiking ticket prices to $250 dollars for nosebleed seats or stories of a similar nature. This weeks blog post focuses on the lighter side of fan relations. Sometimes, teams do amazing things for their fans. Here is my top five list for the nicest things a team has ever done for their fans.

5. The Philadelphia Eagles’ 1976 Open Tryouts

After trading away all draft picks for the next two seasons, new coach Dick Vermeil decided to hold open tryouts to plug the holes on his roster. While most fans who attended were less than stellar, Vince Papale made the cut and played 3 years with the franchise. The tryouts may not have been an intentional fan relations tactic, but many fans (myself included) would love to be able to step onto the field to tryout for their team.

4. Jim Irsay’s generous gifts

Jim Irsay has long been considered one of the greatest NFL franchise owners. As the owner of the Indianapolis Colts he has consistently given money to fans. Irsay has given $8,500 to the fan who correctly guessed the score of the AFC Championship Game, gave a BMW to the fan who correctly guessed the first round picks of the NFL draft and showed up at training camp to hand out $100 bills to the fans. In a world of distant and often out of touch owners, Irsay is always seen with fans and players. He is not just the owner of the team, he is their biggest fan, and fans appreciate that he makes them part of his world.

3. The Seattle Seahawks and their Twelfth Man

In American football there are eleven men allowed on the field at any given moment. The Seattle Seahawks fans are so loud and passionate that the team has dubbed their fan base “the twelfth man”. Seattle has taken up this nickname with gusto. The team seems genuinely happy to have these fans. During every interview they thank their fans, and are even trying to trademark the number twelve. The grateful team has done a lot for these fans, including free meet the team events, visiting fans in the hospital and winning a Superbowl.

2. The Boston Bruins “Let It Go”

Boston has long been one of the most notorious cities to be a sports fan. Fans are often so passionate that it can be dangerous to support a visiting team when in Bean Town. In October 2014, the Boston Bruins showed a softer side, when they visited a local children’s hospital. While this is not uncommon for players to do, the Bruins were dressed as characters from Disney’s Frozen. While visiting a children’s hospital is always a kind thing to do, a lot of athletes just stop in to say hi and chat for a few minutes. The Bruins went into a choreographed rendition of Let It Go and entertained the children for hours. As a Colorado Avalanche fan, even I can admit that is one of the nicest things of all time.

1. The Green Bay Packers are a Fan Owned Team

The fact that the Green Bay Packers are fan owned has always fostered an amazing atmosphere. Despite only having a population of about 100,000 people, the Packers are one of the most successful and profitable teams in the league. No one is allowed to own more than 200,000 shares, so the community of owners must vote on all major issues. Shares of the Packers have been a great birthday present to fans for years, and fans have the unique experience of being able to affect change in their team. The level of involvement is amazing, and the Packers have one of the best fan bases in the world.

Please note: the following CSR initiative was done for educational purposes and does not reflect the views of Chipotle.

In my J452 class last week small groups of my fellow students and I chose an real life company and write a memo to the CEO of the company describing a new corporate social responsibility campaign that the company could establish. My group and I decided to choose a company who is already known for their excellent CSR campaigns. We figured that if we chose a company who already had CSR initiatives that it would give us a good idea of where to go from there.

Chipotle’s initiatives are numerous. All their food is local, organically farmed and humanely raised. Almost all of their flatware, take-out boxes and napkins are made from recycled materials. There is one key component that they seemed to not be integrating into their campaigns. We found no evidence of Chipotle recycling their aluminum foil. We found this interesting since a large percentage of their marketing is focused around a burrito wrapped in foil. Chipotle is almost synonymous with the stuff, but they do not seem to recycle it.

After some research, we realized that it is relatively simple to recycle the foil. All one must do to recycle it is melt it down and reform it, and it can be recycled over and over. We formed our campaign around that idea, in a few hours we came up with a rough outline for the CSR plan, including a partnership with Waste Management, table toppers and informed employees who can ask customers to recycle their tinfoil. It seems that every company can always be doing more to keep our world livable and pleasant. Keep up the good work Chipotle!

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, the greatest American holiday. In a few hours the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will play a game that will make millions of dollars for the National Football League. I do not mean to be dismissive by reducing an American institution to the lowly title of “game”, but that is what football is. Football is a game.

While I love football as much as any American in this country, I must admit that this season I have grown increasingly disgusted with what the NFL has tried to push under the rug. The two most egregious of these scandals are Adrian Peterson’s beating of his son and Ray Rice’s beating of his then-fiancee. Two weeks ago in Goodell’s “State of the NFL Address”, he cited how this year has been a tough year of learning for him, but the NFL has toughened its disciplinary rules he claims. That is well and good, but educated people should still ask one important question: why did it take two men beating a child and a woman to make this change happen? These tough disciplinary rules should have already been in place from day one.

Now one may ask what this has to do with fan relations or public relations? The easy blog post to write about would be crisis management, but I want to explore another facet of PR. Fans have the power to change this outdated organization. Public relations practitioners have a responsibility to always act ethically. It saddens me to see fans who have the power to really scare the NFL into change not doing anything. The NFL does not exist without the fan’s dollars. PR professionals have the means to tell the NFL and teams what the fans want. Together, these groups of people can change the NFL. The NFL seems to have the opinion “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but what they don’t seem to realize is that it is broken. It is very broken.

Why do fans need love? This is a question many owners and league officials may ask themselves in America. Even when fan are treated like garbage it seems like they almost can’t help their mindless devotion to their club. Why would we put time, effort and money into a group of people who have such a rabid devotion that they seemingly will pay any price?Owners listen up, the reason you should put resources into finding out what makes fans tick is because they will pay you even more money if you understand them and cater to those desires.

Everybody knows that what owners want more than anything is to make money. It is true there are owners like Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks who has only made a profit in one season as owner of the Mavericks. Not only does Cuban love his team, he has publicly said that he doesn’t care if the Mavs make a profit. Many owners may not know where to start for the information that breaks down what fans want. For Major League Baseball, there is the yearly Fan Cost Index provided by the wonderful people at Team Marketing Report. This report breaks down how much it costs around the league to attend a game. This information includes ticket prices, food prices, program prices, parking prices and pricing for merchandise. Owners can use this information and draw some fairly safe conclusions. If your team is one of the most expensive, fans may not be enjoying the ballpark as much as they could be. Of course you have to make money, but some prices are definitely overkill. This is one place to start looking at fan stats, but it is just a jumping off point. Owners, heed these words, and win the adoring love of your fans.

To View the full Fan Cost Index report, click Here