ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION October 1990 volume 25, number 5

 The Athletic Director And the Media

By Bill Nichols, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

 Sports public relations is exciting, challenging and fun when the work consists of games, victories, all-Americas and clever coaches who spout witty sayings.

Unfortunately, it is not always like that. In today's society, athletes, coaches and teams are under a media microscope. The spotlight is constantly turned on and often it gets very hot under the lights.

 Trouble occasionally strikes an institution. An athletic program may be under investigation by the NCAA, athletes may be on drugs or a coach is fired. These are negative stories that must be dealt with quickly.

 A very delicate situation develops when a coach or coaches are fired. When rumors of a firing surface or the dismissal actually take place, the athletic director is thrust immediately into the media forefront.

 The media, especially the very aggressive members, will pursue a rumor of a firing with vigor and great dispatch. Reporters can be relentless. Remember, they constantly compete against one another for a story. Be sensitive to this.

 Often the athletic director will receive a telephone call from a reporter just after the decision is made to fire a coach. And, through the rumor mill, a reporter may get wind of the firing even before the final decision is reached. The athletic director is immediately thrust into the middle.

 The athletic director cannot hide behind the sports information director. The AD must move quickly and take charge of the situation. He or she is the individual who will be a key to the decision-making and also be the most visible to the media. However, often the institution's president may share the podium in making the announcement.

 The wheels of academia often turn painfully slow, but when making staff changes that involve high profile coaches, the athletic director must act quickly. If not, he or she could be devoured by the media.

 It is one thing to fire a cross-country, volleyball or golf coach who normally are low profile members of the athletic department. It is quite another thing to fire a football or basketball, especially at a Division I institution. The larger the school, the larger the profile. This is especially true in the nation's larger media markets.

 Coaches get fired for many reasons. A losing record, which does not endear him or her to the alumni, trustees or students is the most prominent reason. Others are dismissal for improprieties within the program, questionable personal conduct or that ever-popular reason called, "philosophical differences."

 When a coach is dismissed, the athletic director is controlling two stories. One concerns the departing coach and the other deals with the replacement. There is a well-worn scenario in journalism that goes something like this: "Oh, coach John Doe died. That's a shame. Who is his replacement?" A reporter's sympathy never will get in the way of a story.

 The ideal way to turn a negative story into a positive one is to hold a news conference to announce (in BIG LETTERS) the identity of the new coach, who replaces (in small letters) the fired coach. However, we do not live in a perfect world and these situations are seldom that cut and dry.

 When rumors abound about a firing or hiring of a coach, it is prudent for the athletic director and the institutional family to act quickly. Make a decision, call a news conference and make it official. This way, all members of the media receive the information at the same time.

 When hiring a coach, it is commonplace for the media to make its own list of candidates. Surprisingly, these lists often are very similar to the one written by the athletic director.

 Qualified reporters are as good in their profession as the athletic directors are in their position. To eliminate an adversarial situation, you must act as quickly as possible in announcing the firing and ultimate hiring of high profile coaches.

 School administrators and sports information directors must be in concert when dealing with a sensitive situation, such as the announcement of a coach's dismissal.

 To summarize, work with dispatch and be open and honest with the media. Do not look upon the media as the enemy. This will become adversarial only if the athletic director allows it. Remember, members of the media are people with a job to do. You can help them do it better and also enhance your institution's image at the same time. Help the media do its job the right way. The institution is the beneficiary of positive public relations, but a target when it's a negative story handled poorly.

 Bill Nichols has been a sportswriter at The Cleveland Plain Dealer for more than 26 years. His writing assignments have included professional basketball for 13 years and all college sports at every level for more than a decade. Nichols earned his bachelor's degree at Baldwin-Wallace College and master's in Sport Administration, and is an instructor at Baldwin-Wallace College, John Carroll University and Notre Dame College For Women.

 Editor's Note: Nichols will write a series of columns for Athletic Administration. He will discuss in-depth problems and situations athletic administrators may encounter when dealing with the media.

Return to Bill Nichols Lakewood Luminary page