Past The 'Keeper

When writing Media Relations in Sports, Craig Esherick worked with two others who each had different focuses. Esherick looked at sports journalism from a coaches perspective, having coached at Georgetown University for many years before coming to George Mason University.

Worked at what is now called CBS Sports.

Did a lot of research for the book and needed to get his three chapters submitted at a deadline. His chapter on law ethics was cut almost in half. Being a lawyer, he felt people needed to know this part very well (and clearly a little too more than his editor felt they needed to know)!

People who helped Esherick write his part of the book:

Dan Steinberg, Caroline Miller, Steve Goff (traveling for sports)

Looking to write another book that will appeal more to the pulic than just the college students and professors who use Media Relations in Sports is.

“Coaches Corner” was an important part of the book because natural tensions between reporters, coaches, players, etc. and people needed to know what’s going through a coaches mind during certain times. Here are some parts within the “Coaches Corner.”

• Sports Information Director: Very important job for the coach because a coach doesn’t get the reputation he has by not recruiting great players. You must be able to see good players. Should be able to establish a relationship with the players.
• Interviewing Techniques/Questions: Know when to ask questions and how to ask them to a coach.
• How To Write a Media Guide: Coaches job is to sell a program so recruits will see it and be impressed. They must sell their program to the recruits, fans, students, etc.
• Gameday Event Management: Interviews during timeouts gets the producers and fans more involved in the game. Some coaches will allow reporters to interview them beffore/after games, some don’t like it.
• Publicity Campaigns: Important for a team’s star player(s) but you don’t want to single out one player and cause tension within the team so be careful with how it is done.
• Crisis Management: The standard for professionals must be must higher for pros than it is for college players and high school players.
• Coaches use of new media: Making use of new media with people who know what they’re doing. Get somebody on the staff who can use new technology well.

Important info from his three chapters of the book:

1. Language barriers — when in another country, how will you communicate?
2. Travel — hotel proximity to venue, security, working conditions, customs, press in terms of the interview process.
3. New technology — Twitter, social media, satellites being able to show a game all over the world creates employment opportunities for many people. ESPN has created so many jobs because they have so many channels and opportunities. They are even inventing games, such as the X Games, to create ways to expand the market.