This week it was Richard Sherman. Last week it was DeMarcus Cousins. Prior to that, Jeff Fisher, Colin Kaepernick, Donald Trump and others found ways to deflect criticism, and blame the media for the difficult positions they placed themselves in.
Which raises a few questions.
Is the media not supposed to hold high profile people accountable? Are an individual’s words and actions not fair game to scrutinize, especially when they create a distraction or potential threat to their organization? Does the paying public not deserve answers from the local athletes and teams they spend their hard earned money supporting?
In 2016, the media is under a microscope more than ever. At times it’s justified, but not always.
Industry professionals are operating during a time where sensitivity has swept the nation by storm, and the media blame game gets introduced whenever a challenging situation arises.
If you missed it, Sherman threatened the career of longtime Seattle reporter and on-air host Jim Moore after he didn’t take kindly to Moore’s line of questioning. Rather than ignoring the question or providing a bland response, Sherman let it become personal.
To his credit, he’s since backtracked and acknowledged regret for making a mistake. But it’s difficult to buy that he’s accepted any wrongdoing because this isn’t the first time Sherman has had a dustup with a member of the media. In fact, it’s happened on a number of occasions.
But let’s forget about Sherman for a minute, and take a closer look at DeMarcus Cousins. The star forward of the Sacramento Kings jabbed a finger into the face of Sacramento Bee writer Andy Furillo after being angry over a piece that was published in the newspaper. He also has a history of refusing to answer questions from beat reporters whenever a member of the media is present who has written an unflattering story about him that he doesn’t appreciate.
After the incident, Cousins apologized and was docked fifty thousand dollars by the Kings. He issued a statement which said, “There is a time, place and manner to say everything, and I chose the wrong ones. Like most people, I am fiercely protective of my friends and family, and I let my emotions get the best of me in this situation. I understand my actions were inexcusable and I commit to upholding the professional standards of the Kings and the NBA. I apologize to my teammates, fans and the Kings organization for my behavior and the ensuing distraction and look forward to moving on and focusing on basketball.
Maybe I’m being cynical, but that statement looks like it came from a public relations official, not Cousins. If he truly felt he made a mistake, and wanted to repair the damage, Cousins should’ve sought out Furillo to express his remorse man to man. That’s how respect is regained, and it puts an unfortunate incident for both men in the rear view mirror.
Instead, the only media attention that has come Cousins way during the past week has been about whether or not he’s too thin skinned to handle the heat in a larger market, and if he’s worth the headache and huge price tag.
When a player’s resume details a history full of explosions against the media, it stays with them. If Cousins wants to earn the benefit of the doubt from those who cover him on a regular basis, he has to give them the same courtesy in return. That’s something he’s yet to do.
So if trust is shattered, and a lack of respect exists between the media and the athletes, coaches, and executives that they cover, how do we make it better?
For starters, I don’t believe change is created by one specific act or individual. It takes a series of events, and communication on both sides to create a better working relationship. A little bit of respect, understanding, and compromise wouldn’t hurt either.
Professional and collegiate athletes, coaches, and executives need to remember why media members occupy space inside their buildings. In a nutshell, coverage of a team fuels public interest. That leads to increased ticket sales, merchandise sales, a spike in the ratings for the club’s radio and television partners, and support of the franchise’s business partners.
The athlete or coach may not necessarily view the media’s role in this way, but their presence and consistent content delivery on the franchise’s key storylines plays a huge part in the franchise’s financial success. If you don’t believe the media has that type of influence, I dare one professional franchise to hold a game in their stadium with no radio, television, or digital coverage involved.
While the disrespect for the media can be frustrating at times to those who work in the industry, it’s naive to think that this issue is a one way street. There’s plenty of blame to go around on our side as well.
During the past decade, the expansion of the industry has created a ripple effect. Much of it due to the growing influence of digital and social media. When locker rooms were filled with 10-20 media members, mistakes were marginal, and agendas were easier to pinpoint. Now with hundreds of outlets invading locker rooms, providing similar content, and rushing to be first on every story, the quality in coverage has slipped.
Another factor to take into account is that in each city there are many individuals attending games, practices, and press conferences who don’t invest the time in fostering relationships with the teams and people they cover. The focus on quality reporting takes a backseat to sensationalism because it leads to more clicks, views and tune ins.
We’ve also seen a growing number of media folks entering team facilities unprepared, untrained, and with hidden agendas. They arrive on site in search of a soundbyte to fit their story, rather than telling the one that’s been provided. Others may even use their positions to demonstrate to the team and its players who they are and why they need to be given preferential treatment from the rest of their peers. This is the type of nonsense that leads to certain players with hall of fame resumes, not receiving votes for the hall of fame after their career is done.
On a few occasions, I’ve turned on the television to watch sports programming, only to find a personality or two buying into their own hype, and using their platforms to step over the line and get personal. It’s fine if a broadcaster and athlete have differing opinions on a performance related subject, but when commentaries tuns personal, respect for one another goes out the window, and without that, you can’t move a conversation forward.
As a rule, I’ve consistently preached the importance of providing strong candid opinions on the performance of a team or individual. That’s fair game in my book. We cover sports and the people who play them, and if someone has a bad game or commits an act that hurts the team, that coach or individual needs to be thick skinned enough to handle a series of tough questions. They don’t have to like the way we ask our questions or the subject matter we’re asking about, but they owe it to their league and organization, and the fans who support them to face the music. It’s part of the job responsibility that they accept when they sign a contract to play professional sports.
I also believe the media has a right to question athletes, coaches, executives or owners when the decisions they make outside the lines have a carryover effect on their organizations. Whether it’s Michael Floyd’s DUI arrest, Aaron Hernandez being linked to a murder, or Colin Kaepernick’s choice to kneel instead of standing up for the national anthem, if an individual creates headlines for the wrong reasons, the media has the right to ask questions about it. We can’t control their answers, but questions do need to be asked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umYJjZuUY9Q
It may sound simple and cliche, but respect for each other and the jobs we do, goes a long way towards preventing ill will. In the current climate of our society, many athletes, coaches, and executives have this perception that the media are in their buildings to uncover dirt and make them look bad. That’s not how the majority of reporters, and hosts operate. They also feel that if they form a business relationship with the media member’s organization, that they’re entitled to a different set of rules which is not the case.
Those who earn the privilege of covering a team can also do a better job of building trust with the people they cover. When solid relationships are established, it leads to more give and take from both sides. It also leads to receiving more information which helps you do your job better.
However, the individuals who represent professional franchise’s also need to realize that they don’t decide what gets reported. If they want to avoid creating distractions or headlines which can paint the organization in a negative light, there’s a simple solution – don’t make a mess. It’s not the media’s job to clean things up. It’s our responsibility to inform the public that it happened.
But if there’s one part of the media’s decision making that can be improved it’s having a better grasp on who from each organization is entering a team’s workplace to cover them. Some people are professional and thrive in the environment, others are unfit, unsure, and unlikely to help the brand by being there. Not every member of your organization deserves to be in the room, and if they are going to be there, they should know what to do and how to do it.
I remember being in St. Louis at a Rams game a few years ago when I was running 101 ESPN, and enduring the wrath of a Rams PR official for the way one of my staff members was representing the station inside the press box. I began to think about who I had credentialed for the game, and I couldn’t come up with anyone who I thought would harm the station’s reputation.
The Rams PR official then pointed to the individual who was wearing a Rams jersey in the press box, and I discovered that it was a member of our promotions team. This person wasn’t part of the programming team, but they had access to the stadium because they were working in our tent and helping the station connect with listeners.
Were they there to cover the team? No. Did they mean to make the station look bad? Of course not. They didn’t even know it was a cardinal sin to wear a team’s jersey in the press box. It was a place inside the stadium that they hadn’t been to before, and they only entered the room to grab a sandwich and cup of soda.
An honest mistake it might have been, but they worked for my station, therefore they represented my brand, which means I messed up. I took the heat that day, and spoke to the individual afterwards, and it was never an issue again. But what it taught me, was the importance of making sure all staff members knew the ground rules for how to act and conduct themselves in specific places when representing the brand. It would’ve been easy to blame this person for heading into the press box without my permission, but it was just as much on me for not making sure they understood the rules before doing so.
All it takes is one media member conducting themselves improperly in the wrong location for the entire group to look bad. Had my employee entered the locker room that day after the game dressed in that jersey, it would’ve compromised every other reporter, writer, anchor and host’s ability to do their job. That’s permanently damaging to one’s reputation, even if it isn’t intentional.
I bring that specific example to light because in stations across America, I’m sure there are times where an intern or staff member is given a press credential to a local team’s games, and we think nothing about it. We assume they’re going to watch the game, post a few details about it on social media, possibly record some audio afterwards, and then exit.
But have you spoken to them about the way to conduct themselves inside that locker room? Have you given them specific instruction on what to do and how to help the brand while they’re in attendance? Are they shadowing a member of your organization who provides a positive influence and helps them learn the ropes? Or are they going to the game because the food is free and the press pass gives them access to players that they may even attempt to bother for a selfie or an autograph?
I don’t want to insinuate that the media was at fault for the situations that occurred with Richard Sherman and DeMarcus Cousins because I don’t believe they were. The coverage was warranted. Whether each athlete liked the line of questioning or the story that was written is irrelevant. They have a responsibility to be professional, even towards people they don’t see eye to eye with.
But let’s also learn from these situations, and prepare ourselves the best way possible.
Not everyone from your organization belongs inside a locker room. When they do earn the right, make sure they’re prepared and conducting themselves in a way that doesn’t embarrass you, their teammates or the brand. Be specific about your expectations of what they should be doing when they enter a stadium or arena on behalf of the company.
We can’t control the respect others have for us or our medium. But we can be responsible for our own actions and behavior. If we’re treating the people we cover fairly and with respect, maintaining a professional demeanor during the process, and meeting the standards that our employer has outlined are necessary, than that should be enough to help you sleep well at night. The rest is beyond your control.
