As we approach the end of 2009, there are many “Best/Worst of 2009” lists out there. But, my choice for biggest PR fiascos of 2009 is one you may not have heard of.
Earlier this year, the Utah Flash, a part of the NBA’s minor league, supposedly organized a one-on-one game between the legendary Michael Jordan and Bryon Russell. You may remember Russell as the former Utah Flash player that Jordan famously pushed in his final shot in the NBA.
The winner of the face off would receive $100,000 donated to the charity of his choice, and the team had been promoting the event for months. When the day finally arrived 7,542 fans, record attendance for the team, showed up to witness the game.
Unbeknownst to those fans, however, the real Jordan wasn’t coming. When the team realized they couldn’t get Jordan to show, they did what I consider the worst thing possible – hired a Michael Jordan impersonator to show up to the event and walk around town to build buzz the day before.
When halftime arrived, the real Byron Russell walked onto the court …and so did the Jordan impersonator. Once fans realized this wasn’t the real Jordan (the 5 inch height difference was a big clue) they quickly became outraged.
It’s unclear whether Jordan was confirmed and canceled or if he never was planning to play in the first place. Regardless, this was a massive mistake on the team’s part. Yes, this event got fans to show up to the game, but the team also lost the fans’ trust in an instant. Those people will likely never attend a game again – which was definitely not the desired outcome. And the team’s reputation is severely injured.
What can be learned from this fiasco?
- Don’t ever promise what you can’t deliver
- Don’t lie to cover up a mistake. Be forthcoming and apologize early on.
- ALWAYS confirm major details of an event before promoting it.
What do you think the team should have done?
(For more details on the story: Media Life)