A public relations professional has many objectives when working for an organization. One very important goal is to make their client look good. While no individual or company will act flawlessly all of the time, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the PR staff of athletes. PR isn’t easy, but the job becomes that much harder when you’re forced to toe the line between protecting your client and being truthful to the world. PR professionals have a duty to their employer, but they also have an obligation to the public to be clear and deliberate.
It seems as though every week there’s news about an athlete’s detrimental actions. I am not criticizing all athletes, because most of them are perfectly respectable hard-workers, who contribute positively to society. However, it’s the publicized few who garner attention for their wrongdoings that give their occupation as a whole a questionable reputation. There is exculpatory evidence of Ray Rice beating his wife. Adrian Peterson is accused of abusing his own child. Twelve NFL players have been arrested since 2005 for domestic violence. It’s painful to hear such talented individuals with a false sense of invincibility acting how they are.
My own alma mater has been under fire in the past year for our Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston’s’ actions. It has not been proven that Winston committed rape, but the accusation itself is enough to send the media into a tailspin. As terrible as it sounds, many fans would rather an accused athlete play in next week’s game so they can win, than justice being served immediately. Winston also stole food from Publix in spring 2014 and yelled an obscene phrase in the middle of FSU’s campus before the big Clemson game in fall 2014. While the latter act is dubitably harmless, there is nothing more frustrating to a PR professional than to have to present this to the media if your client continues to act without thought or concern for repercussions. Several public apologies have been issued from Winston and on his behalf, but for the most part, the damage is done due to his actions.
The relentless transgressions committed by certain athletes have created a media frenzy and the general public is fed up. I’m not attempting to justify their behavior; but it is important to look at each event from all angles so every possible circumstance is considered. In the PR field, we’re taught responsible advocacy. PR professionals are not lawyers; our job is not to defend a potentially guilty individual or business. It is okay to represent a person who may have committed less than moral actions, but it is our duty and obligation to present that in the most sincere and honest light possible so the public feels as though they can trust what they are being told. After all, the only thing a public relations professional has is his or her credibility.