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Public Relations · Published February 1, 2016

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

Different PR Playbook for Representing Sports Celebrities

sports media public relations strategy and execution
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Super Bowl 50 officially kicks off Monday night, with the obligatory Media Day.  Starting this year the NFL will move Media Day from its traditional Tuesday afternoon slot to a new prime-time event with one hour of interview time for each team. Media Day is like a press conference combined with a sideshow. Thousands of media reps from throughout the world—more than a few of them only marginally connected with the NFL—interview members of the two teams with the hope of getting that killer soundbite (or video clip) that will be picked up by other media outlets. (The Super Bowl will be held on Feb. 7, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos.) The event is a bit of a feedback-loop, in which any “news” that emerges usually is based on some of the more outrageous (and non-football) questions the media reps ask the players. PR execs have to strike a balance between the needs of the media and those of the players, who generally want to get the press conference over with as soon as possible and focus on the game plan. Super Bowl or not, representing professional athletes often involves a different PR skill set than, say, providing counsel for brands or organizations. There is the “diva” element among professional athletes to consider but, more often than not, it’s having a radar for how the athlete/client can communicate a message and how responsible the client is to the account. Here a few tips for how to effectively rep athletes and sports celebrities:
  • How do they perform off the court and with the media?  Aside from due diligence and making sure (as best you can) the athlete has no skeletons in his or her closet, view past footage of how the athlete has carried himself in front of the media. Is he confident during interviews with the media? When dealing with the media does he convey a positive message, or look like he would rather have root canal? Is he an active member of the community? How media savvy is the athlete? If he is not media savvy is there enough talent and/or consumer appeal to make it worth your while? Before you agree to rep an athlete you have to be sure the person can read a media playbook and not get thrown.
  • Over-communicate and hyper-manage expectations: Depending on how popular he or she is, the professional athlete can be like a wisp of smoke. They’re tough to nail down.  There are games to play, of course; the constant travel; the playoffs; the speaking engagements and the autograph sessions. For such as relationship to work, PR reps have to determine any scheduling conflicts well ahead of time. How many times at the beginning of a gala event have we heard from a PR rep some variation of, “Mr. Popular Athlete had every intention of being here to join you tonight, but was called away by the team late today for a crucial meeting and sends a heartfelt apology?”  Try to avoid those types of scenarios. Work with the athlete during the off-season.
  • Full-court press. These days most athletes have a full ensemble: Lawyer, manager, business agent, masseuse, supportive family and life coach. As the PR rep, learn where you fit within that eco-system and how you navigate all the relationships so everyone on the team understands the value of providing the athlete with PR counsel. Cultivate relationships with other members of the athlete’s inner circle. That’ll make for a) better integrated communications and b) knowing who does what when dealing with various issues, whether that’s contract negotiations or a book deal based on that championship season.
What would you add to the list?
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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