Sports PR, Journalism and New Media Course

This 8 week online sports media training course catapults your career in sports public relations and sports journalism around the world.

The Sport PR, Journalism and New Media course provides aspiring students an opportunity to learn the skills and inside secrets that hiring executives seek when hiring new media contacts. This is a one of a kind, eight week online course for individuals who are passionate about securing or improving their sports media and promotions career whether it be for a NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA, minor league, or professional sports.

• When the Duke Lacrosse team had their tragic press conference, who was running it?
• When Lebron films a new TV ad, who is on site for the shoot?
• Who writes a statement for a team to release to the media?
• Who manages the team or sports entity facebook, twitter, blogs, and you tube accounts?

If you are interested in doing PR, marketing, new media or journalism in the world of sports, this course can provide a great foundation for a successful career.

This course is for you if you want to pursue a sports career in the following capacities:

• Media Relations
• Integrated Marketing Communications
• Public relations
• Communications
• New Media Communications & Social Networking
• Sports information director (SID) for a university
• Journalism jobs in radio, TV, internet and newspaper
• Fan communications

Sports organizations look for individuals with strong communication skills who can handle the spotlight of big time professional sports. Teams and agencies are looking for individuals who can help their organization be perceived positively and can handle when a PR problem develops. When that call comes, will you be prepared? Can you organize a press conference at a moment's notice and get results? How do you keep your team relevant when they aren't winning? Maybe you already work for a sports entity and are looking for ways to increase your value or move into a new department.

The Sports PR, Journalism and New Media Course is designed to give you the skill set and competitive edge that will distinguish you from others when applying for sports journalism and communication jobs. Upon completion of the course you will be thoroughly trained and ready to make a difference in the operation of a sports organization. In addition, students will get hands on experience in the field of sports media to add to their resume. The goal of this course is to give you specific training you will need while also providing you with job strategy for sports careers you have a passion for. This Sports PR and Journalism Course is designed to give you the "who you know" and "what you know" to launch your sports career.

You do not need to relocate, this course can be taken from anywhere in the world.

Sports PR, Journalism and New Media training includes:

• Promotion, publicity and public relations
• Conflict resolution
• Press releases
• Press conferences
• New Media Resources
• Effective press materials for game day
• Sports Information Director
• Team website writing
• Promoting a "losing team" versus "the winning season"
• Overcoming reputations - handling the media for athletes and teams
• Event and game management promotions
• Professional athlete interviews
• Social Networking for sports: Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Getting athletes and top execs exposure on radio and TV
• Internet based publicity
• Internet Journalism
• Product promotion versus professional athlete promotion
• Media Kits and great headlines
• Developing sports websites
• Developing media contacts
• New media journalism techniques
• Community relations 

Weekly Live Interactive Audio Chats:
A unique aspect of each 8 week course is the opportunity for students to participate weekly in live interactive audio chats with fellow students, Rodney Knox, Joe Favorito, Rick Smith, and Dr. Lynn Lashbrook and renowned guest speakers. This is a tremendous opportunity to network within Sports PR and Journalism and get to know your instructors and fellow students personally via the internet. This is available via any online computer with a microphone (we provide the microphone). The networking connections via these live audio chats, you will utilize throughout your career.

Rodney Knox, Nike Inc., Communications Director,
Team Sports
Rodney Knox is currently the Director of Communications for Team Sports (football, basketball and baseball) for Nike, Inc. Knox is responsible for overseeing Nike's multi-media campaigns for its athletes and products. Knox works closely with Nike's executive staff and professional athletes on communicating with the media and the public.

Prior to working for Nike Inc., Knox served as the Sr. Director of Communications for the San Francisco 49ers. During his 19 years with the 49ers, Knox negotiated media deals, created marketing & promotional initiatives, worked on media and community relations efforts, oversaw the production of all team publications (media guide, yearbook and game day programs) and coordinated the distribution of grants to non-profit organizations on behalf of the 49ers.

Knox got his start in sports at the San Diego Chargers in 1981. As the Chargers assistant Director of Public Relations, he served as the conduit to the media and was responsible for writing press releases, feature stories and information for team publications. He worked closely with the team's Director of Advertising and helped create proposals for potential sponsors.

Knox brings over 25 years of varied experience in Integrated Marketing Communications, Public Relations, Media & Community Relations, Promotions and Sports Management, Marketing and Governmental Affairs. Knox holds a master's degree in sports management from the University of San Francisco and bachelor's degree in speech & communications from San Diego State University. Knox brings teaching experience from the San Jose State University and the University of San Francisco, where he was the instructor of a course on sports, media and society. Knox has also served on the NFL's Governmental Affairs Committee.

Joe Favorito, Public Relations Freelancer

Joe has almost a quarter century of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. He is a producer of award winning and cutting edge programs designed to increase ROI and minimize cost.

The Brooklyn native has managed the day-to-day and assisted in significantly growing exposure by creating long-term integrated communications/marketing plans for:Two of the world’s hallmark sports and entertainment brands (New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers), the world’s largest professional sport for women (WTA Tour), the world’s largest sports National Governing Body (United States Tennis Association) and the world’s largest annual sporting event ( US Open). He also oversaw the strategic planning, investor relations, communications and digital business development of the International Fight League during its two year run as a startup Mixed Martial Arts venture and a publicly traded company.

Joe now maintains a blog on the sports marketing and publicity field, writes for the Huffington Post and New Jersey Newsroom on sports marketing, and has a newsletter for the industry with almost 20,000 members from over 22 countries, as well as handling a consulting practice with clients that include: Bloomberg LLC, Ketchum Sports, Ponturo Management Group/The Leverage Agency (chaired by former head of Anheuser Busch sports marketing Tony Ponturo), Wizard Entertainment/Comic-con, Fantasy Sports Ventures, the security company Global Options (chaired by former USOC, Turner Sports and YES Netowrk head Dr. Harvey Schiller) TikiVentures (the business and philanthropy brand chaired by former NFL great Tiki Barber), and RotoHog, among others. His event clients include "All Stars Helping Kids," the International Baseball Federation, The Joe DiMaggio Award and the Brian Piccolo Award. Joe will be associate producer of "Lombardi," a drama based on the life of legendary coach Vince Lombardi, coming to Broadway this November, and is also an instructor in Advanced Sports Marketing at Columbia University.He is an author of "Sports Publicity," the most used collegiate text on the industry.

Rick Smith, former St. Louis Rams Director of Public Relations

Rick Smith completed a career of nearly 50 years in public relations and media when he retired in March of 2009 as the Director of Public Relations for the St. Louis Rams. His experience spans writing for a local newspaper and working his way up to public relations in the NBA and NFL.
 
Smith started his journey as a sports writer for the San Diego Evening Tribune from 1960-72. He won a Copley Press Ring of Truth award for outstanding writing in a feature story in 1969.  Smith was a beat reporter on high school sports, San Diego State athletics, and the San Diego Chargers during his 12 years at the newspaper.  He also covered major track and field events and San Diego Padres baseball. Smith entered the field of  sports public relations in October, 1972, joining the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. Smith was located at the Warriors' executive offices in San Francisco and handled day-of-game responsibilities at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, site of  Warriors home games. Rick was Associate Editor of PRO! magazine, the official publication of the National Football League, and wrote and edited for National Football League Properties, the supportive publishing arm of the NFL from 1974-77.

Smith returned to San Diego in February, 1977, as Director of Public Relations for the San Diego Chargers, a post he held until January, 1990.   Rick operated Rick Smith & Associates, marketing and public relations, from 1990-92. Smith joined the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL as Director of Public Relations in February, 1992, and moved with the Rams to St. Louis in 1995. The Rams earned the Pete Rozelle award as the NFL's outstanding public relations department in 1997.Smith retired from the Rams in 2003 but came out of retirement and served the Rams again from 2006-2009.
Rick was a member of NFL public relations staffs at the Honolulu Pro Bowl in 1981 and 1994 and worked 23 NFL championship games as a member of the league's Super Bowl public relations staff.
Rick also served as a Instant Replay booth communicator from 1990-91 and from 2003-2005.  Smith has written many magazine articles and has authored three books:  Ten Super Sundays; Main Men of the Seventies, The Linebackers, and Stadium Stories: St. Louis Rams. You will enjoy Rick’s sense of humor, but more importantly you will learn the daily responsibilities of working public relations at the major league level.

Dr. G. Lynn Lashbrook has been working and teaching in Sports Management for over 30 years and has demonstrated a lifelong passion for helping students strategize and reach their career goals in the world of sports. Dr. Lashbrook has served at the collegiate level as an athletic academic advisor and athletic director. At the professional level he has been an NFL sports agent for the past ten years and created the first ever online sports management company with a mission to educate future sports professionals around the globe.

Course Details:

The Sports PR, Journalism and New Media Course is an 8 week online course designed to provide skills aspiring sports business executives seek. This might be for a job in community relations, public relations, communications or marketing department. This course can be taken at any time and any place around the world to fit your schedule. All you need is access to the internet with a computer.

Students will learn fundamental and successful business principles that hiring sports executives look for when adding personnel. Take this course to get your first position or to enhance your current job situation. All graduates of the course will have a well-rounded understanding of the sports business industry, specifically in the areas of grass roots public relations, media relations, community relations, marketing, personnel, customer service, promotions and event management.

Online Education

This innovative academic course is facilitated through a Web-based educational delivery system. You will enjoy the online discussion boards, weekly readings, weekly quizzes, course projects, and interaction amongst fellow sports business-minded students and faculty. All the text books and course materials are included in the course fee.

Career Guidance, Strategy and Interview Techniques

Each Sports PR, Journalism and New Media student will be active during the course in learning how to obtain a position in the sports field. This will vary for each student based on their career goals and location but SMWW's goal is to assist you in learning how to obtain a position once you finish the course. From whom to contact, the methods for contacting them and interviewing techniques, the course give you the ins and outs and gets you on your way to a dream job in sports. The instructors for the course will work with each student one-on-one and provide strategy that will help them reach their sports career goals.

The course's main objective is to develop a new generation of Sports Publicity and Journalism professionals by teaching skills and strategies that are unique to sports publicity jobs.

Course Certificate & Resume Reference:

Successful graduates of the Sports Management Worldwide courses will be sent a SMWW Certificate of Accomplishment. This certificate represents not only your achievements in the course but also demonstrates your personal commitment to self-improvement and ability to "self train" yourself for higher positions within the sports business industry.

In addition to your certificate, you will be given the stamp of approval by SMWW. This approval includes a personal reference you may add to your resume with contact information for Dr. Lynn Lashbrook and a reference to the mentors of this course.

Apply Now - Free

Cost: $995 (includes all course textbooks, headset, microphone and access to web based classroom. Shipping additional.) Payment plans available (as little as $350 a month). See if you are eligible for an economic discount based on your country of residence. Length: 8 Weeks; "Live" audio online chats weekly with renowned instructors! Prerequisites: Must be 18 or older to participate and have a passion for sports Payment: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover. CALL TODAY: 1-877-SMWW-NOW (In the UK: 087 12884799) Register Now

Academic Credit - Graduate & Undergraduate

Western Oregon University (WOU), a member of the Oregon University System, offers a separate Credit Overlay Program for Sports Management Worldwide's courses. Students interested in obtaining college credit (graduate or undergraduate) for Sports Management Worldwide courses must apply for the credit with Western Oregon University directly.

For more information, please visit the following webpage.