Last April, the Union of Sports Journalists in France expressed its outrage against Paris Saint-Germain. In a statement, they condemned the club's 'contrary behavior' and "expressed alarm at the attitude of the future French champions," "reminding them of their duties and calling for common sense." The cause was the PSG players' absence from the mixed zone after the match, where they traditionally express themselves post-game.
The Reign of Distance in PR
In football, as in other sports, many journalists criticize certain institutions for hindering their work by making players inaccessible. Emmanuel Pionnier, Head of the Sports Department at AFP, has been working closely with athletes for over 30 years. Starting as a versatile reporter and later becoming a coordinator, he has covered numerous sporting events and observed an evolution in interactions between athletes and journalists. "Currently, it's impossible to reach a player unless you're friends with them. Athletes protect themselves, and their professionalism makes them even more guarded in their approach," he remarks.
This distance between athletes and journalists has further increased during the health crisis. In 2021, the Professional Football League decided to restrict access to mixed zones to media with broadcasting rights after Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches. That same year, press relations at Roland-Garros were held through video conferences, with 400 journalists on-site despite 1,200 accreditations. Japanese journalist Shinsuke Kobayashi even warned about this phenomenon at a meeting of the International Sports Press Association in July 2021: "Let's not allow clubs and institutions to sideline us in the post-COVID world."
Beyond the health crisis, the quality of press relations has been impacted for years by the massive amounts of money invested in top-level sports. This is notably evident in a 2022 Statista study on NBA revenues. According to the institute, $8.76 billion was generated in 2019 in the world of basketball. These staggering amounts have continuously increased NBA revenues, which were four times higher for the 2018-2019 season compared to the early 2000s. With ever-increasing interests, the NBA bypasses press relations and develops its own communication channels. NBA players use their social media to announce contract extensions or signings. They even risk penalties if their online actions harm the league's image. In 2017, the NBA fined French basketball player Joel Embiid $10,000 for insulting American businessman LaVar Ball on Instagram.
Total Revenues of the National Basketball Association
from 2001/02 to 2020/21 (in billions of U.S. dollars) (Source: Statista 2022)
Whether it's football, tennis, or the NBA, the most media-covered sports represent a market that reshuffles the cards of press relations, according to Laurence Dacoury, founder of the press relations agency Blanco Negro, specializing in sports since 1994. "Today, the sports economy attracts considerable financial resources, forcing institutions and athletes to control their image and relations with journalists, especially with the rise of social networks that accelerate the professionalization of communication with an overprotection of athletes," explains the PR professional who works with institutions and athletes like Teddy Riner.
A major supporter in sports, sponsors have also entered the press relations equation. According to Emmanuel Pionnier, sponsors can exert influence and submit requests to a communicator, which, in turn, will be demanded of the journalist. "Recently, during a major event in Paris, we were granted an interview with a multi-Olympic champion. Later, the press attaché informed us that the interview would take place only if we used a photo provided by their team for the promotion of a watch brand. Communicators and journalists must negotiate and find compromises. There is a power play at times, but most of the time, we manage to dialogue."
Journalists and communicators: Love-Hate Relationship
While most sports figures engage in media requests, some struggle to accept press criticisms. In 2016, two journalists were refused entry to FC Tours football club during a Ligue 2 match against AC Ajaccio. The club did not appreciate articles published in the regional press about them, reported by L'Équipe.
These events only highlight misunderstandings between these actors. "I've heard journalists being called names in some institutions,' notes Laurence Dacoury. 'We need to explain the journalists' profession to sports institutions, respect each other's professions, requirements, and the mechanics a journalist needs to deploy for their article."
These misunderstandings between journalists' missions and communicators' imperatives obviously blur press relations. "Both parties need to understand what the other does. Press attaches try to integrate communication into journalists' work because that's their job, but journalists are into information, so both sides need to find compromises," summarizes Emmanuel Pionnier.
He continues, "Communicators need their sport to be covered during a competition where their event will be in the spotlight. On the journalists" side, they need to speak to players because they need to inform. So, we need them, they need us.' In other words, despite ambivalent concerns, journalists and communicators can find common interests for more virtuous press relations in sports."
Randa El Fekih