Crisis communication for sports idols - how do we adjust?

The case of Ryan Lochte lying about his drunken misdemeanors during the Olympics brings up an interesting case for PR and the dealing of celebrities. While reading the blog post concerning the incident by Fré Louise and what PR strategies should have been applied, I felt that not only was concrete advice missing, but also the core problem of the event. The blog post describes him as a company, whereas he is in fact an idolized celebrity and to some a hero. This means that different approaches need to be made. 

Ryan Lochte during 2012 Olympic games (Al Bello/Getty Images)

For those of you who have not yet heard the story, the U.S Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics this year. The local police later on announced along with proving video footage that this was a lie and that they had in fact vandalized a gas station. Eventually, Ryan Lochte owned up to having lied about the incident, he apologized and blamed the events and the lie on being intoxicated.

The blog post by Fré Louise brings up the importance of not lying when in the public eye and that if a mistake has been made one should quickly apologize. She acknowledges his celebrity status and that this leads to a lot of media attention. However, what does this sports idol status mean for public relations? 

 

The expectations of a sports idol

Sports stars like Ryan Lochte lead to the worship and idolization by fans, which in turn entails that certain characteristics are expected from them such as courage, loyalty and honesty. Emotions are highly involved in their parasocial relationships with athletes, which lead to expecting them to demonstrate high standards of moral conduct. These expectations are often higher than expectations of ourselves. This differentiates sports idols from other celebrities such as singers and actors, which generally do not have as high moral expectations. 

Ryan Lochte Twitter screenshot via Mashable

Furthermore, corporate sponsorship has grown in importance for sports celebrities as a financial opportunity. Therefore the management of image and reputation simultaneously increases. Social media profiles can therefore not only be used as tools of entertainment, but they also act as a commercial tool for celebrities. In the case of Ryan Lochte, all of his four main sponsors were lost.

 What does this mean for PR?

Due to the high and generally unrealistic expectations that the public have for athletes, they cannot be treated the same way as an organization. Fans are highly emotionally involved and a lie may hence be much more disappointing on a personal level. The crisis approach therefore needs to be more personalized. General strategies still apply including listening to the concerns of the public, speaking openly, apologizing and communicating with empathy and compassion. However, based on the expectations mentioned of a sports idol I think this needs to be done in a much more sympathetic manner in which the fans feel individually spoken to in a regretful manner. I therefore believe that the PR strategies need to be adjusted to sports idols in crisis communication in which PR specialists need to approach the public as if it was a close friend.

About the author: Sofie is a passionate PR professional within field of crisis communication. She has decided to utilize her vast practical knowledge along with new findings in academia to help fellow PR professionals with tips and to offer interesting reads.