On September 2nd, the New York Yankees issued a competition preview press release, which highlighted rivalries both past and present. Since the New York Yankees’ press release headline is “informative” and grabs the reader’s attention, The PR Style Guide’s author, Barbara Diggs-Brown would approve. (Diggs-Brown, 142) The headline states that this homestand is “crucial” because the games are mostly against two division rivals and emphasizes that the Yankees will also “face historical rival Dodgers”. (www.yankeespressbox.com)
This season the Yankees indicated they are not only committed to a youth movement, but they also intend to remain competitive. When asked about the Yankees’ decision to trade multiple veteran players at the trading deadline, Yankees Managing General Partner/Co-Chairperson, Hal Steinbrenner affirmed: “There’s no white flag here for me. There was no surrender. If you had seen me get rid of (Michael) Pineda and (Nathan) Eovaldi and (Brett) Gardner, then you could probably make a case.” (www.espn.com) The press release headline reflects positively on the Yankees because by stressing the importance of this 10-game homestand, the Yankees suggest that they are committed to winning now, just like they were throughout their illustrious history.
Yankees winning the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Image obtained from www.bronxbaseballdaily.com Baseball teams that are no longer in contention in September, generally have poor attendance. It appears that the Yankees focus is on ballpark attendance. They cannot afford the optics of poor attendance because the Yankees brand may be negatively affected. Consequently, by stressing the importance of the homestand, the Yankees provide incentives to encourage fans to attend games and to maintain fan allegiance.
The subsequent paragraphs in the press release offer enticements for the fans to attend these September games. These promotions include a bobblehead series (courtesy of AT&T). It is fitting to note that during the early part of the season, the bobblehead series featured Mickey Mantle and Didi Gregorious and in the fall honored Dellin Betances and Roger Maris; perhaps suggesting a link between the past and present. The Yankees also encouraged families to attend the September 8th Yankees Peanuts Bobblehead Night game (courtesy of MetLife).
Image obtained from www.newyork.yankees.mlb.com
During this homestand, other Yankee promotions noted are: Yankees T-Shirt Night (by Sato), Yankees Old School T-Shirt Night (by Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews), Yankees Ear Buds Night (by Parking Spot), Yankees Knit Cap Night (by WFAN), and Yankees T-Shirt Day (by BASF). In addition, the Yankees offer ticket special promotions to senior citizens, military personnel, youths, and students. By offering discount tickets, it is a win-win situation because the fans get to see games at affordable prices and the Yankees maintain fan loyalty.
The Yankees online press release differs sharply from the textbook’s preferred press release format. The Yankees post press releases on www.yankeespressbox.com and www.yankees.com. Several characteristics of the standard format of a press release are conspicuously absent. This press release does not include a formal letterhead, the headline and dateline are not presented in “All Caps”, and the dateline also does not include a location. Furthermore, no boilerplate or slug are used.
In some respect, the Yankees’ press release parallels the Gatorade example presented in G. Clayton Stoldt’s Sports Public Relations. The Gatorade headline states that their organization wants “To Meet the Athlete Needs” and stresses its “longtime commitment to science”, and that they are “sport performance innovators”. (Stoldt, 158) When introducing the G Series, Gatorade is telling their consumers they are constantly improving their product “. . . to meet the different needs of a broad range of athletes before, during, and after practice or competition”. (Stoldt, 158) Clearly, the message is that Gatorade does not sit on its laurels and constantly upgrades the Gatorade brand.
Similarly, the Yankees press release highlights: their history, commitment to continue their winning ways, and how important it is to maintain “brand awareness among their fans”. (https://expresswriters.com/how-the-yankees-are-killing-it-with-brand-awareness/) Just like Gatorade stated that they wanted: “To help all athletes get the most out of their performance . . .” (Stoldt, 158), the Yankees’ special promotions seek to reach out to the fans by providing many freebies and affordable tickets. The Yankees realize that people love free stuff.
The lead paragraph addresses: who (the Yankees’ opponents-Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Dodgers), what (the 10-game homestand), where (obviously Yankee Stadium), and when (the game dates-September 5th-14th). However, the Yankees’ press release lead does not completely meet Thompson’s criteria that: “In the first 10 words of the lead, define an audience and provide a benefit for that audience.” (Stoldt, 160) Despite the fact that the headline stresses that the 10-game homestand is “crucial”, the lead does not explain why the homestand is so important. That is to say, the lead should mention the 10-game homestand will make or break the Yankees’ chances of making the playoffs. Essentially, the body paragraphs emphasize the promotional benefits of attending certain September games, but the commitment to winning seems implied rather than stated.
The headline suggests there is a call to action, but the rest of the press release lacks the old George Steinbrenner spirit and his fiery missives that Mike and the Mad Dog read on-air while playing the soundtrack from the movie Patton.
General George Steinbrenner
Image obtained from www.bradycarlson.com
General George Patton
Image obtained from www.masculinity-movies.com
As
previously stated, the Yankees’ press release does not include a boilerplate. Perhaps
the Yankees do not include a boilerplate because they are a historic franchise
and they assume that the public is aware that the Yankees’ mission is to win
and their website details their strong relationships with corporate sponsors
and their community outreach endeavors. (www.yankees.com)
The New
York Yankees’ press release reflects the following TIPCUP elements: Timeliness
is relevant because competing forms of entertainment can affect ballpark
attendance. The impact is that the
Yankees hope that several promotions will motivate fans to come to the
ballpark. Given that the contests are among division and historic rivals, the prominence and conflict elements have great significance. The unusualness element plays a major role because of the multiple
promotional games offered during this 10-game homestand and the fact the
Dodgers playing at Yankee Stadium is a rare occurrence. Therefore, many Yankees
and Dodger fans, who live in the area are nostalgic about the old rivalry, may attend
the game. A Yankees-Dodgers contest is of great value to the New York media as
well. In light of the Yankees’ recent hot streak, from a public relations
standpoint, the proximity factor is
the Yankees wish to remain relevant and receive positive publicity in the New
York media.
Don Larsen and Yogi Berra celebrating the final out
of the perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Image obtained from www.nydailynews.com
The
goals the Yankees seem to be pursuing by publishing this release are that the
Yankees have a strong commitment to their fans and are trying to persuade the
media and fans that they can be competitive and rebuild at the same time.
I
would improve this press release by directly addressing why the 10-game
homestand is crucial and placing less emphasis on promotions designed to
increase attendance. Certainly, the Yankees want to preserve connections to
their franchise. A strong statement in the George Steinbrenner tradition about
the Yankees commitment to making the playoffs would have a greater impact on
attendance and maintaining “brand awareness” than a bunch of giveaways.
George Steinbrenner made it clear that losing is unacceptable.
Image obtained from www.ctpost.com
Press Release #2: Yankees Celebrate
Hispanic Culture
On September 9th, the New York Yankees issued an event sponsorship press release announcing Hispanic Heritage Month. The focus of the press release is the celebration of Hispanic culture. In particular, the press release accentuates the achievements of 10-time Grammy Award Winner Eddie Palmieri.
Palmieri is a world renowned musician. His talents include: “. . . bandleader, arranger, and composer of salsa and Latin jazz”. The press release highlights his ability to blend “. . . the rhythms of his Puerto Rican heritage with the complexity of his jazz influences”. Palmieri’s “unconventional style included mixing American Jazz into Afro-Caribbean rhythms” earned him rave reviews. (www.yankeespressbox.com)
10-time Grammy Award Winner Eddie Palmieri
Image obtained from www.twitter.com
Palmieri
will be the Yankees special guest on September 13th at the Yankees
September Spanish-language press conference. In addition, he will interact with
fans prior to the Yankees-Dodgers game. In addition, “Fans will have the
opportunity to take part in salsa lessons courtesy of the Lorenz Latin Dance
Studios and ¡Retumba!, a multi-ethnic all-female music and dance ensemble
founded in 1981.” (www.yankeespressbox.com)
Given that 54% of Bronx residents are Hispanic, it is fitting that the New York Yankees honor their neighbors. During Hispanic Heritage Month, the Yankees highlight the accomplishments and contributions of community organizations including: “The ‘Little Yankees’ from the youth International Baseball League, the New York League of Puerto Rican Women, and the ninth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Community Achievement Awards . . .” (www.yankeespressbox.com)
Heritage Month with Yankees relief pitcher
Dellin Betances in 2015.
Image obtained from www.latinosports.com
Both the community and the New York Yankees benefit from the celebration of Hispanic Heritage. The Yankees promote a strong community outreach program, which comprises partnering with programs in: the arts, education, and recreation. The Yankees donate more than “. . . 80,000 tickets to various community based organizations”. (www.yankees.com)
The September issue of Yankees Magazine includes a Spanish-language supplement. The Yankees believe that this special edition reflects Yankees Magazine’s “. . . dedication to serve its loyal readers in new and engaging ways”. (www.yankeespressbox.com)
During the Hispanic Heritage Month, the Yankees encourage Latino fans to use social media, via New York Yankees Spanish-language Twitter and Instagram, to participate in a ticket giveaway. Fans who post “‘Yankees Pride’ (photos) using #YankeesHHM” are eligible to win tickets. (www.yankeespressbox.com)
The Yankees official Spanish-language website, www.yankeesbeisbol.com provides information on Hispanic Heritage Month. The Yankees encourage the Hispanic community to receive up-to-date information via Twitter and Instagram @Yankees_beisbol and @LosYankeesPR and Facebook at www.facebook.com/yankeesbeisbol.
Yankees Beisbol
www.twitter.com
As
previously noted in my review of the 10-game homestand press release, the
Yankees’ press release format differs significantly from the textbook’s
preferred press release format. The press release style used by the New York Yankees
is less formal.
The press release headline catches the reader’s attention and emphasizes that the Yankees proudly celebrate the diversity of the community. They showcase an extraordinary musician, who grew up in the local community and is a wonderful role model.
The headline reflects positively on the New York Yankees because they are celebrating the community and show their strong commitment.
In contrast to the press release on the current 10-game homestand for the Yankees, this lead is on target for the 10 word approach because: it defines the Hispanics as the audience and the benefits are celebrating many aspects of their culture.
The opening paragraph goes on to announce that Eddie Palmieri will be a special guest on September 13th and notes opportunities for fans to participate in Latino cultural events. The body paragraph accentuates Palmieri’s talents and successes, while the subsequent paragraphs encourage members of the Hispanic community to learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month on the Yankees Spanish-language social media websites.
The third body paragraph is of great significance because it details the on-field ceremonies which honor the achievements of members of the community, who proudly serve the Bronx and are positive role models for their neighbors.
By recognizing people who serve their community, the Hispanic Heritage Month Community Achievement Awards can inspire young people and serve as a call to action for others to reach out.
Similar to the 10-game homestand press release, this press release does not include a boilerplate. As stated in my analysis of the 10-game homestand press release, it is likely that the Yankees do not deem it necessary to have a boilerplate. Given the fact the Yankees are in the Bronx and have many outreach programs to the local community, the community is well aware of the Yankee organization’s mission.
This press release reflects the following elements of TIPCUP: It is timeliness because given that it is September, the Yankees wish to fill seats in the ballpark and it demonstrates the Yankees continued recognition of Hispanic culture. The impact is that it strengthens ties between the Yankees and the local community and it demonstrates the importance of celebrating diversity. The prominence factor is that the press release highlights that “10-time Grammy Award Winner Eddie Palmieri, will participate in the Hispanic Heritage Month activities”, which probably will encourage the New York media to cover the festivities. (www.yankeespressbox.com) Given that the focus of Hispanic Heritage Month is to bring members of the community together, conflict does not appear to play a significant role. In the past, Hispanic Heritage Month featured many Hispanic entertainers, however, Eddie Palmieri’s musical talents are so unique and that he is in a class by himself, the unusualness element applies. The proximity factor is evident because the focus of Hispanic Heritage Month emphasizes that the Yankees are strong partners with their Hispanic neighbors.
The goals the Yankees seem to be pursuing by publishing this release is the Yankees are: reaffirming their commitment to the Latino community through outreach programs, consider their neighbors special, and believing that Hispanic heritage deserves recognition.
Unlike
the 10-game homestand press release, this press release is spot on because the
Yankees clearly expressed their goals.
Background Image from http://unsa.dvrlists.com
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