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Does Michael Phelps Need A Blog Strategy?

Kellogg’s won’t renew its sponsorship with Michael Phelps, but Subway confirmed that it is still interested in having the Olympic gold-medalist endorse their 5-dollar-footlongs and other delicious sandwiches.  I wrote about how I thought Phelps’s team did a solid job in the aftermath of the release of the infamous bong photo.  Unfortunately, Phelps has remained in the spotlight; it seems as though every day a new company or important entity has their two-cents to add.  Good PR strategy is important, but as it should be noted through this example, it is not always 100% effective in damage control.

Gene Grabowski, the Senior VP of Levick Strategic Communications, believes that an additional tactic should have been used in response to the quick spread of the bong photo.

“He needs a blog strategy,” Grabowski continued. “He’s getting killed in the blogs right now. Doobie jokes, bong jokes, blowing bubbles in the pool jokes. Perez Hilton is all over him today. … It’s those moms and dads who are driving those kids to swimming practice that he’s most vulnerable with, and the biggest growing part in the blogosphere right now are the mommy blogs, the parent blogs. He needs a strategy to get this under control online … or he’ll lose a tremendous number of endorsements.”

PR people take notice.  It is no longer enough to state your story to the TV, newspaper, and magazine big-wigs.  Blogs are becoming more respected entities by the day.  Endorsers care about what is being said on blogs.  Make your client accessible to the new generation of online journalists and do not forget about the tremendous role they are gaining every moment.  Michael David Smith discounts this “blog strategy” talk.  I think it is actually something that more PR people need to take into account, especially in damage control situations.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

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