WAG USA Gymnastics desperately needs a PR and communications plan

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http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/usa-gymnastics-blasted-skipping-senate-hearing-sex-abuse-n739506

This came up as a top general news story. Not a good headline at all.

Someone needs to be proactive and make sure that USA Gym is one step ahead of the press. If they were expected to be at the hearing today, but couldn't go for whatever reason, communicate the heck out of that before the hearings so it doesn't look like like the org is a mess. (Or, find someone well spoken who can represent the organization someway, somehow.)

And it is certainly not a good sign that today, 'Rick Adams of the U.S. Olympic Committee also slammed USA Gymnastics.'

I hope they can get it together super quickly because I see the golden brand of USA Gymnastics tarnishing more and more.

If they need some help with this, I am here.....
 
With active and pending litigation, it is not surprising that they did not attend. But I totally agree that they need to get their act together and communicate with the media properly. This was probably their plan though. But it is a bit embarrassing and not really the headlines that anyone would want.
 
They're listening to their lawyers too much. Apologies can mean admitting responsibility. Media-wise, though, they are an absolute disgrace. It looks like they're hiding from the public, the inquiry, and, most importantly, the victims. They seem like cowards, unable to confront the human faces of their transgressions. Not a good look at all.

This was a lose-lose situation though. If they went, they might compromise their case. If they didn't go, they seem like despicable people.
 
I am a lawyer, and I have dealt with high profile matters with publicity issues around pending litigation. It was a disaster to no show without comment. You can attend, show concern, and have a prepared statement that due to the ongoing litigation you cannot testify or answer specific questions at this time, but you take the safety of gymnasts very seriously and do want a presence and voice in addressing the problems going forward. And you offer your full support to the gymnasts and their families.
 
They're listening to their lawyers too much. Apologies can mean admitting responsibility. Media-wise, though, they are an absolute disgrace. It looks like they're hiding from the public, the inquiry, and, most importantly, the victims. They seem like cowards, unable to confront the human faces of their transgressions. Not a good look at all.

This was a lose-lose situation though. If they went, they might compromise their case. If they didn't go, they seem like despicable people.

Agreed. And this is precisely why they need a more evolved communications strategy to get out ahead of the press in these lose-lose situations. Their PR/Com strategy right now is the outdated 'old guard' style of one-way, overly-languaged, delay-and-dodge press releases (read: inauthentic, lawyered-up, authoritarian). This kind of strategy was fine for organizations like the presumed-untouchable banking titans (for a while, though they have evolved, too), but ain't gonna fly for a vulnerable little athletic organization with direct accountability for the health and safety of minors. Just like the 'used car salesman' approach to sales is now much outdated for most types of commerce (replaced by consultative sales built on trusting relationships), hiding in your suit and tie behind your iron gates, stingily releasing your carefully-worded bites of lawyer-approved "facts" and "proclamations" to the increasingly-unforgiving masses is now only useful for making one look apathetic and more guilty.

Wise up, USAG. I believe you are full of mostly good people who believe in this sport and care about its athletes. But unless you work harder to open real, transparent, humble dialogue with your body of customers and stakeholders, rather than slapping these sad little PR bandaids on what are deep, deep problems (with sport and humanity, but also some very specific gymnastic-based conditions), more and more people will be calling for your heads on stakes.
 
As a former Public Relations professional I am astounded the USAG did not have a better plan in place than the one they have, which is to duck the Congress. This isn't a problem that started yesterday and if the internal USAG PR folks are not up to the task there are PR firms out there that specialize in crisis management, which is essentially what USAG is going through. There is no doubt the USAG is in a heap of you know what here, but there are better ways to handle this mess of theirs.
 
I am a lawyer, and I have dealt with high profile matters with publicity issues around pending litigation. It was a disaster to no show without comment. You can attend, show concern, and have a prepared statement that due to the ongoing litigation you cannot testify or answer specific questions at this time, but you take the safety of gymnasts very seriously and do want a presence and voice in addressing the problems going forward. And you offer your full support to the gymnasts and their families.
Exactly. See? Was that so hard?
:mad:
 
Not defending anyone here...just information....

A statement was issued to the hearing...
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3526112/USAG-Congressional-Hearing-Statement-3-24-17.pdf
Just words on paper at this point in time. I believe the reporting of the USAG statement is in the media reports of the hearing so it's not like it's being ignored. The optics of not showing up for a Congressional hearing and provide a face of accountability regarding this issue where flesh and blood victims tell their horror stories to our nation's elected representatives means alot more than a statement of support, a promise to change and trying to do better next time.
 
Just words on paper at this point in time. I believe the reporting of the USAG statement is in the media reports of the hearing so it's not like it's being ignored. The optics of not showing up for a Congressional hearing and provide a face of accountability regarding this issue where flesh and blood victims tell their horror stories to our nation's elected representatives means alot more than a statement of support, a promise to change and trying to do better next time.

Not defending them at all...but people were commenting that they should have at least made a statement.

In addition, I am sure they have legal counsel advising them on what they should/should not be doing.
 
Not defending them at all...but people were commenting that they should have at least made a statement.

In addition, I am sure they have legal counsel advising them on what they should/should not be doing.
I know you're not defending them. I didn't realize people were thinking they should have made a statement when in fact they made one. As for the advice USAG is receiving, I would say it is not serving them well as this time.
 

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