GAA Club Seminar 2005 Cill Airne D Sathairn 11 Samhain

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GAA Club Seminar 2005Cill Airne Dé Sathairn 11ú
Samhain

• Public Relations in Your Club

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Personal Introduction

• I have worked in the media and almost wholly in
  the area of Gaelic Games since graduating with a
  Masters Degree in journalism from DCU in 1999.
• I was appointed as Gaelic Games correspondent of
  the Irish Sun in October 2001 and have covered
  football All-Ireland finals at county and club
  level since then as well as International Rules
  and All-Star tours.
• In addition to print work I have also been a
  regular contributor to a number of radio and
  television programmes over the same period.
• I have been a playing member of my local GAA
  club, Round Towers in Clondalkin, Dublin since a
  young age and have served as club secretary/PRO
  for the past three years.

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What is PR / Public Relations ?

• Its exactly what it says on the tin the
  relations fostered by any unit in this case
  your club with the environment surrounding it,
  namely the public.
• The perception of the club in any given area goes
  a long way to determining how its role in the
  community is viewed.
• For example, a club might not dominate in the
  trophy stakes but maintaining a high profile
  within a given community underlines the good work
  all voluntary undertaken by the club on
  behalf of the youth of the area and generates
  good will which in turn is vital in attracting
  sponsorship.

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One Possible definition of PR

• The projection of the most positive club image
  possible and the maintenance of a regular,
  reliable and consistent stream of information to
  those who are interested in it.

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Strands of PR

• The corner stone of any public relations
  approach is basic communication with those who
  matter most to the club.
• Direct contact with -
• club members (including players),
• supporters
• and crucially
• sponsors and potential sponsors.

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How ?

• Internal publications free sheet weekly,
  monthly, bi-annual newsletter.
• Local newspapers.
• Local radio.
• National media (if your club is lucky enough to
  progress to a provincial or All-Ireland series.)
• Internet Club website. Links to county website
  and other GAA sites.

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Role of PRO / Oifigeach Caidrimh Poiblí

• While the roles of chairperson, secretary,
  treasurer are all commonly regarded as officer
  positions on most executive committees, many
  clubs do not appoint a designated public
  relations officer leaving various committee
  members to perform these functions on an ad hoc
  basis.
• Why is this?
• Ideally the responsibilities of the PRO should be
  viewed as a portfolio on its own.
• The responsibilities of a club PRO have increased
  considerably in tandem with the explosion of the
  media in recent decades.

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Role of PRO / Oifigeach Caidrimh Poiblí

• For example 25 years ago there were three Irish
  national daily newspapers, local radio was only
  being pioneered and the idea of the world wide
  web was something from a Spiderman movie. Compare
  and contrast to today.
• Although not all of the above changes directly
  impact on the running of a club on a day to day
  basis, in an age where people are bombarded with
  more information than ever before, its vital
  that we as a unit and more specifically smaller
  units, put our best foot forward in this area.
• In addition to this, our young people and the
  population as a whole are better educated than
  ever before.

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Basic AdviceWho should it be?

• Someone within a club who has their ear to the
  ground and has a good grasp of club events and
  happenings.
• Age, gender and technical ability should not be a
  deterrent but someone with an obvious interest in
  the workings of the media, writing, broadcasting
  or general communications would bring obvious
  advantages to the position.
• Ideally the figure would also have a direct line
  to the clubs executive, if they are not a member
  of this body. This would ensure that important
  information for public consumption is put into
  the public domain.
• Is there a young budding reporter in your ranks?

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Tools of PR - Club notes

• One of the most basic and long standing practices
  in all of our clubs is the age old compilation of
  club notes which are dispersed to whoever can
  find a constructive use for them.
• You may think that little heed is paid to club
  notes which I presume remain in vogue in most
  counties but its only when they are not
  published that their relevance becomes apparent.
• Members of my own club not only read their own
  club notes but those of rivals and opposition
  clubs too.
• Duplication of club notes and dispersal to
  various different sources. Internal email list
  for online members.

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Fixtures Information

• The oldest, most basic and most important
  information of all when, where and against whom
  the games are taking place.
• Does your club have a prominent notice board
  somewhere on the club premises?

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GAA County Year Books

• Most county boards produce year books.
• Is your club aware of this? Do you submit
  articles / end of season reports?
• Perfect low cost way of projecting high quality
  image of the club
• Take up from my own experience for these projects
  is poor.

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Internet

• Once set up, the best all round PR tool available
  to clubs.
• Unattractive to some but what other outlet
  provides a club with a tool which they can
  control editorially and in terms of design -
  and use to communicate with members on a global
  basis all for a minimal fee?
• There are few clubs who do not have IT
  specialists amongst their membership and its
  these people who should be approached initially
  for advice with plans to spearhead the project.

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Use of Club colours and Crest

• We all have club colours and nearly all clubs
  have crests. Use them.
• Colours and graphics assist in presentation.
• Also engenders a sense of pride and recognition.

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Go néirí go geall libh

• No two clubs are the same with some ranging from
  the onerous task of fielding as many as 60 teams
  as some of the Dublin super clubs do to the no
  less onerous task of other tiny rural clubs in
  fielding at all.
• However the significance of PR should not be
  allowed to fall through the cracks with so many
  other vital areas of importance vying for your
  executives attention.
• Best of the luck in your endeavours both on and
  off the field. Go raibh maith agaibh.