Saturday, April 2, 2011

NCAA Seeks Better Reputation with New PSAs



While watching this year’s NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament many have probably noticed a new series of commercials launched by the NCAA in response to recent criticism.

This criticism from the media includes an ongoing debate about whether student-athletes should receive a salary from the NCAA.  In an article published by the USA Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert stated, "it’s grossly unacceptable and inappropriate to pay players … converting them from students to employees."

To back this stance, NCAA commercials have branded student-athletes just as that: student-athletes and not student-athlete-employees. The NCAA has also clearly stated how the revenue pie is split, so people don’t assume the NCAA is making an overabundant profit.

In the NCAA “Where Does the Money Go?” PSA, the NCAA states that 96 percent of the revenue goes into scholarships, financial aid, universities, and championships. Simply put the NCAA states in the commercial, “We put our money where our mission is.”


Another criticism that the new NCAA PSAs address is the argument that NCAA academic policies need to be stricter. According to the NCAA’s website, “The ‘dumb jocks’ PSA seeks to dispel that myth and reiterate the association’s missions and values.”

The ‘dumb jocks’ PSA mentions that African American who are student-athletes are 10 percent more likely to earn a degree, and that NCAA student-athletes earning degree is at an all-time high.

The PSA concludes with a female basketball player asking, “Still think we’re just a bunch of dumb jocks?”, followed by another athlete saying, “You need to do your homework.”


I believe the NCAA’s public relations strategy to combat media criticism is a success. The NCAA represents integrity and fairness, and their mission and goals need to be well-known. Through this new campaign, they will be viewed better by the public.  

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