Homeruns, Slap Shots, and Touchdowns:
Best Practices for Rebuilding an Athlete’s Reputation Following a Scandal
Abstract
The world of sports has faced a fair share of scandals, from the “Black Sox” Scandal in 1919 to today with the current Miami Dolphins bullying scandal. This capstone paper will explore various athletic scandals across the four most popular major leagues: NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. These scandals include performance enhancing drugs, sex scandals, and violence. From case study examples, interviews with sports industry executives, and a survey of sports fans, a set of best practices to rebuilding an athlete’s reputation will be determined. This set of best practices will serve as a framework for public relations professionals to help an athlete facing a scandal rebuild their reputation and continue their career.
Muffy Lavens 