University of Delaware Athletics
Athletics Media Relations Guidelines
8/4/2014 11:19:00 AM | Delaware Athletics
2017-2018 University of Delaware Media Guidelines for Student-Athletes
The University of Delaware Athletics Communications Office is the publicity and media relations office for the University's 21-sport intercollegiate athletics program and is located in Room 262 of the Bob Carpenter Center (2nd Floor of addition).
Our telephone numbers are 831-8007 and 831-8715 and we can be reached via email at: selheime@udel.edu.
The goals of the Athletics Communications Office are to effectively communicate to the news media and other interested groups information about our athletic program. The office produces on-line media guides, gameday programs, and news releases, attends games both home and away, and is responsible for updating the University of Delaware Athletics website (www.bluehens.com) as part of its daily activities.
It is also responsible for responding to news media inquiries and arranging all media interviews. The other principle duty of the office is serving as the University's liaison to various athletic governing bodies such as the NCAA, the ECAC, and the Colonial Athletic Association.
The following are media guidelines that should help you in your dealing with the news media, a process that is important to you educationally and professionally, to your team and its perception by the public and to the University of Delaware.
If you have any questions concerning this guidelines please feel free to call or visit our office.
• Do not conduct an interview, either in person or by phone, with a member of the media unless it has been arranged by a member of the UD Athletics Communicatinos or by one of your coaches. This does not include preseason media days or postgame press conferences (either home or away) in which members of our staff or your coaches are already present. If you receive an interview request from a media member either by phone or in person, just let them know that all interviews must go through the Athletics Communications Office and that you would be happy to do the interview after the formal request has been made. We will not give out your home or cell number (unless you give us permission) but keep in mind that reporters may obtain your number from the student directory, from family or friends, or the internet, etc.
• You have a responsibility to the University of Delaware, your coaches and teammates as well as yourself to cooperate with the media. Win or lose, your cooperation in working with the media is expected. You are public role models and public figures by virtue of your participation in the University's athletics program. What you do is of interest to the fans of the University of Delaware teams and to people in your home region who are interested in intercollegiate athletics. How effectively you deal with the news media reflects directly on how they feel about you, your team, and your University.
• PLEASE Be on time for scheduled interviews. Some reporters may travel long distances to be here for an interview or have tight office schedules. If you can't make it to an interview, please call ahead (831-8007) to let us know as soon as possible. It's okay to miss an interview if you have a valid excuse. Just let us know.
• Reporters, both print as well as electronic, are interested in reporting the games and personalities as facts, and as they interpret those facts. They are NOT there necessarily to make you look good, nor are they there to make you look bad. They have a job to do and it is important that you understand and cooperate wherever possible.
• Remember that YOU ARE THE ONE IN CONTROL. Command a presence. Be confident, but not cocky. You know what you want to say, you have the answers, and you are the expert on your sport. If you don't feel comfortable answering a question, just tell the interviewer that is a subject you would rather not to discuss.
• ANTICIPATE THE QUESTION. When preparing to do an interview, try to anticipate what some of the questions will be. Whether you score the winning basket or miss a field goal to end the game, reporters will want to know what you are feeling. We will do the best we can to tell you what the subject matter of an interview will be before it takes place and prepare you for any questions - especially difficult or controversial ones - you might face.
• Dealing with the news media can be FUN and a great learning experience in which you develop communication skills that are not only helpful in your intercollegiate career but also to future professional and business careers. Most people never get the chance to be interviewed on television or be written about in the newspaper or on a website. Smile and have fun!
• Don't answer a question you do not wish to respond to. A proper response might be to politely say, "I'd rather not discuss (or comment on) that subject but I can tell you that......”. Simply saying “no comment” is not a proper response. It only makes people more suspicious.
• If you have concerns about the reporter, their questions, the tone of the interview please see a staff person in the Athletics Communications Office. If a story is written that is inaccurate, see the Athletics Communications Office, state the facts, and we will make known your concern.
• Remember that the public's acceptance of an individual, the team, and the University is developed by the impressions made through the interview process, the resulting stories and through your personal self decorum.
• BE ACCOUNTABLE, whether the outcome was good or bad. Don't play referee. Avoid blaming the officials and teammates. Be positive wherever possible when talking about your teammates, coaches and team. Use the same enthusiasm for an interview as you'd use during the game.
• Say it with "snap shots." Short complete sentences allows reporters to easily edit the interview without distorting your answer.
• Be human. Let reporters/UD staff see and learn of other things about you outside of your athletic team role. Let the Athletics Communications Office know of those things such as fraternity or sorority activity, special class research projects or awards, hobbies etc. They add depth to your story and often help "sell" you as a feature story for a reporter. There is interest not only in the game, but in the people who play the game.
• Expect to be in a "Fish bowl." High profile sports and their participants are public figures and celebrities. Expect to lose some of your privacy. People want to know how you feel.
• Annunciate AND BE ANIMATED. Talk slowly and clearly and avoid the dreaded “you know”, “yaknowwhatimean” and “um.” Concentrate on pronouncing the “ing” in words instead of saying, “runnin”. It does make a big difference. Lively sports personalities with quality quotes will be the source of media focus. Be confident, not cocky. Try to avoid cliches.
• On the Record - When reporters are present, don't say anything you would not want to see in print or on the air. Microphones are extremely sensitive and cameras have zoom lens. If you can see them, assume you are being recorded.
• Treat a telephone interview the same as an in-person interview. Just because it is more conversational, don't do or say things you wouldn't do in a live interview.
• UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE LOCKERROOM POLICY - The University of Delaware has established the following policy concerning equal access by the news media covering University of Delaware athletic contests. The following policy applies ONLY to University home regular season contests. Games on the road as well as post-season competition may, and most likely will, differ. The following is the University policy: "University of Delaware athletic lockerrooms are primarily for the use by team members, the coaching staff, and the University of Delaware Athletics Department support staff. ONLY team personnel are allowed in the lockerrooms at any time unless others are invited in by the coaching staff or athletics staff. Athletic team members will be brought out to an interview area as requested by the news media covering the event. We will also not bring media members into the athletic training room for interviews unless given permission from the UD athletic training staff.
• Members of the media/staff you will most often come into contact with will be Nina Raspa (www.bluehens.com / Hens All-Access); daily newspapers, the Wilmington News Journal (Kevin Tresolini, Martin Frank) and Delaware State News (Andy Walter), weekly newspaper the NewArk Post (Jon Buzby), the University of Delaware student newspaper, The Review (various reporters), radio stations WDSD/The Ticket (Scott Klatzkin, Matt Janus), WDEL (Don Voltz, Sean Greene), student radio station WVUD (various announcers), and area TV stations WHYY Channel 12, Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia, other Philadelphia network outlets, and UD Student Television.
