Buffalo Sabres - Media/PR
Spring 2018
One of the most useful things that I took away from the internship with the Buffalo Sabres Media Relations Department was really getting to see all that goes into the communications aspect on any given game night. This includes all that takes place up in the press box, in-game broadcast, broadcast trucks, and in-game/post-game interviews. There is a lot of pregame setting up, in-game duties, and postgame responsibilities in each of these areas.
The most important part of the pregame preparation began with working at the media credential table. The Media/Public Relations interns were responsible for greeting all the media personnel, NHL off ice officials, NHL scouts, photographers, and other important personnel like Terry Pegula and his distinguished guests. Our check in table served as a second round of security as we had to carefully check every individual’s credentials to be sure they were allowed admittance into the press box and its surrounding areas. Each and every time there was a discrepancy on the list or an individual did not have their credential, we were mandated to verify them through our boss, Ian Ott. When not assigned to work the credential table, interns were responsible with getting the press box set up. This included placing name cards for seating assignments and checking to be sure that all of the technology was working properly.
Observing all that goes on in the press box and the variety of different jobs that occur there was striking, as I had not realized all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into each game. Under the Media Relations/ Public Relations domain you have both the home and visiting teams TV and radio broadcast booths, which include production assistants, camera assistants and floor directors. Several journalists, sports writers, and the Sabres media and website writers are also there, constantly at work. On top of that you have off ice officials, scouts, coaches, and scratched players so there is a lot happening at once in each booth and in the press box in general. However, the common denominator in all of this is the Communication/ PR Department as they are responsible for distribution of all the materials. For example, the lineups and statistics that the off ice officials put together ultimately get distributed to all media outlets so that they can post/ release the latest in-game statistics promptly. It is also part of the Sabres Media Department to assist in gathering specific statistics, calling in the lineups during warm ups, and looking at possible player milestones and other unique happenings during any given game.
Other areas that we had some exposure to include the in-game broadcast booth, broadcast trucks, and the video room. Each of these was extremely complex in that you had several people controlling what camera angles, prerecorded clips, statistics, graphics, voice overs, and live audio were being used and put out on the air. While it was extremely complex and dynamic, it was awesome to see all the different people and job responsibilities that go into the production of a professional sporting event. You do not even realize when you are at home watching a Sabres game that there are 40 people sitting in trucks and booths controlling everything you see!
Lastly, some of our post game responsibilities included working in and around the player locker rooms. Whether this was putting together complex statistic booklets for the coaches and media teams or collecting audio in post- game interviews, this is where all the media platforms seem to come together to get live quotes and videos for their pages, new stations, websites, and blog pages.
Press box etiquette is a crucial component of any sports related media position. The idea here being that you need to conduct yourself in a professional manner as an employee and not a fan, even though you may be both. This includes not asking anyone for their autograph, for pictures, cheering during the game, and other unprofessional actions. One of the special things about being in the press box is the opportunity to interact and network with well-known and respected people. For example, I had the privilege of becoming close acquaintances with Harry Neale, a former coach in the NCAA, WHA, and NHL as well as a renowned colour commentator. Becoming comfortable in this type of role of working alongside big name and in several cases, famous people is an important skill to develop.
Given that I have been around the sport of hockey since I was two years old I caught on quick with many of the aspects and duties of the job. In fact, I was exclusively relied upon to help gather statistics and predict starting lineups, including line combinations, defensive pairs, and the starting net minder for both teams (but usually just the away team). Having this natural hockey sense/ knowledge enabled me to quickly catch on to all of the duties and understand them on a deeper level as opposed to most of the other interns who lack a hockey background. Personally, one of the coolest perks of this position was getting to see and record many of the players and coaches throughout the NHL over the course of the year that I have long admired. All while keeping in mind how to act professionally around them. Some future career opportunities where these types of skills may be beneficial include Public Relation Coordinator, Coordinator of Hockey Analytics, and Hockey Scouts.
Another interesting responsibility associated with being an intern in the Media/Public Relations Department was getting to participate in some of the off ice activities that the Sabres are part of such as Bowl-A-Rama, Zach Bogosian’s Kancer Jam Event, and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Wine Festival. Interns were privileged to be an extra set of hands during these community give back type of events. It was an opportunity to see the players in a different and more relaxed environment. An extra special opportunity I was able to be part of was the World Juniors as the Sabres hosted them this past December. This is truly amazing given that this competition can be held almost anywhere in the world. Being around players and coaches from around the globe was awesome. Our duties were primarily to create all the player, coach, and staff credentials and then monitor them throughout the 10 day event.
Application of Course Material to the Internship Experience:
At first glance it is somewhat difficult to see the connection between my coursework and this internship opportunity. This is partly because as interns we did not get the opportunity to use any equipment other than basic recording devices and computers and we were not the ones creating content and/or products. However, when I look a bit deeper, I see that my coursework helped me with set up as I knew what all or most of the equipment was and how it should be set up distinct to each person and their area of profession. For example, in the broadcast trucks, seeing the director, assistant director, audio engineers, and producers work in harmony to put together what the viewers at home see on TV allowed me to see what I had learned in class in real life action. In addition to that, seeing all the equipment like the switcher and the many different microphones, monitors, and computers in this setting was so much larger than what I had been exposed to in my coursework. I got to see first hand what the people on the studio floor positions actually do and how they work together to get a complex job done. This was something that became much clearer when I saw it live than when it was covered in my coursework. Some of these floor positions included camera operators, lighting director, floor director, and production/camera assistants. Seeing how the timing of it all comes together is really quite amazing.
Being part of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bandits organizations has allowed me to observe public relations strategies that I learned during my coursework in the real sport and entertainment industry. In game promotions are very important as they connect and relate to fans of all kinds. Die hard hockey fans go for the pure love of the game (and maybe a few beers given the recent quality of play) while families and people less familiar with hockey go for the fun and overall experience. Some examples of in game promotions that I was part of included t-shirt and sock toss, seat upgrades, being on the jumbo tron, and entire rows of fans receiving a slice of pizza. These are some of the techniques for keeping fans engaged and involved throughout the game. Other public relation strategies include theme nights like hockey fights cancer, military appreciation night, and fan appreciation night. These theme night games usually include a promotional gift given to each fan and are held in order to sell tickets and to grow interest in the game of hockey. All of these things help to create a memorable and meaningful experience for fans that keep them wanting to come back, game after game.
The growth of technology has allowed social media to become a very powerful public relations tool in the sport and entertainment industry. The Sabres social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram all help to make the fans feel more personally connected to the players, the team and the organization as a whole. The media sites include information and coverage about community based events, practices, player personal lives, player milestones, player interviews, and exciting game day updates. This is another great way to keep fans connected to the team not only on game nights but all the time, giving them a wide variety of information about the team at their fingertips.
Completing this internship has been an outstanding and rewarding experience for me. It has allowed me to take what I have learned in my communication classes and sport management classes and put them into real life action. To be able to do this through the venue of a professional hockey team has been awesome as hockey has been my favorite sport since I was two years old. As a result of this experience, I believe I would like to ultimately work in the public relations and communications field as part of a professional sports team. Hopefully this internship was the first step down that career path.