Sport Entity

Opinion Paper # 2

A crisis refers to any threat to a sport entity’s image. Crises may occur at any time resulting from many different factors. Some factors can include threats to images, reputation, and perceptions, which in turn constitutes a crisis situation. For example, in 2007 on MSNBC’s Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University Women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hoes” during their run in the NCAA Championship. The team consisted of eight African-American and two white players. One by one, numerous sponsors pulled their ads from the Imus show. CBS would later fire Imus from his radio program, which took a financial hit of about $15 million in annual revenue to CBS. The Rev Al Sharpton and Rev Jesse Jackson were among the people who spoke on Imus’s comments saying they were “sexism and racism”. Jackson called the firing “a victory for public decency. No one should use the public airways to transmit racial or sexual degradation.” Some of the comments by both men were considered indeed derogative and disrespectful in referring to Imus comments. Being an African American, I didn’t see the comments so much as being racist, but I did see them as being a stereotype towards African-Americans. The comments were a case of ignorance and stupidity for someone considered by Time Magazine as one of the top 25 Most Influential People in America. There was not anything comical or amusing in those comments. Imus got caught up in his words and did not think before he spoke. As a person of the media, they are too in the spotlight for the things they say or write and the public is out to voice their opinion. I can give credit where credit is due, Imus was remorseful in his apology to the Rutgers Women’s basketball team, but in all look how much he lost in just saying a couple words. Think Before you speak is great advice to live by especially in career involving communication.