Read on Twitter
Kevin Warren has had a remarkable life and career. He made history as the Big Ten's first Black commissioner.
But his communication strategy—or lack thereof—was a disaster for the Big Ten as it wrestled with COVID-19.
Let’s look at, and learn from, 3 things that went wrong.
But his communication strategy—or lack thereof—was a disaster for the Big Ten as it wrestled with COVID-19.
Let’s look at, and learn from, 3 things that went wrong.
1/ Failure to communicate with partners
The Big Ten surprised the other Power 5 conferences by suddenly cancelling fall sports:
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/all-the-right-moves-greg-sankey-is-the-reason-the-sec-and-others-are-playing-college-football/
It also appears broadcast partners were left in the dark, before the cancelation and before the return announcement.
The Big Ten surprised the other Power 5 conferences by suddenly cancelling fall sports:
https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/all-the-right-moves-greg-sankey-is-the-reason-the-sec-and-others-are-playing-college-football/
It also appears broadcast partners were left in the dark, before the cancelation and before the return announcement.
2/ Failure to engage athletes and athletic staffs
Warren has the responsibility to listen to some dissenting opinions from the people most affected by the conference’s decisions.
He didn't.
And it greatly worsened the blowback from media, athletes, and member schools.
Warren has the responsibility to listen to some dissenting opinions from the people most affected by the conference’s decisions.
He didn't.
And it greatly worsened the blowback from media, athletes, and member schools.
3/ Failure to use clear and transparent messaging
He wandere, lectures, and filibusters.t on the Big Ten Network and had one of the more disastrous sports media appearances ever.
Warren had no strategy.
He wandered, lectured, and filibustered.
He wandere, lectures, and filibusters.t on the Big Ten Network and had one of the more disastrous sports media appearances ever.
Warren had no strategy.
He wandered, lectured, and filibustered.
4/ Warren's obstinance:
-Emboldened and amplified dissension online and in the media.
-Created a sense the league had something to hide
-Created a sense of incompetence, that the Big Ten didn't know what it was doing, or where it was going next.
-Emboldened and amplified dissension online and in the media.
-Created a sense the league had something to hide
-Created a sense of incompetence, that the Big Ten didn't know what it was doing, or where it was going next.
5/ Crisis communications requires you to:
-Plan in advance
-Be as open as possible
-Explain why you’re not being open when you can’t be
-Paint a vision for going forward
-Plan in advance
-Be as open as possible
-Explain why you’re not being open when you can’t be
-Paint a vision for going forward
6/ Warren can improve with better media training.
He’s certainly shown grit and determination in his life.
Here’s hoping he has the introspection required to evolve in his role for his good, and the good of the Big Ten.
He’s certainly shown grit and determination in his life.
Here’s hoping he has the introspection required to evolve in his role for his good, and the good of the Big Ten.
7/ If you learned something in this thread, consider subscribing to the Signal Caller, a daily newsletter with insights on media, writing, and communication strategy in sports. https://www.signalcaller.co
