ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what the rise of club communication departments – with their television stations, multimedia content and multi-platform social media output – means for traditional, independent journalism. It looks at the nature of the relationship between sports journalist and club public relations (PR) officer. As one distinguished sports media academic has written: “The expansion of the sports industry and the range of commercial and political stakeholders involved also means that rigorous, uncomplicit journalism is required in this area as never before. This represents a major ethical challenge for contemporary sports journalism” Sports clubs and governing bodies are employing an increasing number of people to run their PR and communications departments as they seek to bypass traditional news outlets and take control of the flow of information themselves. The media departments of sports clubs and sports organisations seek to control the flow of information surrounding their club or organisation.
