Professor
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In contemporary sport, public relations are no longer confined to official press releases, press conferences and the work of spokespersons. Digital platforms and sport's constant media presence have turned managers, coaches, and athletes into autonomous communication actors whose statements and conduct directly shape sports organisations' reputations. This paper analyses the shift from institutionally controlled communication towards a model of shared communication responsibility and describes the communication roles of three key groups of sports actors. The manager is examined as the bearer of institutional discourse and strategic communication; the coach as a communication leader whose professional identity can be shaped according to the TRENER communication model; and the athlete as a public figure and personal brand exposed to the reputational risks of social media. Drawing on examples from professional practice, the paper shows that reputational risk most often arises not from a sporting or organisational decision itself, but from a lack of coordination between the club, the coach, and the athlete. It concludes that applied public relations is becoming an integral part of sports leaders' professional competencies, and that message coordination, communication protocols, and preventive training form the foundation of sports organisations' reputational stability.
Author: Tomić, Zoran
Institution: University of Mostar
Language: English
Subfield: Communication
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225735733
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