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James Skinner
James
Skinner
Kristine Toohey
Kristine
Toohey
International sport public relations
Loughborough University
2016
Sport
Public relations
2016-10-12 15:24:58
Chapter
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/chapter/International_sport_public_relations/9465311
As the importance and financial rewards of global sport have increased so too
the practice of public relations on an international basis has continued to
expand and more public relations practitioners represent organisations that
transcend national boundaries (Dickerson, 2005). As practicing international
public relations tales place across national boundaries ‘public relations
becomes a cultural artefact, bound by cultural beliefs, perceptions and
notions’ (Curtin and Gaither, 2007, p. 20) which presents many unique challenges. This chapter identifies that culture should be at the centre of understanding the role of international public relations. Sports, however, are
often overlooked in international public relations despite the fact that sport
can cross national boundaries and focus the attention of the international
community. It has the capacity to ‘shape relationships at numerous levels:
diplomatic, cultural, economic and organisational’ and thus implies ‘a role
for public relations’ (L’Etang, 2006, p. 386). By using the Olympic Games
and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as examples this chapter
highlights the role that public relations has and can play in promoting and
protecting the place that sport occupies in the international community.