STC 450 Final Project

New York Rangers Crisis

Communications Plan

Sophia Alfieri

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Phase 1: Organizational Analysis for The

Public relations is a necessary part of any organization looking to grow, develop, and succeed. It is especially important when crises arise and begin to affect reputation, brand image, structure, and so much more. To effectively handle a crisis, it can be useful for organizations to have a set and extremely detailed crisis communications plan in place as a way of preparation.

While obvious choices for which organizations should have a specific crisis plan tend to be major companies such as Apple, Amazon, or Facebook, what many people often overlook is the category of sports and sports teams. Crises are capable of happening in sports too, and with a crisis communications plan they can be handled just as effectively and efficiently as a crisis in any other category. A sports team deserving of such a plan is the New York Rangers, who could face the common, damaging issue of domestic violence in their future as a constantly developing organization.

The New York Rangers are a professional team in the of the Eastern Conference of the (Rangers History: Birth of the

Rangers, n.d.). They are based in Manhattan and get to call Madison Square Garden, “The

World’s Most Famous Arena,” their home. In fact, the Rangers are one of the many sports brands owned and overseen by James Dolan, the Executive Chairman and CEO of The Madison

Square Garden Company. Per NHL rules, they play 82 games in a regular season, 41 of which are at home in front of almost 18,000 dedicated fans each night. From the months of October to

April, or sometimes June if they are lucky enough to make it to the playoffs, the

Rangers are dedicated to bringing entertainment, excitement, and morale to New York City, the

Garden, and thousands of fans who support them every year.

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Founded in 1926 by “Tex” Rickard, with recruitment help from Conn Smythe, the New

York Rangers were originally an expansion team and received their name from sports media referring to them as “Tex’s Rangers.” Until 1942 they played in the shadow of the New York

Americans, eventually winning over fans with their intense drive and determination. Once the

Americans team ended, the Rangers joined the , the , the

Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadians, and the , together referred to as the Original Six, in the battle for the cup up to the year 1967 (Augustyn, 2018). Afterwards, the NHL began adding more teams and building to the extensive size that it is today. Since they were founded, the New York Rangers have raised a blue banner to the wings of MSG donning the title “Stanley Cup Champions” four different times, the first in 1928, then 1933, 1940, and the last in 1994 (Rangers History: Birth of the Rangers, n.d.). Over the past few years, the race for the cup has been rocky for the boys in blue. As of 2017, the team was valued at 1,500 million dollars, making them the NHL’s most valuable hockey franchise for three years in a row (New

York Rangers on the Forbes The Business of Hockey List, n.d.).

In February of 2018, , President of the New York Rangers, and ,

General Manager, released a statement ensuring fans that the team was being evaluated and a new era, one where the Rangers would be a better contender for the championship, was on its way (A Message from Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton About Our Team, 2018). This past spring, the organization was true to their word and decided to take on a new head coach from Boston

University and drastically shake up their roster for a younger, faster, and more defensive team.

Since this change, there has been more emphasis on the importance of rebuilding, mentioned often through interviews of general staff members, the coaches, and a number of players on the team (Regan, 2018). Rebuilding is the main focus of the organization right now, even though it

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may take a few years for the team to start performing well together, in the hopes of providing

New York and all of the Rangerstown fans with another title of Stanley Cup Champions.

Over the years, a variety of crises have emerged in the wide world of sports. Football has gone through “Deflategate” and the issue of concussions causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Baseball has seen many players go down with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). A common hockey crisis, and the most probable one that the New York Rangers could experience in the future of their organization, is domestic abuse. Hockey is a very aggressive sport, and often players losing their temper off the ice can lead to the abuse of wives, girlfriends, or even close friends. The number of domestic abuse cases have increased dramatically, not just with the sport of hockey, and more fans have begun to voice their dissatisfaction with how situations are being handled (Wyshynski, 2017). With the adoption of a new team, filled with many new, young faces, things are clearly not the same for the Rangers.

Some of these new players could have a great game face on the ice, but unknown tendencies with anger and violence at home. Amid rebuilding, such a crisis would be detrimental to the Rangers, not to mention demoralizing to the city, state, and all of the Rangerstown fans and supporters.

Domestic abuse can prove to be a very sticky situation for a hockey team, so it would be extremely important for a crisis communications plan to be established. The New York Rangers would benefit from an extensive and detailed crisis plan with clear purposes and objectives, a list of key publics, a designated and dedicated crisis communications team and/or spokespeople, a list of key media, sources where information can be accessed, and more. The development of such a plan would help prepare them if this type of crisis arose within the next few years.

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Phase 2: S.W.O.T. Analysis for the New York Rangers

A necessary action to complete prior to creating any kind of crisis plan is to conduct an organizational S.W.O.T. analysis. The purpose of a S.W.O.T. analysis is to determine and understand your organization, its intended market and more on a deeper level. They can assist with organizing, developing, and branding in a way that highlights strengths, improves weaknesses, considers opportunities, and eliminates threats. The weaknesses and threats discovered can transform into important strengths and opportunities for the organization as a whole and as a brand. The New York Rangers have a significant set of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that affect how they function as a team and as a professional organization.

The New York Rangers have a handful of important strengths that should be capitalized on, especially when creating a crisis plan. For one thing, they are a professional sports team, which means that they should always be receiving traction to a good extent, no matter what their record. When taking a closer look at their popularity, the Rangers tend to be a well-liked team and hold a good reputation among their fans, NHL counterparts, and other sports communities.

Going along with this, their announcement of the plan to rebuild in February of 2018 brought a significant amount of attention and discussion among fans, professional athletes, sports commentators, and others within the industry. As a team that is still in the rebuilding phase and has all eyes on them waiting to see what will happen next, the Rangers could use this excitement and attention to their advantage, especially if they ever found themselves in a crisis situation.

Strengths can also be found when looking at the location and the value system of the team. Playing in a building dubbed the “World’s Most Famous Arena” is undoubtedly attention grabbing, but it is important to look at the fact that Madison Square Garden is easily accessible.

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Sitting right on top of Penn Station, fans and foes alike can train into the city and walk right upstairs to find their seats. With friendly staff, an easy navigation system, and a variety of food and drink options, it’s rare for a visitor to leave unsatisfied. The history of the arena plays into the Rangers reputation and values surrounding tradition, pride, and passion (Rangers, n.d.). On top of this, the team highlights the value of family through hosting family days, honoring dedicated family fans, and constantly referring to the team as a family on social media.

Most of the team’s weaknesses are of the external kind. Madison Square Garden may be a nice arena, but being in New York City means that it has no public parking spaces. Fans and visitors who did not train in must find parking somewhere else. To add onto this, ticket prices have shot through the roof over the past few years. Madison Square Garden may not have a bad seat in the house, but if you prefer to be closer to the ice, you have to be prepared to spend well over $300. Both of these factors could highly discourage attendees, especially those who may be from outside of the city or visiting from another state, from buying tickets. Additionally, the

Rangers have not been very consistent in how they navigate social media, specifically on

Twitter. When it comes to live tweeting games, they are bland and boring. Not being very engaging with fans on social can be a serious negative for organizations in this day and age of technology.

Turning weaknesses into strengths is not as easy for the New York Rangers as it can be for other sports teams. Control is limited as to what can be done about parking at Madison

Square Garden because of the fact that the arena is in Manhattan. Ticket prices could be lowered, but does not cannot guarantee that scalpers will not get their hands on the tickets and bump up the prices. Social media is a less complicated fix, though. Learning to become more fun and

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engaging through videos, pictures, and replies is enough to keep fans happy with and involved in the organization.

Opportunities for the organization exist in tandem with its weaknesses. The Rangers could benefit from putting more time and effort into how they conduct their social media. As the quickest and easiest way to stay connected with audiences, you can never go wrong with knowing how to navigate the web. Exhibiting entertainment, investment, and a dialogic loop can increase loyalty, trust, and satisfaction with the team, which can come in handy during times of crisis. The Rangers are also in a good spot because of the buzz they have been getting since the rebuild announcement. Taking this attention and using it to their advantage could help build their confidence and image among publics.

The Rangers do not have a lot of threats to their organization. For one thing, they compete against one of three NHL teams that represent New York; they share representation with the and the . Sports fans will typically root for teams that are near them or in the state where they are from, so the Rangers could have more fans than they already have if they were not competing for loyalty with two other teams. Another threat is the idea that the rebuilding plan could fail and the Rangers may not bring home another cup for

20 years or more. This could leave fans disappointed and cause them to lose trust in the organization.

Transforming threats into opportunities should not be too hard of a task for the organization. The Rangers could be more appealing than the Sabres or the Islanders through lots of engagement and fan opportunities. The team could offer more game day giveaway prizes, host more fan events, or create more rewards for being loyal to the team. To turn the threat of rebuilding failure into an opportunity, the organization should keep an open dialogue through

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every step of the process. Avoiding keeping secrets will maintain and boost trust, confidence, and satisfaction with the team. This would especially come in handy during a major crisis situation.

Overall, this S.W.O.T. analysis for the New York Rangers reveals that the team is not in too rough of a spot when it comes to image and reputation. They have a handful of good strengths and opportunities that they can capitalize on, while their weaknesses and threats are, for the most part, an easy fix. Being open, honest, trustworthy, caring, and investing can help the

Rangers keep a good image and reputation among their publics. If and when crises occur, these characteristics will be remembered and put the organization in a better spot in the eyes of publics. That is why referring to this analysis when creating a crisis plan or dealing with a crisis is crucial.

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References

A Message from Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton About Our Team. (2018, Feb. 8). Retrieved

from https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/a-message-from-glen-sather-and-jeff-gorton-

about-our-team/c-295742648.

Augustyn, A. (2018, Nov. 20). New York Rangers. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-York-Rangers.

New York Rangers on the Forbes The Business of Hockey List. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/teams/new-york-rangers/.

Rangers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com/our-

company/our-brands/rangers/.

Rangers History: Birth of the Rangers. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/birth-of-the-rangers.

Regan, J. (2018, Aug. 27). Rangers face tough season as the rebuild continues. Retrieved from

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/2018-19-metropolitan-division-preview-

new-york-rangers.

Wyshynski, G. (2017, April 28). NHL fans pressuring teams on sexual assault, domestic

violence. Retrieved from http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl-fans-pressuring-teams-sexual-

assault-domestic-violence-183350334.html.

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Crisis Communications Plan

New York Rangers

Developed by Sophia Alfieri, Chief Communications Officer Approved by the New York Rangers Crisis Communications Team

Created: December 11, 2018 Revision Date: December 11, 2019

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Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….12 Acknowledgments………………………………..……………………………….13 Rehearsal Dates…………………………………..……………………………….15 Purpose and Objectives…………………………..……………………………….16 Key Publics…………………………………………………………………….… 17 Crisis Team and Directory………………………………………………………...18 Media Spokesperson……………………………………………………………....19 Emergency Personnel……………………………………………………………..20 Equipment and Supplies……………………………………………………….….21 Pre-Gathered Information…………………………………………………………22 Key Messages……………………………………………………………………..29 Dissemination Plan………………………………………………………………..30 Tactics……………………………………………………………………………..31 Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………37 Final Reflection…………………………………………………………………...38

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Introduction

In the ever-changing world of sports, you can always count on crises to be static. They often vary in intensity and type, and more often than not they come as a surprise to a sports organization. With this in mind, it is extremely important to be prepared in the face of a crisis, no matter how big or small.

The New York Rangers have been a well-liked and reputable organization since being founded in 1926. For over 90 years we have brought action, entertainment, and excitement to New York, and along the way have built and maintained strong relationships with a variety of publics. These groups have been responsible for the upkeep of our organization as a whole, on a variety of levels.

In order to remain in the favor of these publics and continue to have a good- natured image, this plan should be paid much attention to. Crises should be handled in a way that showcases our values, beliefs, and ethics as an organization. If not, the New York Rangers could be at risk of altering our image or reputation, not just in New York but in the NHL, AHL, and other hockey communities around the world.

This plan should be carried out as instructed and must be reviewed and updated yearly. All those involved must understand their roles in the event of any crisis.

Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Madison Square Garden Company

______(Signature and Date)

President, New York Rangers

______(Signature and Date)

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Acknowledgments

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have thoroughly read this Crisis Communications Plan and am prepared to put it into effect when the timing is appropriate.

Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Madison Square Garden Company

______(Signature and Date)

President, The Madison Square Garden Company

______(Signature and Date)

President, New York Rangers

______(Signature and Date)

General Manager, New York Rangers

______(Signature and Date)

Senior Vice President, Assistant General Manager

______(Signature and Date)

Executive Vice President, MSG Sports

______(Signature and Date)

Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, Team & Sports Operations

______

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(Signature and Date)

Senior Vice President, Public Relations & Player Recruitment

______(Signature and Date)

Chief Communications Officer

______(Signature and Date)

Vice President, Communications, MSG Sports

______(Signature and Date)

Head Coach

______(Signature and Date)

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Rehearsal Dates

The best way to know what to do when a crisis occurs and how to handle it in the most effective fashion is to practice. Rehearsal of possible crises can help build knowledge, confidence, and efficiency whenever and wherever a situation may arise.

As an organization that operates heavily between 8 to 10 months of the year, it can often be difficult to arrange a time and place for a crisis simulation to occur with all of the team present. As best as the crisis team can, a minimum of two days must be set aside for training throughout the year. These days should occur every 6 months. The addition of other days for simulation are at the discretion of the team.

The designated dates for a crisis simulation are:

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019

The simulation will take place the whole day, starting promptly at 9 a.m. and ending by 6 p.m. In the activity, there should be a realistic crisis scenario for the New York Rangers presented. The team should utilize this crisis plan to break down and handle the situation in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

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Purpose and Objectives

This crisis communication plan for the New York Rangers has been developed and put in place with specific intent and goals for the organization in the present and future.

The purpose of this document is to identify possible crises within a range of damage potential to the New York Rangers organization. We wish to be well prepared and organized to minimize common mistakes made in the face of crises. We also want to reduce confusion and increase effectiveness and efficiency.

Objectives • To remain well-liked and credible in the eyes of our publics • To be seen in the media as an organization that cares about its players, employees, and fans • To be open, honest, and timely when it comes to communication • To work as and remain a team as the crisis goes on • To channel our key values, beliefs, and ethics as an organization • To treat every crisis as a serious matter • To successfully reference and follow the information detailed in this plan

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Key Publics

Enabling Publics – hold authority • New York Rangers Executive Management • The Madison Square Garden Company Executive Management • Hockey Club Personnel • Partners o JP Morgan Chase o Anheuser-Busch o Delta Air Lines o DraftKings o Kia Motors o Lexus o PepsiCo o SAP o Squarespace Functional Publics – work/participate in organization • Employees o Sports Team Operations o Hockey Operations o Communications o Fan Development & Community Relation o Marketing o Digital o Legal & Business Affairs • Fans Normative Publics – share values • The National Hockey League (NHL) • The American Hockey League (AHL) o The Hartford Wolf Pack Diffused Publics – indirectly linked • The media • Communities o New York o Connecticut

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Crisis Team and Directory

Title Name Business Cellphone Email Number Number Chief Sophia 212-605-0056 516-448-5049 [email protected] Communications Alfieri Officer Chief Kim Kerns 212-896-0056 631-659-3487 [email protected] Communications Officer, MSG Senior VP, John 212-342-0056 516-098-2389 [email protected] Public Relations Rosasco and Player Recruitment Executive James L. 212-348-0056 516-341-4386 [email protected] Chairman & Dolan Chief Executive Officer, The MSG Company President, The Andrew 212-098-0056 631-598-0318 [email protected] MSG Company Lustgarten President, New Glen Sather 212-754-0056 631-942-5840 [email protected] York Rangers General Jeff Gorton 212-980-0056 516-478-9874 [email protected] Manager, New York Rangers Senior VP, Jamaal 212-387-0056 631-783-4859 [email protected] Legal & Lesane Business Affairs, Team & Sports Operations Head Coach David Quinn 212-167-0056 631-490-8764 [email protected]

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Media Spokesperson

The media spokesperson(s) must have incredible knowledge of the team, organization, and league so they may speak on our behalf. Before addressing the media, the designated person(s) should gather as much information as possible about the crisis at hand and be aware of all factors involved.

The most appropriate individuals to speak on behalf of the organization are the President and General Manager of the New York Rangers.

President – Glen Sather General Manager – Jeff Gorton

In the case that one or both individuals may not available or fit to talk to the media, the next best spokesperson is the Head Coach.

Head Coach – David Quinn

Important Media Guidelines to Remember • The designated spokesperson(s) may speak to the media only • Have a professional appearance • Be polite, sincere, and sympathetic • Be as open and honest as you can, when you can • Avoid speculation

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Emergency Personnel

Gary Bettman NHL Chief Executive 960-324-5279 [email protected]

Bill Daly NHL Deputy Commissioner & Chief Legal Officer 960-437-5908 [email protected]

Craig Harnett NHL Executive VP & CFO 960-899-4095 [email protected]

FDNY Engine 1/Ladder 24 Fire Station 142 W 31st St New York, NY 10001 (718) 999-2000

FDNY Engine 26 Fire Station 222 W37th St New York, NY 10018

Midtown Precinct South Police Department 357 W 35th St New York, NY 10001 (212) 239-9811

New York Presbyterian Hospital 51 W 51st St New York, NY 10019

Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital 281 1st Avenue New York, NY 10003 (212) 420-2000

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Equipment and Supplies

It is highly likely that crises for the New York Rangers will be handled at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The materials should be stored in the closets of the main boardrooms. This list of pre-gathered equipment and supplies should also be kept in the boardroom. The team is responsible for bringing additional materials to the crisis meeting.

Pre-gathered materials at Madison Square Garden: • large post-it easels • pens, pencils, and markers • clipboards • steno pads • telephone book • media lists • press kit • first-aid kit • extension cords • extra copies of the crisis plan • printer • copy machine

Extra materials to be brought by Crisis Team: • food and water • laptops • headphones • cellphones • chargers • personal identification

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Pre-gathered Information

Executive Biographies

https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/james-dolan

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https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/andrew-lustgarten

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https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/glen-sather

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https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/jeff-gorton

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https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/david-quinn

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New York Rangers Standard News Release

https://twitter.com/NYRStatsInfo/status/766760268445679616

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Madison Square Garden Company Boiler Plate

About The Madison Square Garden Company The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment experiences. The company presents or hosts a broad array of premier events in its diverse collection of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston. Other MSG properties include legendary sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA); two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL); and esports teams through Counter Logic Gaming, a leading North American esports organization, and Knicks Gaming, MSG’s NBA 2K League franchise. In addition, the Company features the popular original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces New England’s preeminent Boston Calling Music Festival. Also under the MSG umbrella is TAO Group, a world-class hospitality group with globally-recognized entertainment dining and nightlife brands: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, The Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex and Vandal. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com. https://www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com/news/2018/rangers-hold- salute-to-our-troops-night-presented-by-budweiser-on-november-12/

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Key Messages

Key messages are important for reminding members of the organization what our main points are when speaking to publics. They help with timeliness, preparedness, and image during a crisis. They should be released to publics in whatever way seems most fit during their time of need.

New York Rangers key messages should • be honest, open, and as thorough as possible • remind publics of our values and morals as an organization • show cooperation and empathy • acknowledge that the crisis is being dealt with in the most appropriate manner • acknowledge that growth and development is possible for the organization during the situation/once it’s over The following are sample messages for a domestic abuse crisis: • While we may be uncertain of the level of truth to the allegation at this time, that will not stop us from investigating the matter with all seriousness. • It is important to remember that the New York Rangers place a lot of value on family, so we find it extremely crucial to acknowledge the allegation and find out what we can. • Our organization takes such a matter very seriously, and we are investigating all sides of the case to ensure that it is dealt with in an informed and appropriate manner.

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Dissemination of Key Messages

Disseminating our organization’s key messages during a crisis is necessary for informing our publics as to what is going on, for making our publics aware that the situation has been acknowledged and is being handled, and for maintaining an open dialogue. The dissemination method chosen at the time of the crisis must reach all intended audiences in a timely and easily accessible fashion.

Methods • News Release – to be updated as the crisis develops o Post on all major social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) o Post on our website homepage and under the ‘News’ section o Email blast to our media list o Email blast to executives, employees, and all other internal publics • News Conference – to be streamed live on all major social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) o Post on social media about news conference at least 24 hours prior to its start o Email blast about news conference to media list at least 24 hours prior to start o Email blast about news conference to executives, employees, and all other internal publics at least 24 hours prior to start o Post stream link on social media at least 2 hours prior to start o Email blast stream link to media list at least 2 hours prior to start o Email blast stream link to executives, employees, and all other internal publics at least 2 hours prior to start • Social Media – to be updated as the crisis develops o Post clear and concise copy on all major social media outlets (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

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Tactics

News Release for Domestic Abuse Crisis

NEW YORK RANGERS HOCKEY CLUB STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS 1928 | 1933 | 1940 | 1994

NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release

RANGERS DEFENSEMAN JOHN DOE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

NEW YORK, December 17, 2018 – New York Rangers President Glen Sather announced today that alternate captain John Doe is under investigation following a recent surfacing of domestic abuse allegations from his wife, Jane.

Reports of abuse began to surface this past weekend, after Jane Doe was seen leaving the couple’s Lower West Side apartment with large bruises on her body and multiple packed bags in her car. She appeared upset and would not acknowledge her husband as he tried to speak with her on the sidewalk. As she drove away, Doe reportedly screamed at the car before storming back inside the house.

Sather, alongside Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton, revealed in an early morning press conference that the organization is taking the situation very seriously. “As a team that values family, we believe it is important to acknowledge the situation and handle it in an informed manner,” said President Sather. “We will continue on with the regular season, but we do not plan on letting these allegations go uninvestigated.”

Doe, 31, has been a defenseman for the New York Rangers for 11 years.

Updates and additional information will be released as it becomes available to our knowledge.

###

About The Madison Square Garden Company The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment experiences. The company presents or hosts a broad array of premier events in its diverse collection of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston. Other MSG properties include legendary sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA); two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL); and esports teams through Counter Logic Gaming, a leading North American esports organization, and Knicks Gaming, MSG’s NBA 2K League franchise. In addition, the Company features the popular original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces New England’s preeminent Boston Calling Music Festival. Also under the MSG umbrella is TAO Group, a world-class hospitality group with globally-recognized entertainment dining and nightlife brands: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, The Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex and Vandal. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.

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Opening Statement for First News Conference

To be read to the media by the chosen spokesperson(s):

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is very important to our organization that we make you aware of an abuse allegation that has recently surfaced against our alternate captain, John Doe. As a team that values passion, family, and teamwork, we take all situations of this matter very seriously.

This weekend, it was reported that Jane Doe, John’s wife, was seen leaving the couple’s apartment in a fragile and broken state. We were first informed of the situation by the Midtown Precinct South Police Department, who received multiple tips from neighbors living in the area.

Along with the Midtown Precinct South Police Department, we are conducting a full-scale investigation of the allegations against Doe. The regular season will continue so as not to disrupt the rules and regulations set in place by the National Hockey League, but we have decided to sit Doe until the investigation is complete and we are informed enough to make a final decision on the matter. Ryan Lindgren has been called down from the Hartford Wolf Pack to take the open defenseman position.

We will continue to release updates as more information becomes available to us. Thank you for your time. We will now take questions.”

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Website Content

BREAKING: DOE UNDER INVESTIGATION

NYR homepage during the crisis

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JOHN DOE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE ALLEGATIONS JOHN DOE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

December 17th, 2018

JOHN DOE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

‘Press Releases’ section under the ‘News’ page during the crisis

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LIVE NOW: Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton Press Conference on Doe

Crisis press conference live stream on the ‘Video’ page

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Social Media Strategy/Actions

Platforms that must be covered • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram For NYR Domestic Abuse Crisis • Post news release • Post announcement of press conference • Post live stream of conference before it begins • Monitor social about NYR during crisis • Post updates as they come For each platform • Facebook o Picture of conference going on o Video of personal message from Sather or Gorton concerning the crisis o Example for a post with a picture ▪ LIVE RIGHT NOW is a press conference concerning the allegations against John Doe. Go to our full page for the stream link. • Twitter o Live tweet the conference ▪ Quote spokesperson(s) ▪ Tweet questions and answers from media o Example ▪ “…we have decided to sit Doe until the investigation is complete and we are informed enough to make a final decision on the matter” – Glen Sather talking about the next steps • Instagram o Story of press conference being set up o Picture of conference going on o Video of personal message from Sather or Gorton concerning the crisis o Example for post with video ▪ Please watch for an important message from GM Gorton!

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Evaluation

The following is a post-crisis evaluation form. We ask that all crisis team members, management, and employees fill it out honestly and to the best of their ability. This feedback will allow us to shape our crises procedures in the hopes of strengthening them for the future. Thank you for your time and efforts pre, during, and post crisis.

Crisis:______Date(s):______

Please rate the statements below on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all and 5 being fully. 1. The crisis was handled in a timely, organized, and effective manner 1 2 3 4 5 2. I understood my role in the crisis communications plan 1 2 3 4 5 3. I was confused about parts of the crisis management process 1 2 3 4 5 4. The members of the crisis team performed their jobs correctly and efficiently 1 2 3 4 5 5. This crisis plan was read and followed during the course of the situation 1 2 3 4 5 Please answer the following questions. 1. What should be done differently the next time a crisis needs to be handled? ______

2. What worked the best when handling the crisis? ______Additional Comments:

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Final Reflection

There is no question that the New York Rangers are a well-liked and respectable organization. Although this may be their known image and reputation throughout the National

Hockey League, the American Hockey League, and international hockey communities, this cannot protect them from experiencing a public relations crisis. For the organization to handle any sized crisis effectively and efficiently, whether it was predicted or not, it is important to have prior knowledge and practice of what to do in such a situation. This has proven to assist with preparedness, organization, timeliness, and so much more. That is why this crisis communications plan was created and should be used when the time comes.

Before dissecting the steps, it is important to highlight the main crisis communication theory behind the plan that should apply to any crisis the organization could experience.

Situational crisis communication theory is most appropriate for the New York Rangers because it suggests giving a crisis response based on the level of threat posed by the situation. It is a blend of impression management, corporate apologia theory, and image repair theory. The New York

Rangers could fall victim to any of the three main categories of crises (victim crisis cluster, accidental crisis cluster, preventable crisis cluster), and situational crisis communication theory is a broad and simple enough approach to dealing with anything that could fall on their laps

(Ulmer et al., 2018).

With this theory in mind, the crisis plan steps fall into place. The rehearsal dates are set to be conducted by the team twice a year, possibly more depending on how individual members feel, to refresh their minds about how to effectively prepare and handle any kind of crisis based on its threat level. Conducting a simulation once during the regular season and once during the offseason keeps crisis plan details sharp in their memories. The purpose and objectives listed at

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the beginning of the plan also serve as a reminder of the intended goals of the organization before, during, and after crises.

The key publics cover all those who are involved with the New York Rangers in some fashion; the team is a property of the Madison Square Garden Company, partners help with investments, fans support the Rangers financially and spiritually, the media is responsible for good press for the team, and so on. The crisis team is made up of knowledgeable, authoritative, and trained professionals who have been involved with the team for a handful of years and have made important decisions for them countless times before. Those on the team who are the designated spokespeople are typically media trained and have extensive knowledge on how the team functions, its values and beliefs. The emergency personnel list is crucial to have in case of a very serious crisis situation. It includes the highest powers in the NHL and nearby hospitals, fire departments, and police stations.

Both the crisis supplies list and the pre-gathered information are in place to increase timeliness when dealing with a crisis situation. The listed supplies are all that could possibly be needed for a crisis meeting, and the pre-gathered information makes it easier to write up releases, conference notes, and more. Key messages serve the same purpose, because they remind the team of what should always be expressed when speaking to the publics in the face of a crisis.

The hypothetical crisis plan of domestic abuse was chosen because it is of a significant threat level to the organization and has become a more common theme in sports crises. Having such a level of threat related to reputation damage and trustworthiness, learning how to deal with a domestic abuse crisis would allow the organization to practice situational crisis communication theory. Each of the tactics is a skeleton of how such a crisis could be handled in an effective and efficient way. They are merely suggestions, though, and must be shaped based on who, what,

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when, where, and why something is happening. The methods for disseminating these tactics to the publics was chosen with the intent of getting the information about the crisis out to as many target audiences as possible, in as many ways that would ensure their acknowledgement of the news. Going through the hypothetical steps and possibly a simulation would ensure that the crisis team is well prepared for such a case if it ever were to happen.

Evaluating the plan is crucial to determining whether or not the crisis plan was effective.

With everyone’s honest and detailed responses, the plan may be adjusted. It is important that the organization is open to learning and growing from the crisis so that they may handle it more effectively and efficiently in the future. This crisis communications plan for the New York

Rangers should do just that and more during a situation.

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References

Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2018). Effective crisis communication: Moving

from crisis to opportunity. Thousand Oaks, CA, CA: SAGE Publications.

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