Dr. Joseph Blaney and Dr. Stephen Hunt, faculty members in the School of Communication, have published a chapter in an edited volume about the use of media in crisis communication that addresses image problems faced by the Chicago Cubs following their infamous roster sell-off in 2021.
“Differentiation Versus Denial: Impact of Messaging About Player Transactions on Team Reputation, Ticket Sales, and Sports Channel Subscriptions” studied how avowed Chicago Cubs fans reacted to two different message types following the July 2021 player transactions, which sent virtually all of their most productive players to other teams. The trades were received very poorly by Cubs fans who had gotten used to having a competitive team in place since the 2016 World Series victory.
The study found that in messages where the Cubs explained why the 2021 trades differed from the trades that led to a disastrous 2012 season. Fans reacted more favorably on measures of reputation, intent to purchase tickets, and intent to subscribe to the Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network.
“Unfortunately, sports teams often find themselves in difficult messaging situations following decisions like this,” Hunt noted. According to Blaney, “This adds one more piece to our knowledge about the best strategies for sports teams to use when their fans express dissatisfaction with their teams, and it continues our great program of sports communication research at ISU.”
The study can be found in Media and Crisis Communication, published by Routledge.
