Want to announce something related to sports and don’t know how you can proceed? If yes, then this article will give you all-in-one content that will include sports press release writing and distribution tips along with a template and example. It will also explain what benefits you can get by issuing such press releases and the common things that people overlook which framing and distributing a press release. so let us get started:
Aim: Issue a sports press release to let people and media know about the relevant announcement (team, event, agreement, changes, match, etc).
Tools: The tools given in this article include template, sample, benefits and other associated tips. It also gives the criteria to choose a quality press release service to ensure the best distribution and visibility.
Sports PR Template:
The sports announcement template is given below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Headline] /*use name of sports team/authority + main crux of press release (new team, event, agreement, changes, match, etc) + attractive news angle*/
[Sub-heading] /*A summary of 2-3 sentences.*/
[Location City], [Date]. [Sports Authority Name] is pleased to announce [the event/announcement/team/agreement along with location and date, if relevant]. [How this event/announcement/team/agreement is related to future goals of sports authority/team].
[what has been the main achievements of sports authority/team till now (1-2 sentences) + how this event/announcement/agreement will benefit community/team + who all are prominent persons/organizations involved in this].
[Quote from a top-level executive of the sports authority]
[Name any sponsors or interested parties of this announcement + their contribution + their vision].
[Quote from any top-level player or sponsor involved in the announcement/event/agreement]
[How players and team will benefit + how public/people can participate or send feedback]. For more information on this [announcement/agreement/changes], visit [website URL].
About [Sports Authority Name]
[Sports Authority background + vision + mission (2-3 sentences)].
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Job Title]
[Email address] /*official email, not free ones like gmail, yahoo*/
[Phone number]
[Website URL]
[Location city and state]
Sports Press Release Example
Here’s a sample press release for a sports event:
[Headline] ABC Sports Authority Announces New Team in Upcoming Season
[Sub-heading] ABC Sports Authority is proud to introduce a new team that will participate in the upcoming season.
New York City, 18th February, 2023. ABC Sports Authority is pleased to announce the addition of a new team, the NYC Thunderbolts, to the upcoming season. This expansion is part of the authority’s continued efforts to increase the popularity of sports and provide opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills on a bigger stage.
The ABC Sports Authority has been promoting sports for over 20 years, with a focus on making it accessible to all. With the addition of the NYC Thunderbolts, the authority aims to create more opportunities for young athletes to participate in organized sports and develop their skills. The NYC Thunderbolts team will provide an exciting new outlet for the community to come together and cheer for their local players.
“Expanding our teams is an important step in realizing our long-term goals to grow the local sports scene and encourage more young athletes to pursue their dreams,” said Brenda Stevens, CEO of ABC Sports Authority.
The sports authority is proud to have the support of sponsors, who have made this expansion possible. The sponsors include XYZ Company and PQR Corporation, who share similar vision of promoting sports and investing in the development of local talent.
“I am excited to be part of this new venture and to see what these talented players can do on the field,” said Joe Smith, a sponsor and avid sports enthusiast.
The NYC Thunderbolts team is composed of a diverse group of athletes from across the city, all eager to make a name for themselves in the sports world. Their enthusiasm and hard work are sure to make them a formidable team on the field.
“We are thrilled to be part of the ABC Sports Authority and to have the opportunity to play in the upcoming season. We look forward to representing our city and making our supporters proud,” said Jack Williams, a member of the NYC Thunderbolts team.
The sports authority invites the public to join them in supporting the NYC Thunderbolts team and to follow their progress throughout the season. For more information, please visit the official website at www.abcsports.com.
About ABC Sports Authority
ABC Sports Authority is a leading sports organization committed to promoting sports and providing opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills on a bigger stage. Our mission is to make sports accessible to all, regardless of their background, and to encourage young athletes to pursue their dreams.
Media Contact:
John Thomas
Public Relations Manager
johnthomas@abcsports.com
(555) 555-5555
www.abcsports.com
New York, NY
Benefits of issuing a sports-related press release
The benefits you can get from such a press release announcement are listed below:
More Attention
For any event/announcement to be termed successful, one of the key parameters is the visibility that the event/announcement gets. By issuing a sports press release, it will get distributed to many channels and will get more views which will give a start to get the momentum rolling.
Joint Growth
For any sports authority, there are many entities involved. They can include team members, board members, sponsors, associate partners, etc. By getting a press release out all the entities get the ripple effect of brand enhancement. This is one of the aspects that creates a perception change towards the sports authority and its related partners and beneficiaries.
More Partners and Sponsors
One of the common notions in marketing is “what remains in sight gets sold”. This is true for sports too. For any sports authority or association that remains in news, it has a much higher chance of attracting partners and sponsors. A great way to remain in focus is by issuing press releases regularly.
Brand Value and Credibility
If a person types the name of a sports authority or organization in Google and comes across various high authority sites carrying out press releases and content on it, then it instantly creates a trust factor for the entity. This adds to the brand value of the entity which opens a new set of growth possibilities.
The “As Seen On…” Tagline
If the press release distribution is proper, then the content will get featured on many known and popular portals. This gives an advantage of adding the “As seen on…” logo on your website that will depict names of popular sites that have covered the press release story.
Builds More References
When Journalists and bloggers try to cover a story, they search across various channels and one of the trusted digital mediums is press releases. Press releases can serve as a reference while getting relevant stories. Also, if the press release is made interesting with a creative twist, then it stands more chances of getting organic coverage through other portals including news portals.
Important Tips for writing and distributing a sports press release:
These points must be noted to ensure a good PR build-up and distribution
1. Limit the Promotion
Even though press release companies may accept subtle promotional content, if it goes beyond the limit, then the PR might get rejected by major portals. The PR content must not be framed to sound purely promotional. It must have some newsworthy element to get approved.
2. Not like blog content
In a typical blog or article, one freely uses first-person and second-person references like I, We, You, etc. Press releases don’t accept direct references and require the content to be written in third-person only. Direct referencing words can be used in quotes though.
3. Keep Late Editing Risks in Mind
Since press releases get syndicated through various channels on many sites and blogs, it is impossible to pinpoint each one of them and ask for editing requests. This means that the press release content must be full and final. No changes can be made later once it gets published. Also, there are legal and marketing risks if the published content is found to be wrong.
4. Common Things Must be Covered
The basic questions of who, what, when, etc must be answered in a press release. Before sending it for distribution, check if it gives answers to the most basic questions that can arise related to an event/announcement/agreement. However, this does not imply that content must become too bulky to read. Content must not go beyond 600-700 words limit.
5. Not too Technical
Press release content must be easy to comprehend by an average internet user. It must not sound too technical. PR is not intended to show the richness of vocabulary. If it sounds too technical, then its readability will be negatively affected. Also, chances of it getting covered organically will decrease.
6. Go for Quality
People who don’t have much knowledge of SEO and ranking usually select quantity as the main criteria. They want the release to appear on as many sites as possible. However, this expectation does not contribute much to press release visibility because Google selects only a few high-quality sites in ranking. This means that hundreds of junk sites where the press release is distributed won’t get a good ranking in Google. Only a few of the top-tier ones will appear.
7. Creative Angle
If the press release is framed like 100’s of press releases that editors and journalists see daily, then the chances of getting it covered organically on other portals will reduce drastically. Look if you can add some creative angle to the PR story that can make the headline and content attractive to read. Can you relate it to something that is in news recently or to some new trend? Can you highlight some features in such a way that anyone reading it will find it compelling to share? If yes, then it will have a strong potential for the chain effect (bigger coverage).
8. Include visual assets
Some PR platforms allow adding images and videos. This can be used wisely to get better interaction with the press release. If there is no scope for adding multimedia, try putting a link to your website or Instagram/Youtube channel where they can visually experience things related to your story. This will make it more share-worthy.
9. Make the Right Choice for Distribution
No matter how great the content is and how interesting the press release is, if the publishing platforms are useless, then the PR would not be of any value. Popular sites like Yahoo Finance, Associated Press, Market Watch, etc are the top names in PR and you must aim to get the PR to appear on these platforms for best results.
