College Sports Information Directors of America

By Rene A. Henry

The office of sports information is the most overworked and unfunded of any in the athletic department. And, it is the only office that serves not only every sport, but every constituent – coaches, players, administrators, students, faculty, fans and the media.

The athletic department development office seeks funding for scholarships and capital programs but seldom will voluntarily seek an endowment for the sports information office. This is why it is important for all SIDs to keep relationships with their predecessors and former professional and student members of their staffs. All can be potential financial benefactors for the department.

Considering the potential payback, the cost is nominal to add even a score of names to receive published media guides, annual reports and even a periodic personal letter. Edgar O. “Eddie” Barrett was SID at West Virginia University and later the athletic director at Marshall before becoming an extremely successful businessman. He established an endowment at WVU in the office of sports information.

Working as a student assistant in the SID’s office at William & Mary certainly jump-started my career. Several years ago, I followed Eddie Barrett’s lead and created a sports information endowment at William & Mary. Both Eddie and I have been successful in our professional careers and felt it was one small way to give back to our alma maters and say “thank you.”

All of your predecessors and staff should already be on a prospect or mailing list by your development officer. Work with your AD and the department’s development officer to create an endowment that could be used to hire a full time or student assistant, bonuses for existing staff, or for discretionary non-budgeted items.

When the endowment is established, look for additional sources of continued funding, especially from those who benefit from the sports information office. Ask all current and former department administrators, coaches and players to make an additional gift over and above their normal annual gift to the college. This can be as little as $1, $5, $10 or more and would significantly build the endowment without taking from other existing funding needs.

While all former SIDs and staff may not create an endowment or contribute to one, members of this group can play an important role as advisors and counselors, be a resource for archival or historical information, a contributor to football and basketball programs and some can be an important media contact.

Players have numbers retired and coaches and ADs are honored in many other ways, but seldom is the SID ever recognized. Have any SIDs been named to their institution’s sports Halls of Fame? If so, it may be a well-kept secret.

West Virginia University has taken a big step by honoring all of its former SIDs by placing their framed photographs in a prominent place in the Mountaineer Field press box.

Develop your target list and start your campaign effort by writing each a personal letter. You might be surprised with the results.

Rene A. Henry, Fellow PRSA, was SID at William & Mary and West Virginia University and was assigned to the SID at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point when he was on active duty. For five years he was executive director of university relations and a member of the president’s executive cabinet at Texas A&M. He now lives in Seattle, is the author of seven books and writes on crisis management and communications, sports, and, customer service. Many are posted on his website at www.renehenry.com.