University of Houston Athletics
An InSIDe Look
Nov. 6, 2001
by Rick Poulter
Assistant SID
Anytime you embark on a new basketball season, many sports information directors across the nation find themselves in a dilemma. They are trying to generate some preseason publicity and media coverage for their teams.
In Houston, we try to generate this coverage in the midst of the NFL and college football season, Major League Baseball's postseason playoff and the beginning of a new NBA season and high school football.
In order for us to get the media to recognize that we have a basketball team, we have to create some sort of event. In the past few years, we have held "Midnight Madness" practices. But, this year, we held a "Basketball Media Day."
Many pro and college teams hold a preseason media day for local media to greet, interview and photograph coaches and players. It is also an opportunity for the coaches and team members to get to know reporters who will be covering them throughout the season.
Whenever you choose a date for a media day, you want to pick a day that can be attended by as many media outlets as possible, In Houston, this can be extremely hard because there aren't many days when there isn't some sporting event scheduled. You also a day of the week that is most convenient for your team.
With everyone's attention turned to the Astros' playoff run early in the fall, we chose to wait until October 23 this year. We also picked that date because it was a day when the team was scheduled to be off from practice.
Since most of our players have class until 2:30 p.m. and the women's team practices from 1:00-3:00 p.m., we didn't begin our media day session until 3:30 p.m.
Once we had chosen a date and time, we informed our local media that we were going to have a "Basketball Media Day " through several announcements that were faxed each day during the seven days preceding the event.
Our event began with the players dressed in full uniform on the Guy V. Lewis Court taking different headshots and group photos. We also took a photo of the entire team, coaches and support staff.
These photos will be used in publications throughout the preseason and regular season. The team photo also will be published in postseason game programs at the Conference USA Tournament.
The Houston Chronicle and The Daily Cougar also took advantage of media day to set up special photo shoots. The Chronicle took a group shot of our four returning starters, Houston area players along with four-year transfers Kevin Gaines and Louis Truscott.
The Daily Cougars took photo shots of our five returning players and host of newcomers. They also took shots of head coaches Ray McCallum and Joe Curl for the cover of their preseason basketball issue.
Writers interviewed the players and coaches for preseason articles and publications. Radio and television reporters aired interviews of different players and head coach Ray McCallum that night.
As you can see, media days can pay big dividends during the course of a season. It is an excellent way for a SID to introduce his team to the media before a new campaign begins.