Thursday, May 07, 2009

GIVING CREDIT ALL AROUND IN PENSACOLA

In my environment of writing the weekly Independent Baseball Insider column, I cannot begin to tell you the number of media releases that come this way. I do my best to keep up with the reading of them because I work under the theory of never having enough ideas for the column and this blog.

I see game stories, box scores, player signings, promotional releases, and I learn quite a lot about the tremendous community outreach by many of the Independent Baseball teams.

I was particularly impressed with a recent release from the Pensacola (FL) Pelicans of the American Association. It included a day-by-day schedule of the Pelicans' preseason workouts, including times and locations.

"All events are free and open to the public," the release stated. Very good. As a veteran publicist myself, you cannot give fans and media enough useful information. Most workouts are conducted in virtual privacy. But why not let the fans know. Seniors or eager youngsters, the latter on weekends or after school, might very well enjoy seeing the Pelicans go through their paces. Maybe a businessman will use the opportunity to drop by the ballpark to pick up season tickets or to buy for some future game, and take a 20-minute lunch break to see some baseball.

As for the media, I can just hear some radio DJ or sportscaster on a sunny day in the Florida Panhandle rambling on about the Pelicans working out at the same time he or she is on the air.

I also applaud Pensacola for a more recent media release in which the team paid public tribute to six Santa Rosa Medical Center physicians who donated their services to give the players their official physicals.

The generosity of the doctors saved the team more than a few dollars, and it was nice to see each person acknowledged. A nice gesture deserves credit.


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