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Dennis Rogers. Director of Basketball Communications New Orleans Hornets. Quick Background. Played sports growing up Went to college at SMU in Dallas Majored in PR, minored in Religion
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Dennis Rogers Director of Basketball Communications New Orleans Hornets
Quick Background • Played sports growing up • Went to college at SMU in Dallas • Majored in PR, minored in Religion • Decided to get involved in basketball coaching and spent a year at Mississippi State as the graduate volunteer coach.
Quick Background • After State, decided to get back to PR and interned for the Dallas Cowboys for a season. • Moved to San Antonio to work as a basketball operations assistant for a sports agency called Momentum Sports Group. • From Momentum, I got an internship with the Hornets.
Hornets Career • This is my 10th season with the Hornets. • Was an intern for 2 seasons before becoming a full-time coordinator. • Served as a coordinator for 1 season before being promoted to manager • After 2 years as manager, was promoted to director. • When I started as director, I became the youngest PR Director in the NBA, this is my fifth season as director.
NBA Summer League • Started as an intern for the Vegas Summer League in Las Vegas in 2004. Originally it was a six-team NBA league that lasted one week in July. • I moved up all the way to PR Director and currently handle all social media for the league (now called the NBA Summer League). • It is held each July for two weeks and hosts 26 NBA teams with media and respected basketball people from all over the world.
Tips for starting out • Identify the field you want • Be active (e-mail, follow your people on twitter, instagram, linkedin, internet) • Volunteer, intern, job shadow
Tips for Working in PR • Never assume anyone you are dealing with (co-worker, media, etc) knows what’s going on. Always over communicate. • Be a good writer. I am very thankful that I wrote for my high school and college paper. You may not always think writing is a huge factor in PR, but it is. You deal with press releases, features, etc. I always strive to be a better writer.
Tips for Working in PR • Always stay on top of current events. For me, I am constantly up to date on everything sports. Sometimes too much, but I love it and I am always aware of every news happening in the sports world. • Keep up with the times. In today’s world, social media is HUGE! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc • Always think of creative messages when it comes to the times.
Tips for Working in PR • PR is all about building relationships. • Always keep in touch with people you have dealt with • Be nice to everyone and try to learn people’s names • Build trust with everyone, show them you can be counted on • Network, network, network
Tips for Working in PR • Never ever see them sweat • People always ask me why I don’t get stressed or meltdown. Problem is I have an 82 game schedule, so I can never take anything too heavy or get stressed over a game. • If I get mentally unstable, then it is a bad look in front of my staff, players, media, etc. • So, as hard as it can be sometimes, I always keep my composure.
Have fun • I often look back to where I came from and what almost happened to where I am now. • In just the last six months, I have gotten to do some of the coolest, most amazing things in my life. • I don’t know how long I will be in my job, but in the meantime I am enjoying it to the fullest/