Bill Shapland

[Simian Prime]

The main problem I see with our lack of real coverage in the local media is the presence of, or lack thereof, Bill Shapland. What the heck has he been doing to promote our boys to the media? Camille is the WP’s main Hoyas writer it seems, yet where are the gritty stories that help bring life to our squad? Stories that help garner more interest in the squad, which help make them more interesting to the local population, that also helps fill the MCI Center?

It is the job of the Senior Sports Communications Director to promote GU sports. Not just basketball (my main personal sports interest), but all sports. Yes, there are article here and there about our Crew squad (which Tony Johnson does a really fine job with), as well as some soccer pieces (Not a big fan of Tabatznik), and others. But, what really has Shapland done to push the buttons of the sports writers to get them talking about GU Sports?

We need to get our name out there in the local media world, so that future possible recruits will see that they will get the opportunity to get their name out in the media. Athletes (more so basketball then others) realize that if they are going to increase their chances of being seen, which helps them in taking the next step to the pros, they need to get their name out in the world. They need coverage.

As far as I am concerned Shapland has done nothing of note to further the Hoya name in the local media. Does he talk to the Washington Posts sports department on any regular basis? What about the Washington Times? Does he even know the sports section editors name? The Washington Times sports section has always been, in my opinion, far better then the Posts. Yet, I doubt that has anything to do with Shapland. What does he do? What has he done?

I think our money can be spent far more intelligently, and with greater return, with someone who would do something positive as the Senior Sports Communications Director.

Sorry for the rant…<br>
Comments?

[DaHoya]

What exactly are you basing this conclusion on? If you work somewhere in the SI department at GU and you have firsthand knowledge that Shapland is the main reason for the lack of GU sports coverage, then you should say so. However, making assumptions about Shapland's work ethic does nothing to help the situation.

It is a fact that the GU coverage in the local papers is poor, with the Times being better than the Post. But there are numerous reasons why that might be the case. Perhaps Shapland is working as hard as can be, but is not getting the results. However, to suggest that we don't get enough coverage because Shapland doesn't even know the names of the sports writers at these papers seems pretty ridiculous.

[SFHoya99]

I don't know a thing about Bill Shapland. However, I do not think that you can blame Post/Times coverage on the guy. The papers print what sells, and frankly, there has been an increasing amount of articles on the Hoyas in both papers. I don't think he gets too much credit or blame there.

That said, our sports promotions is obviously not best in class, and considering our alumni base, you'd think it could be.

[hoyahoyasaxa]

Think it's a result of two things-- lack of recent success, and the traditional "secrecy" associated with Gtown.

With more success, and perhaps a greater willingness to open up to the media, the Hoyas will get more stories. Remember, there are plenty of sports teams--and universities for that matter--in this town and in the surrounding areas. We're not in South Bend or Syracuse.

Maryland has had lots of recent success, and GW had been the story in town until our recent W's.

[Simian Prime]

Maybe I should have put a sarcastic smiley face next to the comment about knowing the sports editors names. It seemed obviously sarcastic to me. Of course I would assume he knows their names.

Who else is to blame? “Perhaps Shapland is working as hard as can be, but is not getting the results.” It really is results based argument I am making. And if he is not getting results, then you find someone who can. Of course, I am not saying that the attitude toward GU, when it comes to the local sports pages is his entire fault, but someone should be held accountable for not pushing the GU Sports envelope as much and as far as possible. Results matter.

I guess you could blame the Assistant Sports Information Director, Kevin Rieder. Or possibly Renee Carter (Associate Sports Information Director), or even Dayna Johnson, the Sports Information Intern. I don’t think it is their fault we have a weak media presence in our local sports pages.

It is, however, the Senior Sports Communications Director’s job to make GU Sports a presence in the media. One way or the other, and as far as I have seen in the last 8 or so years, it just has not been accomplished to the level that Georgetown Athletics requires, or deserves.

This also creates a lost money problem as well.

[Simian Prime]

hoyahoyasaxa said:

Think it's a result of two things-- lack of recent success, and the traditional "secrecy" associated with Gtown.

With more success, and perhaps a greater willingness to open up to the media, the Hoyas will get more stories. Remember, there are plenty of sports teams--and universities for that matter--in this town and in the surrounding areas. We're not in South Bend or Syracuse.

Maryland has had lots of recent success, and GW had been the story in town until our recent W's.

I agree it is a multifaceted problem that needs to be overcome, yet that is the job that is not being done.

[DaHoya]

Simian said:

Who else is to blame? “Perhaps Shapland is working as hard as can be, but is not getting the results.” It really is results based argument I am making. And if he is not getting results, then you find someone who can.

If that was your original point - that GU is not seeing results and since Shapland is ultimately responsible for the results he should be replaced, that's fine. However, your original post seemed to insinuate that he personally was doing nothing, and you have no way of knowing what he does or does not do, nor why the results weren't happening.

[SFHoya99]

This reminds me so much of the Esherick debate. One side arguing that "he's not so bad" and "look what he has to work with" and the other side commenting that "he's really not so good."

It comes down to expectations. There's no reason why GU shouldn't be better at sports promotions, despite the money crunch. For a long while I was on the wrong side of the fence with Esh, but not that we have a good coach, I see no reason to keep our Sports Promo office mediocre.

[FairfaxHoya]

As I recall from my days covering Georgetown sports, Bill Shapland is the last relic of HoyaParanoia, and I don't mean that in a good way. He still adheres to the belief that you don't communicate with journalists unless you have to, and limit media access whenever possible. I would be STUNNED if he does anything to improve the relationships with local media (student media included); in fact, I bet that he is a detriment.

[Simian Prime]

That really is the crux of my point.
Someone brought up Hegelian dialectics the other day, and that it was I feel we should look to now. With an up and coming top notch Basketball program, synthesized with a top-notch promotions department, far better rewards will be brought forth. And then it just increases as the New JT3 era grows.

Look at the tragic decline in alumni donations during the Esherick years, made to the Hoya Hoop Club (those financials are available). Yes, it was not completely the Sports Communications Departments fault; we had a less then desirable basketball program as well. But, we cannot wait for one side of the equation to begin to grow before we water the other side. Both sides must be brought up together.

Again, this is not an attack on Shapland, it is just a call to have something done to help foster and prepare us for the greatness we are attempting to reclaim. If the people in place now can fulfill that need, fabulous, yet if they cannot, then changes should be made for the betterment of GU Sports.

Again, this is a money thing. Remember when Men’s Basketball paid for ALL other GU Sports?

[HarbinHoya]

Agreed, having worked briefly for sports info while at gtown I can say that they do a good job, but not necessarily the best that could be done. We have a coach that has really gone out and been aggressive about improving the team and the name of our school. Now that we have this momentum we cannot wait to equal that passion on the other side of the spectrum. We need to look deeply at examing all of the people working in the department.
I am not calling for heads here, dont interpret it that way. Just that across the board, players, coaches, sports staff etc need to be on the same page in terms of promoting hoya sports. We need a defined mission statement and some clear goals for the future of the program. Im not sure if collectively, the sports info staff, the coaches and the admininstration have sat down and had a meeting but they should because I think it would be great if everyone was working together. That said, I have no info about how it currently works, so this could already be being done, but from what I saw as a student it was not, so I would hope that it now becomes a major focus.

[DanMcQ]

Simian said:

Look at the tragic decline in alumni donations during the Esherick years, made to the Hoya Hoop Club (those financials are available).

Do you have different numbers than what are published by Hoyas Unlimited?

www3.georgetown.edu/athletics/guhoyas/extras/hoyasunlimited/fundraising/2004fundraising.pdf

These show the following (basketball donations only):

FY02 - 688 donors; $547,151.15
FY03 - 700 donors; $622,015.96
FY04 - 727 donors; $608,666.75

Number of donors went up every year and there was a 2% decline in total giving in FY04 relative to FY03. "Tragic decline" somewhat overstates the case (with the caveat that the HU numbers do not separate alumni vs. non-alumni giving). Should both numbers be better? Absolutely. Can better media relations (Sports Info/Communications) help? Of course. I would think the alumni relations part of that would fall under Sports Marketing and Promotions (headed by Brian McGuire) more than Sports Info, but they clearly should dovetail their efforts and be on the same page.

[Simian Prime]

Sure..."Tragic Decline" might be over reaching.

[DanMcQ]

Simian said:

Sure..."Tragic Decline" might be over reaching.

...the best columnists are often hyperbolic...

...I share your wishes for an ascent of the promotions/communications arm of the program.

[Simian Prime]

It is just such a necessary step for GU to take.
We did it with our basketball program, and now it needs to be done with the promotions arm of the athletics department. We need to get the word out that Georgetown is on its way back, and all should be excited.

If for no other reason, we need the cash. Alum pump good money if their team is a winner.

[michiganhoya]

Maybe Shapland believes that his job ends with the official notes and the media guide. He should be out there calling reporters and columnists trying to drum up attention for our team. More than the print coverage, which doesn't really have an impact anymore, I'm dismayed at the state of our television coverage. Maybe he's been there too long or just doesn't realize, but the fate of this program, like all big time college sports, depends on television coverage. No one is going to come here to have Barker Davis write about them. If we don't get back on tv -- and a large part of that is our press operation drumming up suppor along with producing a better product -- I don't care how great JT3 is and the current players are, we're doomed for midmajor mediocrity.