A study of relationship management techniques used during a stadium construction's social drama

This study examined public relations in the context of sports to better understand the relationship management methods used during an issue to provide conclusions for how public relations can be applied to develop, improve, and maintain relationships between a team and its community, particularly during an issue.Using a content analysis, this study reviewed relationship management literature and applied strategies of relationship management to stages of Turner's (1974) social drama. The content analysis of 454 news articles revealed that although relationship management strategies were identifiable, they were not significantly utilized by franchises and supporters. The lack of relationship management techniques could be used to explain why the franchise-community relationship was unstable throughout the social drama and why the social dramas lasted longer than the sports franchises anticipated. It also supports public relations researchers who argue for the use of public relations management techniques during conflict in order to build and maintain relationships between an organization and their publics.Department of JournalismThesis (M.A.