The term crisis has a wide variety of definitions and interpretations. Typically, it is understood to be an
extraordinary disruption of standard operations that threatens the safety, reputation and success of an organization
or individual. In some instances of crises, there is an opportunity for a company or person to subdue
a situation before it causes serious damage. However, too often the problem spirals out of control before it
can be contained. The way in which the problem is prepared for or handled, also known as crisis management,
can determine how devastating the event is to the bottom line of an organization. Though crises occur
in every industry, none receive a more disproportionate share of media attention than in sports (Henry, 2008).
Sports organizations and the lives of highly paid athletes are of great interest to the American people. Given
the spotlight on athletics, it has become necessary for teams and players to employ crisis management staff
who specialize in keeping their names out of the negative press. The growth of the Internet and social media
makes the jobs of these crisis management teams more difficult than ever before. Stories, from both internal
and external sources, can spread in a matter of minutes through sites like Facebook and Twitter and have the
ability to impact public opinion.