PR Move of the Day:USTA to build momentum going into this weekend's Davis Cup final in Portland against Russia has been really strong. The Davis Cup, once mentioned in the same breath a.its more famous brethren…Stanley, Nextel, World and Ryder…has fallen even below the daily cup of coffee in the complex world of sports.especially in the United States. Part of the reason is the difficult format (which the USTA has lobbied hard to adjust) and part is the lack of U.S. success in recent years. However, the event itself i.still one of the great in-person extravaganzas to witness and the USTA PR team (led by Chris Widmaier and Tim Curry) has done a solid job in getting mainstream coverage this week. Major features on personable captain Patrick McEnroe in USA Today, as well as solid pieces on the team on ESPN.com, SI.com, the Boston Globe and Newsday have led the pack, along with a great Oregonian piece on the financial windfall the area will recieve with the three day event. One journalist mentioned the other day it was a shame that no one cared about Davis Cup outside of Portland, but making the event a great PR success regionally and with the tennis press, and then having a solid national press overlay is critical to building a great plan…looking forward to seeing the post-Davis Cup rollout if the team wins this weekend as well.
The second great effort that i.picking up steam is the NBA Development League. The league, which was panned in recent years by media due to lack of attendance and focus, is starting to make solid strides wit.a concerted market-by-market PR focus, and the solid leadership skills of President Dan Reed (his Reed and Write blog is marked here). Being in small city basketbal.hotbeds like Des Moines and Fort Wayne is also a huge stride forward, and the marketing support that Scott O’Neil's group at the NBA will also implement gives the D-League a nice one-two punch to keep moving forward. Recent coverage in Fort Wayn., Des Moines, and Utah
