There are more sports occasions worth writing a press release about than just winning a game. But what are they? And how to write captivating sports press releases?
Let us guide you through the creation and distribution process to show you how to make the most of your press release and get media coverage for your sports team.
Looking to create a sports press release?
Use Prowly's AI press release generator or templates that you can use for free to easily create your own in a format that journalists expect to receive.
Prowly also lets you find relevant journalists and send out your press release to them directly from the platform.
What is a sports press release
A sports press release is a brief yet informative document that is created by sports teams to announce their latest news, updates, and achievements.
It is a vital tool to keep fans, media, and sponsors informed about the team's progress, milestones, and upcoming events.
When to write a sports press release
Major team news: e.g. a big win or a significant change in coaching staff always warrants a press release.
Besides the obvious events, here are a few others worth writing about:
- Playing in a high-profile game or tournament
- Being involved in community outreach programs or charity events
- Player transfers or retirements for the upcoming season
- Launch of new merchandise or tickets
- Team anniversaries or milestones
- Player injury updates
Remember, the goal is to keep the audience connected and invested in the team's journey.
To get your news published on time, start crafting your press release as soon as possible. And if you're wondering how to write about a particular event, here's a guide that can answer your doubts.
How to write a sports press release
Writing a sports press release can feel like a daunting task if you're not sure where to start. But fear not, because with a little bit of guidance, you'll be crafting compelling releases in no time.
A sports press release format includes typical elements, such as the headline, lead, body, quote, and contact information.
We'll go through some of them here, but to get more details on each element, read How to Write a Press Release (With Tips From PR Pros).
#1 An attention-grabbing headline
The headline should be engaging, informative, and stir curiosity, tempting the reader to delve further than the opening paragraph.
For instance, if your sports team has won a major tournament, your headline could be something like "Victory on Home Turf: [Your Team's Name] Clinches the National Championship."
This example is catchy, it immediately communicates the team's achievement, and it's likely to grab the attention of sports enthusiasts and media alike.
#2 An engaging lead sentence
The lead sentence is your hook, the bait that draws readers further into the story. It should be concise yet packed with essential information.
For a sports press release, this sentence might highlight the most dramatic or exciting aspect of the news.
For example, if a previously underperforming team wins a significant game, your lead sentence could be: "In a stunning upset, [Your Team's Name] overcame the odds to clinch victory in the National Championship."
#3 A dateline
A dateline is placed at the beginning of the first paragraph.
It gives the media and other readers clear information about the news' origin and timeliness, reinforcing the factual and immediate nature of the release.
#4 Relevant quotes
Ideally, quotes should come from key stakeholders or prominent figures within your team, such as the coach, captain, or even standout players.
Their first-hand perspectives and experiences can provide a more intimate look into the team's dynamics, morale, and the factors contributing to their performance.
Also, quotes make your press release more engaging and relatable for readers, inviting them to connect emotionally with your team's victories or challenges.
Protip: Effortlessly add impactful quotes by simply dragging and dropping a quote block into your text in the Prowly Press Release Creator tool.
#5 Visuals and assets
Incorporating high-resolution images, infographics, or short video clips can help bring your story to life and provide a visual summary of the event. With Prowly you can easily embed relevant social media posts and YouTube videos directly into your sports press release.
Add a picture of the triumphant team holding the trophy, an infographic detailing the match statistics, or a highlight reel from the game to capture your audience's attention.
Protip: Remember to ensure that all visuals are clearly labeled and include necessary credits where applicable.
#6 Company and media contact info
For a sports press release, the boilerplate can include team history, notable achievements, coach info, and unique team features.
With Prowly, you can add spokespeople and the boilerplate in advance so that you can add them to a new press release with one click.
Prowly press release creator can guide you through this process and assist you in covering all the key information on one page.
We also prepared two guides to walk you through using the AI Press Release Generator for the best results, as well as for writing and pitching press releases with AI.
Questions to address in sports press releases
A comprehensive sports press release should answer several key questions to ensure that it provides a complete overview of the news, such as:
- Who are the key players involved in the event or news?
- What was the result or outcome of the event?
- How did the event unfold?
- Where and when did the event take place?
- Why is this event or news significant?
In summary, any well-rounded press release should comprehensively address the 5Ws: who, what, when, where, and why, providing a thorough account of the event.
It includes the key players, the outcome, its location and time, its significance, and a brief narrative of how the event unfolded.
Create a sports press release with AI
AI-powered tools for PR can help you create high-quality press release drafts, provide advanced editing suggestions, and even recommend who to send your press release to.
While it's worth knowing how to create an effective press release from scratch, using tools can help speed up the process and ensure you've ticked all the boxes regarding the format and content that journalists expect to receive.
Read more: Mastering AI Press Releases: Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Sending + Practical Examples
Here’s how to create (and send) a new sports press release using a tool like Prowly’s AI-powered Press Release Generator.
Step 1: Enter basic details about your press release
- Start the process by entering the type of your press release.
- Once you select the type, Prowly's AI will ask you to pick your target audience. There are predefined options, such as industry players, customers, or local communities, but you can also add your own.
- Choose the language of your press release draft.
Step 2: Enter key messages of your sports press release
Here, you'll want to be as specific as possible and ensure that whatever you choose is the most relevant information about your sports announcement.
You can use the list of questions provided in the "How to write" section of this guide to help you get started.
Here are three examples of key messages that you can provide for your sports press release:
- Newsworthy Event or Achievement: Clearly state the main focus of the press release, such as a victory, a record-breaking performance, a new signing, or a significant announcement.
- Impact and Significance: Explain the importance of the event or achievement within the context of the sport or team. Highlight the implications for the team's future success or the broader sporting community.
- Quotes and Commentary: Include quotes from key individuals involved in the event, such as athletes, coaches, or team officials. These quotes can provide valuable insights and perspective on the significance of the news.
Step 3: Answer the follow-up questions
Once you’ve entered the basic information about your sports press release, Prowly’s AI will ask you more in-depth questions designed to mirror a natural conversation with the journalists you’re targeting.
You’ll receive ten questions tailored specifically to the content you shared earlier. This will complete your press release draft and reduce the need to answer many follow-up questions from the person you're pitching to.
Step 4: Customize and edit the press release draft
Whether you've generated a press release draft or written it yourself, you can adjust header font styles, fine-tune the content just like you would in a regular text editor, adjust your press release length, and cater it into a format you're happy with.
An AI Assistant trained in PR writing best practices reviews the draft and suggests improvements based on 11 key criteria, indicating exactly where to edit.
Step 5: Get contact recommendations for your press release
Prowly’s AI will start suggesting journalists you can pitch to based on the keywords found in your press release.
As long as you have contact information for the people you want to pitch to, you can always do deeper work and find out about what kind of sports they've covered before, or what they're writing about at the moment.
Sports press release examples
To help you create a well-crafted media announcement, our PR pro prepared more than one sport press release example from top brands, such as the USA Basketball team and Mercedes.
USA Basketball sports team press release example
The press release issued by the USA Basketball team announces their silver medal win at the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.
It provides an engaging account of the team's performance, highlights from the game, and quotes from the coach appreciating the team's efforts and acknowledging areas for improvement.
What we love about this press release
- They include “team notes” and “player notes” in every press release with a match report
- Ready trivia with cool intros like "Historically Speaking" and "Deep Dive"
- They’re using the Prowly Press Release Creator & Online Newsroom
Protip: Besides waiting to see your press release published in the media, add it to your online newsroom - just like the USA Basketball team.
Mercedes Australian Grand Prix press release example
In the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team secured a first-place victory with Lewis Hamilton at the wheel.
The press release stresses this triumph as a significant milestone, marking Hamilton's 100th Grand Prix victory and reinforcing the team's dominant position in the championship race.
What we love about this press release
- Sports journalists don't need long forms to read. For them, the structure of the press release should include short paragraphs and bullet points.
- They work on telegrams and hot news - the more succinct and transparent, the better.
- The Mercedes PR team included handy visuals:
- a report from a sports event in the form of bullet points
- clear table with results
- a ready set of statements from athletes and team representatives (a must-have in all press releases!)
- short quotes that are "twittable," written in a light, conversational tone, using active forms and verbs
Add these tactics to your list, whether you're managing a football team or handling the PR presence of an individual athlete. You can apply these tips to any discipline.
Get inspired by two more examples of sports press releases and start crafting your own.
Sports press release template
Looking to craft a compelling sports press release?
No matter if you're a seasoned PR pro, or an athletic department representative, Prowly press release creator offers a handy, customizable free press release template to kickstart your process.
Simply fill in the blanks with your information and you can be sure you cover all the essential points while saving time. It's the perfect tool to get your message across effectively and professionally without missing any key details.
How to distribute a sports press release
The effectiveness of your sports press release hinges on targeted distribution to the relevant target audience through media outlets and journalists covering sports news.
Let's go through the options to consider.
Pitching your press release using a good quality media database
One standout feature of media databases is their ability to raise the probability that your press release reaches the right audience, maximizing its impact.
Using a media database like Prowly gives you a wide network of contacts, so you can send your press releases directly to 8,368 sports journalists and 3,821 news outlets from a collection of over a million contacts (and these numbers are the results for the US media alone!).
You can also filter contacts based on the specific sport-related topic you need to cover. This targeted approach can help you boost the visibility of your sports news.
💡If you're seeking more exposure for your press release, explore these 10 ideas on how to effectively promote a press release.
Using a wire service
A wire service is a distribution network that allows for the rapid and widespread dissemination of press releases to news organizations and media sites.
While a wire service ensures widespread dissemination of press releases, it may lack the personal touch and targeted approach that can be crucial in capturing the attention of specific media outlets and journalists.
Protip: Take into consideration the best hours and days to send the press release to maximize the chances of getting noticed by the journalists you pitch.
Buying a sports press release media contact list
A media contact list is a curated collection of contact information of journalists, reporters, and media outlets, designed to help ensure your press releases reach the right audience.
Such a list can be a useful tool; however, it may not always be up-to-date, which can result in wasted efforts and missed opportunities by sending your press release to either inactive or irrelevant contacts.
If you're still not sure what to choose, here's a sample list of the top 10 sports journalists in the US and Canada who you can find among others in Prowly's media database.
Conclusion
In crafting an effective sports press release, it's crucial to provide a well-structured report filled with engaging content and relevant details such as team news, player updates, and event highlights.
Using press release templates can make the creation process smoother and quicker. However, ensuring that your press release reaches the right audience for maximum impact is of paramount importance.
With Prowly, you can take care of everything from crafting a great press release and pitching journalists to distributing the announcement to the right audience all in the app. See for yourself how easy it is with a seven-day free trial!
