All sports public relations departments take great pride in their work and are forever comparing their efforts with their counterparts. That rivalry is supplemented with an understanding that PR departments often need the assistance of one another for information gathering purposes and interview arrangements.
Our two guests today are as good as it gets in PR work.
Public Relations Rivals
Jay Horwitz has been with the New York Mets since 1980. He was head of media relations for 39 years before becoming VP for Alumni Relations and Historian for the Mets.
Few in the business have ever had that kind of longevity with one team.
Oh, the baseball history he has seen. Jay has covered double-digit World Series and All-Star Games for MLB as a Public Relations representative. The Mets’ games he has missed since 1980 can be counted on one hand.
Some of that history and so many stories are part of his new book, “Mr. Met.” There is no one better to tell those tales and no better title for the book.
How much has he meant to Mets’ players? Well, in 1986 when the Mets won the World Series, the players voted him a full playoff share- $93,000.
Mike Swanson is the VP of Communications and Broadcasting for the Kansas City Royals, a position he has held since 2007. He held similar jobs with the Diamondbacks, Padres, and Rockies.
Mike also is one of the nation’s best television statisticians, assisting broadcasters in the booth at major sporting events including numerous Super Bowls, Final Fours, the 2007 BCS Title Game, and Bowl Games. In addition, he’s done statistics for countless college basketball and football games, including work for ESPN.
One needs a strong sense of humor in the PR positions our two guests hold, and these two have just that as you will hear when the storytelling begins.
We begin our podcast with a look at how MLB PR departments think of one another and work to present broadcasters and fans with information about their teams.
What is the relationship with players? Ownership? Fans?
And, oh yes, we have the stories from two who have seen a lot of baseball-on and off the field.
Smile on.
Further Listening:
Be sure to subscribe to the Sports Rivals podcast to listen to this rivalry on your favorite podcast app:
If you loved this episode, check out our others:
- The Crawl of Fame | Ep 1
- 1985 American League Championship | Ep 2
- Red Sox-Yankees Rivalry | Ep 3
- 1984 Tigers vs Blue Jays | Ep 4
- 2002 World Series | Giants vs Angels | Ep 5
- UCLA vs Arizona | NCAA Mens’ Basketball | Ep 6
- ACC College Basketball | MD vs VT | Ep 7
- Army vs Navy | NCAA Football | Ep 8
- GM vs Agent | Major League Baseball | Ep 9
- 1988 NLCS | Dodgers vs Mets | Ep 10
- In The Press Box | Nightengale vs Miller | Ep 11
- Reporters | Adamson vs Coakley | Ep 12
- Coaches | Raftery vs Carlesimo | Ep 13
- Pitchers | Blyleven vs Langston | Ep 14
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