What Sam Hinkie can teach PR pros about media relations
Sam Hinkie, the 76ers’ GM, wouldn’t lift his pinkie to reach out to the media in Philadelphia. It cost him his job. Can business leaders learn something useful about proactive PR from him?
The Philadelphia 76ers recently said goodbye to Sam Hinkie, arguably the most enigmatic and polarizing general manager in 76ers history.
Hinkie took the reins of this storied NBA franchise less than three years ago, in May 2013, and embarked on what many considered the most radical experiment in American sports: He avoided the press.
While he earned many diehard supporters, he alienated beat reporters, basketball insiders and fans alike. The backlash proved too much for Philadelphia’s owners, and led to Hinkie’s resignation—or removal.
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