“It’s too niche.” “It’s too small of an audience.” “It isn’t worth the effort to pursue.” “This isn’t worth the time of our expert.”
These are some of the responses I’ve heard from sports companies regarding the idea of adding local media to their media relations strategy. Most companies want to focus on national sports, top-tier business and sports business trade publications. Those media verticals are critical to building brand awareness and credibility for a brand, but local is too often overlooked as a key ingredient for a strong media mix.
Yes, every company is different, and each media relations strategy should be tailored to a specific audience. However, it remains clear that local media should, at the very least, be seriously considered as an avenue to tell a client or brand’s story. Here's why:
Media focused on niche audiences is having its moment in the sun.
One of the major takeaways from the 2024 presidential election was the strategic targeting of niche audiences through secondary channels. Both candidates sat down with media—in this case podcast media—a move that left many election pundits perplexed.
President Donald Trump took the mic with podcast hosts like Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Taylor Lewan and Will Compton of Barstool Sports’ "Bussin’ with the Boys," to target male voters. Former Vice President Kamala Harris met with Alex Cooper of "Call Her Daddy" and Brene Brown, targeting the female and youth votes, and also Shannon Sharpe and “The Breakfast Club” focusing on the Black vote. As many pundits discussed the heavy push toward podcasts, the lesson was clear: niche audiences moved the needle.
While local audiences may be smaller, tailored messaging allows for deeper engagement, enabling niche audiences to connect in ways that mainstream media often cannot.
Local media allows the storyteller to get specific and deliver unique information.
The fundamentals of a strong media relations strategy should revolve around the question, “How do I tailor this news or information to so that the reporter can deliver the best story possible to their audience?” A story that suits the readership of The Athletic needs to be reimagined or packaged differently for an outlet like Front Office Sports. While both publications provide sports news, they serve two completely different audiences—fans versus sports business. Details that matter to a reporter at The Athletic may seem arbitrary to one at FOS, and vice versa. Going local allows the company to refine the story in a way that national sports outlets or trades may overlook.
An example: We work with a large sports technology company. The goal was to create brand awareness around a technology product. The brand's story—how the technology was being used and its importance—was too broad for a national audience. National reporter contacts gave us feedback that the technology was interesting, but it lacked context.
Instead of giving up, the team reevaluated the assets available and came up with the idea of going local. Each professional team used the aforementioned technology differently, and each story we told would be highly customized to the larger team’s audience, who is extremely engaged in how their team leverages this technology. The implementation picked up momentum quickly. Local reporters were elated with how specific the story was for their reporting. Moreover, reader comments in the digital articles showcased their interest in how their team was scouting, coaching and getting better using that sports technology.
What local media lacks in reach, stories gain in detail.
Yes, national news and trade media may have larger audiences to pull from, but this means these stories need to be written for the widest audience possible. So, while a story may have thousands or millions of potential readers, your client’s contribution will most likely be small or surface level. It’s a win regardless, but local media opens another door.
Local media focuses on the ‘who’ and ‘why’ of any story. This provides an incredible opportunity for your client to add detail and nuance to who they are, whether it's about their journey (if the company is based locally), or why someone in that location is using a product or service in a particular way. What you lack in reach is made up for in depth and storytelling.
Reporters read and trust local news coverage.
National and trade reporters also read local news. By focusing on the ‘who’ and ‘why,’ local media creates a valuable platform for trade or top-tier reporters to understand how your client fits into a larger thematic story rather than a stand-alone pitch.
There are plenty of times we have received emails from national or trade reporters saying, “I’d love to speak to X. Their interview in (local media outlet) was really insightful, and I’d like to hear about (insert larger market theme).” That level of detail from local media often gives you and your client, or the company you’re working for, a head start in aligning with the broader mission and vision.
Local media, and specifically local sports media, should never be overlooked when creating a strategic media relations plan. While niche and smaller, it may just be the little engine that takes your campaign from strong to exceptional.
Mike Adorno is SVP of Communications for Digital Sport by Hot Paper Lantern.