Case
Teaching Notes
Supplementary Resources
Abstract
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a sports and entertainment arena in Long Island, New York, encountered a public relations challenge in the 1990s. Nassau Coliseum, one of a few high-capacity venues in the New York metropolitan area, hosted the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League and concerts featuring headliners such as the Grateful Dead, New Kids on the Block, and Frank Sinatra. Nevertheless, the arena became a target for the world’s first all-sports radio station, WFAN 660 AM in New York City. WFAN hosts perpetuated the image of a dreary “Nassau Mausoleum” with dim lighting, long bathroom and concession lines, and a leaky roof. By placing students in the decision-making situation that confronted the Nassau Coliseum executives, this case explores various approaches to reputation management at sports venues.
This case was prepared for inclusion in Sage Business Cases primarily as a basis for classroom discussion or self-study, and is not meant to illustrate either effective or ineffective management styles. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be an endorsement of any kind. This case is for scholarly, educational, or personal use only within your university, and cannot be forwarded outside the university or used for other commercial purposes.
2024 Sage Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Resources
Exhibit 1. Reactive Strategy: Refresher and Overview
1 | Preemptive Action | Organization provides advance information defending itself before bad news occurs. |
2 | Offensive Response | Organization operates from a position of strength with shock, threat, embarrassment, or attack. |
3 | Defensive Response | Organization denies or provides an excuse or justification. |
4 | Diversionary Response | Organization offers a concession or disassociation, or relabels the problem. |
5 | Vocal Commiseration | Organization shows concern, condolence, or regret, or offers an apology. |
6 | Rectifying Behavior | Organization says it is investigating the problem, offering corrective action, restitution, or repentance. |
7 | Deliberate Inaction | Organization is completely silent or ambiguous. |
Source: Ron Smith, Public Relations: The Basics, 2013.
Exhibit 2. Nassau Coliseum in the Top-100 Grossing Concerts, Dec. 1990 to Dec. 1991
Rank | Headliner | Gross Ticket Sales |
40 | Grateful Dead | $1,166,316 |
71 | Rod Stewart | $909,400 |
84 | New Kids on the Block, Biscuit, Brenda K. Starr, George Lamond | $804,800 |
Source: Ratliff, M. (1991b, December 23). Top 100 boxscores: Concert industry faces the music in ‘91—can it recover in ‘92? Amusement Business, pp. 18–22.
Exhibit 3. New York Islanders yearly attendance 1972–2013
Source: New York Islanders Yearly Attendance Graph. Retrieved from http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=7085
Exhibit 4. Average Attendance of NHL Teams, 1991–92
Average Attendance | City | Team Name |
19,723 | Detroit | Red Wings |
19,719 | Calgary | Flames |
17,770 | Chicago | Blackhawks |
17,518 | St. Louis | Blues |
17,140 | Philadelphia | Flyers |
16,904 | New York | Rangers |
16,590 | Washington | Capitals |
16,179 | Edmonton | Oilers |
16,005 | Los Angeles | Kings |
15,993 | Pittsburgh | Penguins |
15,518 | Toronto | Maple Leafs |
15,461 | Vancouver | Canucks |
15,392 | Buffalo | Sabres |
14,274 | Boston | Bruins |
13,977 | Quebec | Nordiques |
13,447 | Minnesota | North Stars |
12,991 | Winnipeg | Jets |
10,888 | San Jose | Sharks |
10,832 | Hartford | Whalers |
10,039 | New York | Islanders |
Unavailable | New Jersey | Devils |
Source: National Hockey League Attendance. (1992, May 25). Amusement Business, p. 13.
Exhibit 5. Timeline of Events Affecting the Reputation of Nassau Coliseum
Date | Development |
1972 | Coliseum opens |
1980–1983 | Islanders win four straight Stanley Cup championships |
1987 | WFAN, the world’s first all-sports radio station, debuts in New York market |
1987–1988 | WFAN host Don Imus begins “nuking” the Coliseum’s general manager |
1990–1991 | Coliseum hosts three of the world’s top-100 highest-grossing arena concerts |
1994 | WFAN host Mike Francesa labels Coliseum a “white elephant” |
1995–1996 | Islanders witness worst average attendance in team history |
1996 | WFAN host Steve Somers, who coined “Nassau Mausoleum,” catches heat from Islanders |
1998 | First appearance of “Nassau Mausoleum” in New York Times |
1999 | Coliseum locked and dark on New Year’s Eve 1999 |
This case was prepared for inclusion in Sage Business Cases primarily as a basis for classroom discussion or self-study, and is not meant to illustrate either effective or ineffective management styles. Nothing herein shall be deemed to be an endorsement of any kind. This case is for scholarly, educational, or personal use only within your university, and cannot be forwarded outside the university or used for other commercial purposes.
2024 Sage Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved