Live From Nassau Mausoleum: Reactive Strategies at a Major Sports Arena

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

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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

Figure

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

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