PR Future, the USC Center for Public Relations Podcast

Relevance Report 2025: Sports

Episode Summary

The USC Center for Public Relations kicks off a brand-new season of PR Future with a timely discussion on how sports are shaping the future of communications. Host Fred Cook is joined by Kirk Stewart (USC Professor and former Nike VP of Global Communications), Jennifer Stephens-Acree (Founder & CEO, JSA Partners), and Maryanne Lataif (SVP, Corporate Communications, AEG) to explore how storytelling, technology, and authenticity are redefining fandom, media, and the business of sports. This episode coincides with the release of the 2025 Relevance Report, now available for free download at annenberg.usc.edu/relevance.

Episode Notes

Season 7, Episode 1 — "Relevance Report 2025: Sports"

As the 2025 Relevance Report launches, this debut episode brings together three leading voices in communication to reflect on how sports mirror the industry’s biggest transformations — from AI and media disruption to purpose-driven storytelling.

Guests:

• Jennifer Stephens-Acree — Founder & CEO, JSA Partners
• Kirk Stewart — USC Professor, Former Nike VP of Global Communications
• Maryanne Lataif — SVP, Corporate Communications, AEG
  Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

Discussion Breakdown

• The Rise of Women’s Sports — 0:02
• Brand Sponsorship and Cultural Momentum — 3:00
• The “Bro Culture” and Camaraderie in Women’s Leagues — 5:00
• College Athletics and NIL Impact — 8:30
• The Transfer Portal and Fan Loyalty — 10:30
• Technology and the Fan Experience — 17:20
• Immersive Storytelling in Live Events — 19:30
• Celebrity Athletes and Media Power — 22:20
• The Future of PR in Sports — 25:40
• Sports as the Great Unifier — 29:10

Key Insights

1. Women’s Sports Are Leading a Cultural Shift
Jennifer Stephens-Acree spotlights the boom in women’s sports as both a cultural and commercial movement, where authenticity, storytelling, and activism have become the foundation for fan connection and brand relevance.

2. College Athletics Is at a Crossroads
Kirk Stewart critiques the financial and ethical complexities of college athletics, from billion-dollar NIL deals to constant roster turnover. His forecast: a new model resembling the NFL, with athletes eventually recognized as employees.

3. Technology Is Reimagining the Fan Experience
Maryanne Lataif reveals how AEG is revolutionizing live events with personalization tools, spatial audio, and real-time audience data, turning spectators into participants and deepening emotional connections to teams and artists.

4. PR’s Expanding Role in Sports
The panel agrees that communicators are now central to shaping sports narratives — from athlete storytelling to immersive digital fan engagement — as PR bridges data, creativity, and cultural relevance.

5. Sports as a Unifying Force
In an era of division, the guests identify sports as one of the last remaining shared spaces that bring people together, a reminder of PR’s power to connect communities through emotion and experience.