A crisis can place a club under intense media scrutiny with little warning. Having a clear response plan in place will help your club act quickly and protect its reputation.
Having a clear response plan in place will help your club act quickly, communicate consistently and protect the trust it has built within its community.
While the circumstances will differ, the early stages of any crisis are often fast-moving. Media enquiries may arrive before all the facts are known, incorrect information can spread quickly online and staff may be unsure how to respond.
A crisis media plan gives your club a clear framework to follow when an issue arises. It identifies who will lead the response, who is authorised to speak publicly, how information will be approved and what needs to be communicated to key stakeholders.
ClubsNSW has developed a crisis media response template to help clubs prepare.
1. Establish the situation
Record a brief, factual account of what has occurred, where and when it happened, whether the situation is ongoing or contained, and which area of the club is leading the operational response. Stick to verified facts and avoid speculation.
2. Set your communications objectives
Determine what your communications need to achieve. This may include providing accurate and timely information, reassuring stakeholders, limiting misinformation and supporting the club’s broader operational response and recovery.
3. Assess the reputational risks
Consider the potential for media escalation, a loss of member or public confidence, regulatory or political concern, and amplification through social media. Assign a low, medium or high risk level to guide the scale of the response.
4. Confirm the response team
Identify the crisis lead, communications lead, executive decision-maker and any legal or specialist advisers who may need to be involved. Relevant contact details should be recorded and kept up to date.
5. Identify key stakeholders
Map the people and organisations that may need to receive information, including the board, executive, staff and members, as well as media, government agencies, regulators, partners and the broader community.
6. Prepare your core messages
Develop a concise holding statement acknowledging the matter, supported by clear information about what is known, what the club is doing and what will happen next. The tone should be factual, measured and confident, with empathy where appropriate.
7. Nominate authorised spokespeople
Confirm who is authorised to speak publicly and ensure all media enquiries are directed to the communications lead. Staff should understand that they must not provide unauthorised comments, including comments made “off the record”, and should be given a short response to use if approached.
8. Select the right communication channels
Plan how information will be shared internally and externally. Depending on the circumstances, this could include staff briefings, member updates, media statements, direct briefings to regulators or government, website updates and an approved social media response.
9. Prepare for media enquiries
Confirm the facts before engaging, prepare answers to likely questions and keep a record of every media enquiry. Your plan should also identify triggers for escalation, such as incorrect reporting, political commentary or interest from high-profile outlets.
10. Monitor and review
Monitor media coverage, online commentary, stakeholder feedback and emerging misinformation throughout the response. Once the immediate issue has passed, review what worked, what could be improved and whether the plan needs to be updated.
11. Support is part of your membership
Clubs do not have to manage a media crisis alone. The ClubsNSW Media Team can help member clubs prepare media statements and develop an appropriate strategy to manage negative coverage — and it’s all part of your ClubsNSW membership.
If an issue occurs, contact the Media Team as early as possible, even if media outlets have not yet approached the club. Early advice can help you prepare for what may follow.
Member clubs can get in touch by emailing media@clubsnsw.com.au or call ClubAssist and ask to be put through to the Media Team.
