It’s finally here.

After months of planning and preparation, your new sports facility is finally ready to open!

You’ve generated some buzz on social media, and have been communicating the change with your current clients. But, how can you really spread the word and share your good news with the community?

One way to gain exposure is through a press release.

In this article, we’ll explore what a press release is, how you can utilize this form of earned media, and the key elements and steps to write an effective press release that captures media attention.

What is a press release?

A press release is a powerful tool businesses use to communicate important news to the public and media. Crafting a well-written press release for your sports business can increase media attention, reach a wider audience, and build your brand reputation.

Press releases (not to be confused with blog posts), can be written to announce an upcoming community event, change, or more. Other reasons to write a press release include:

• Announcing an award win
• New partnership announcement
• Company milestone
• New executive hire
• Upcoming camp or clinic
• Exciting athlete accomplishment
• and more!

Here are the components of a successful press release

An attention-grabbing headline

Since journalists’ and news outlets’ inboxes are crowded with press releases, yours must stand out and grab their attention. This is why it is essential to write a compelling headline. It may feel like a lot of pressure to do so, but use the following tips to help your headline stand out:

• Be specific
• Use action verbs
• Keep your headline between 65-80 characters long

An example of a headline would be, “Grand Opening of UP Baseball Facility for Youth Athletes set for March 3, 2024.”

Body paragraphs without fluff

Your reader should know everything they need to by the first sentence. Your first paragraph should answer the “who,” “what,” “where,” and “why” of your story. Reporters don’t want to sift through the fluff, so include only information the audience should know. This could be more context about your business, extra details about an event, or background information on a new executive.

Here is an example of a first paragraph:

“UP Baseball Facility will be officially opening its doors on March 3 of next year, where it will serve middle school through high school athletes. Located on Meredith Road, UP Baseball provides training sessions, camps, and clinics all year, and provides tailored training for each athlete. March 3 will be the start of sessions, and registration is open now.”

The body of the press release, typically comprising two to three paragraphs, provides an opportunity to expand on the information presented in the lede. Here, businesses can provide more context, background, and relevant details.

• Include a quote or two from yourself, an athlete, or someone relevant to your story
• Attach photos or videos that can accompany the story
• Break your information into bullet points to make information more digestible

Lastly, drive home the “why” of your story. Wrap up your release with details to finalize the message. Addressing the “why” helps journalists and readers understand the broader implications of the news and its potential impact. This section should harp on the importance of the story and compel the audience to take an interest.

This is what a body section might look like:

“UP Baseball Facility has been in the works for 3 years, and my team and I can’t wait to provide great quality training for athletes,” says Larry Boss, Founder and President of UP Baseball Facility. “After playing baseball in college, coaching for 7 years, and learning everything there is to know about the industry, I feel more than equipped to help guide future generations of the sport.”

Boss and his team of instructors at UP Baseball have been training athletes for the past 5 years, and have determined the right equipment, technology, and methods for success. After renting out space for so long, they are counting down the days until they have their own facility. An athlete of UP Baseball states, “I am so excited to have even more resources to help me get better at baseball. Every year when I try out for the school team, my coach notices how much I improved.”

Don’t forget your boilerplate

At the end of the press release, include a boilerplate—often referred to as an “about us” paragraph. This section provides a concise overview of your company, its offerings, and its mission. It offers additional context for journalists and readers who may not be familiar with your organization. It’s also an opportunity to include a link to your website or a specific landing page, directing interested individuals to further explore your company and its products or services.

Here is an example of a boilerplate:

About UP Baseball
UP Baseball’s mission is to help young baseball players meet their goals; whether they want to develop a skill, improve overall performance, or play professionally, Boss and his team will do everything in their power to make it happen. Using professional equipment, sophisticated technology, and industry trends, OC Baseball gives athletes a competitive advantage. UP Baseball Facility slots are filling up quickly, so visit upbaseballfacility.com to sign up for sessions, camps, clinics, and more.

Other details to consider

Once you’ve drafted your compelling content, you’re ready to format it and get it ready to share with local and industry news outlets. Here are a few tips to enhance your press release.

Formatting

Proper formatting is crucial for presenting a professional press release. Keep the following tips in mind when crafting your release:

• Keep release about 1 page long
• Use 1.5 spacing
• Stick to legible fonts like Times New Roman or Arial
• To symbolize the end of your release, include 3 pound symbols (###) at the bottom of the page

Distributing

After crafting a quality press release, it is now time to distribute it. Note that the way you distribute your release is just as important as the way you write it! There are many different ways to distribute your release, and they vary in a wide range of effectiveness and price.

The easiest and cheapest way is to deliver the release on your social media pages. Reaching your followers and customers directly is very important. Don’t be afraid to message users in your target audience to share your story. This can generate significant visibility and traction.

Another cheap (but more difficult) tactic to distribute a press release is to research media contacts and locate their contact information. Though this method is cheaper, some journalists make it difficult to find their information, as they have many contacts reaching out to them regularly. This is why it is crucial to cultivate relationships with local media contacts. It is advisable to identify journalists who cover content similar to yours and have an audience that aligns with your target demographic.

If you are interested in a more effective way to issue your press releases, there are hundreds of press release distribution services available. These services have databases of media professionals, bloggers, and influencers who can report on your release. You pay to have your release sent to these relevant individuals, chosen based on factors like industry and geographical location. Newswire, eReleases, and pr.businesswire.com are just a few service sites. These services cost anywhere between $20 and $300 per press release, depending on the extent of the distribution and the level of the targeting required.

Ready to share your good news?

In summary, a well-written press release serves as an invaluable tool for businesses to effectively communicate essential information to the media and the public. By crafting attention-grabbing headlines, informative body paragraphs, and supporting facts, organizations can maximize the impact of their press releases. Combining quality writing and effective distribution tactics can increase the likelihood of reaching the intended audience and boosting overall brand reputation and visibility.