Assaults with an Assist: Gender Violence in the National Hockey League and League Reputation Based on Crisis Communication
Date of Award
5-5-2024
Degree Name
M.A. in Communication
Department
Department of Communication
Advisor/Chair
Alan Abitbol
Abstract
In October of 2022, an anonymous Twitter user under the pseudonym Emily Smith published a Tweet that contained a screenshot of a detailed statement which alleged that Ian Cole, a defensemen for the Tampa Bay Lightning, had groomed and sexually assaulted her. The last paragraph of the statement says that “the NHL [National Hockey League] fosters a culture of misogyny”, and because of this, players feel “emboldened” to commit these acts of violence towards their victims (Smith, 2022). The NHL conducted an investigation in which they determined Cole was innocent (Associated Press, 2022). There are multitudes of instances in which players commit acts of gender violence (rishcast, 2021). For organizations like the NHL, the communication they diffuse may impact how they are viewed by publics, groups of stakeholders that can impact how the organization is viewed. This study examined how such a response impacts league reputation, word-of-mouth, behavior intention, and attitude, using the lens of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT). Results showed response strategy significantly impacts reputation, those who viewed women’s rights more favorably reported a significantly lower perception of the NHL’s reputation when exposed to the denial strategy, and those who perceive the NHL’s reputation more favorably are more likely to engage in positive word-of-mouth practices and are more likely to alter their behavior (watch games, purchase merchandise, etc.). The results suggest that in order to maintain a positive reputation and to cultivate an individual’s willingness and likelihood to engage in positive behaviors towards the NHL, the NHL should make informed and careful decisions when communicating about acts of gender violence at the hands of its players.
Keywords
public relations, crisis communication, sports communication, gender violence, violence against women, reputation, situational crisis communication theory, SCCT
Rights Statement
Copyright 2024, author
Recommended Citation
Crossland-Wilson, Yana, "Assaults with an Assist: Gender Violence in the National Hockey League and League Reputation Based on Crisis Communication" (2024). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7575.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/graduate_theses/7575
