Inside The Playbook

Could the Boston Celtics survive without media coverage?

By: Lily Zhao

If you look down on the Celtics' home court, you will see a big "@Celtics" twitter handle insignia permanently imprinted on the hardwood. In today's evolution of social media, outlets like Twitter and Facebook have fueled coverage of the Celtics.

(iamagm.com)

Members of the media document and report on games, press conferences, public events, rookie signings, trade rumors and everything in between. Many fans now a world of knowledge at their fingertips because of the media -- they can turn to trusted sites like the Boston Globe or Boston Herald, turn on the radio for WEEI or 98.5 the Sports Hub, or turn on their TVs to watch ESPNBoston and NESN. But, what would happen if media coverage suddenly went away? Could NBA teams like the Celtics survive without it?

Travis Singleton from BlackAthletes.net seems to think so. He believes the media does open many doors for Celtics fans by letting fans know what exactly is going on with their favorite NBA team. Singleton says media coverage has benefited the C's because members of the media are the people who track all the team stats, film and analyze what happens during games and lets them know what is going on with other teams in the league.

However, Singleton says that because Boston is such a sports city, stopping media coverage on the team would not really affect them at all.

"The Celtics could definitely survive without media coverage because it's an NBA brand," he said. "The National Basketball League can sell itself on its brand loyalty alone."

ESPNBoston.com writer Greg Payne says he gets complaints from some veteran players about the media being too nosy, overwhelming and invasive in their personal lives on and off the court. Payne says players like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce wouldn't mind not having the media around because they have been on the team for so long.

However, younger players on the team are the ones who thrive on media attention.

"Younger guys like Avery Bradley, for instance, get great exposure," Payne said. "You see writers around the league saying things about how he's one of the best on ball defenders in the league and that can help the mindset of a young player like him feel like he belongs."

Jeffrey Twiss, the VP of Media Relations for the Celtics, thinks differently.

Twiss believes if media coverage were to stop all together for the Celtics, it would be detrimental for the future. He says media coverage is what helps drive interest for the team and its players. Without social media outlets, the team would be irrelevant because no one would know what was going on with the team and thus lose interest.

"There's a fine balance between the media and our team," Twiss said. "Neither one of us could exist without the other."