With all of the media attention surrounding Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, some may feel like the media’s obsession with his injury recovery is getting out of hand. Amongst the crowd of disapproving viewers is former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb.
“…When I look up on TV and see him up there talking all the time about how great he’s doing — or doing jumping jacks or someone else talking about his supernatural healing powers — I wonder to myself: Is this about selling tickets to the fans or what?” McNabb said in an interview with the Washington Post.
Of course, selling tickets and apparel is just as important as selling an image and performing well on the field. As premature as his guarantees are, Griffin is keeping fans informed of his progress and attempting to ensure them that the Redskins will have a productive season come fall.
”I’m still trying to make sure I stay focused,” said Griffin. “Not just on the rehab part, but also getting the mental reps, knowing the offense like the back of my hand. [I’m] mastering the offense so that I can continue to beat teams with my mind.”
As the face of the Redskins franchise Griffin is adapting to his leadership role more now in the offseason than in last year’s regular season.
“If you’re coming off [anterior cruciate ligament] surgery, you don’t need to be having a press conference at [organized team activities],” said McNabb. “Every week? Really? It becomes a circus, a sideshow. It takes away from the focus of what those sessions are supposed to be about: the team.”
Griffin’s press conference updates are strategic branding opportunities, not a circus act.
From a fans perspective, knowing a player’s every move—especially when that player is the sole reason why fans watch a particular team every Sunday—isn’t a bad thing. Add an injury recovery and weekly status updates via text and photos and that player’s celebrity status increases after every update.
In addition to performing well on the field RG3 is expected to help sell apparel for Adidas, sellout FedExField, hydrate fans with Gatorade, and encourage people to live a healthy life by eating low-fat sandwiches at Subway. He’s not just a player; he’s an opportunity for various companies to endorse.
With Griffins early expectations of starting in week one against the Philadelphia Eagles he puts himself in a winning situation.
If Griffin doesn’t start in week one he’ll gain more media attention. If he starts and doesn’t perform well, he’ll receive even more attention. And if he starts and scores three touchdowns and throws for 300 yards, he’ll exceed expectations and become the talk of the media, again.
Until branding and publicity become negative forms of securing endorsements and elevating one’s celebrity status, we should continue to be bombarded with all things RG3.
