Crisis Communication in College Athletics: A Content Analysis of SEC Football Teams’ Response Strategies

Katherine Martin-Williams (Grady M.A. student). “Crisis Communication in College Athletics: A Content Analysis of SEC Football Teams’ Response Strategies.” Accepted for presentation at the International Crisis and Risk Communication Research Conference (ICRCC), March 9-11, 2026, Clemson, S.C. Abstract: College athletic programs in the SEC operate as multimillion-dollar brands under constant public scrutiny, making crises such as player misconduct or NCAA violations especially damaging to reputation and stakeholder trust. Unlike corporate entities, these programs function within complex systems, where crisis outcomes are shaped by factors like crisis history, fan culture, and broader socioeconomic conditions. This study, informed by three years of experience within a major SEC football program, analyzes how top programs at Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Florida communicate during crises, examining patterns in tone, timing, and alignment with theories such as Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Image Repair Theory (IRT). Through a textual analysis of social media posts from 2020–2024 and sentiment evaluation of Instagram comments, the project assesses strategy effectiveness and identifies opportunities for improvement. Ultimately, the study contributes to both sports and corporate communication research by offering insight into how highly visible collegiate programs navigate image threats and proposing practical recommendations to strengthen crisis communication protocols.