Sports, Media and Entertainment Case Study

Executive Summary 

An organization who serves as the national governing body for a grassroots sport in North America was recently named as a perpetrator in a massively public sexual assault scandal. 

The scandal became so large and so known that league sponsors started pulling revenues, fans stopped attending games, and even national politicians started speaking out and condoning the association’s lack of efforts to keep fans safe.  

In an effort to repair their public perception and improve fan safety, the association adopted Fama’s online and social media candidate screening solutions. They have since been able to reduce misconduct within the league and are on a path toward redemption. 

About the Customer 

The customer is a major sports league in North America that represents the region on the global stage of its sport. It’s responsible for everything from cultivating entry-level teams to coordinating professional world championships and even their country in the Olympic games.

They do this by collaborating closely with various stakeholders, including a league, multiple regional branches, and numerous affiliated entities, the association is dedicated to nurturing the growth of the sport while fostering a safe and respectful environment.

Circumstances and Challenges

In recent years, over a handful of players within the association were accused of sexually assaulting a fan after a league-associated event. Upon notice of the assault, league executives and board conducted an investigation, agreed to work with local law enforcement, and set aside funds for a settlement. At the time, the victim refused to speak with investigators and the criminal and corporate investigations were closed. 

A couple years later, the victim sought damages against the association, league, and players. At that time, the association settled with the victim. However, news of the scandal broke and the public, sponsors, and public figures were unhappy with the way the association had handled the original investigation and began taking steps of their own to hold the association accountable. The association started losing fans at games governed by the association, public funding was revoked, and corporate sponsors pulled sponsorships. 

The association realized they needed to make significant changes. 

The Solution

With fans and sponsors leaving and an onslaught of public scrutiny, the association realized they needed to take swift action. They brought on new leadership at the executive and board levels, employed an oversight committee, and introduced a comprehensive action plan that would help rectify trust in the organization, restore the association’s reputation, and take steps to regain financial stability. The goal was to ensure the public that they were committed to enhancing governance, accountability, and safety. 

As part of the action plan,  the association announced  independent checks on sports safety, elevated standards for education and training, and improved governance practices. That included strengthening screening protocols into players' history, behavioral records, and online and social media presence to preempt any potential damage to the organization's reputation and financial security.

In its pursuit of transformation, the association partnered with a reputable screening company, Fama, to screen public online and social media sources. This proactive pre-screening effort aimed to identify any indicators of misconduct that could arise, ensuring a more thorough assessment of prospective personnel.

The Results 

The association underwent a series of essential transformations guided by the oversight committee, which lead to a new and diverse leadership team, new criteria for evaluating leadership performance with a strong emphasis on social responsibility, and the introduction of rigorous screening processes for both on-field and off-field personnel, including a meticulous examination of their online presence. These comprehensive measures underscored the association's unwavering dedication to fostering a safe and inclusive sports environment.

Since implementing Fama, the association has run nearly 1,500 reports and over 265 of them have returned at least one misconduct flag – meaning 18% of the people they screened have engaged in some misconduct issues like sexual misconduct, violence, crime, or more. Equipped with this information, the association has been able to make more informed and strategic hiring decisions. 

As the association diligently works to restore its reputation and reestablish trust among the public, partner organizations, and corporate sponsors, Fama takes pride in being an integral partner in supporting the association's resolute commitment to meaningful change. Through collaborative efforts, the association is charting a course toward a brighter future, characterized by integrity, inclusivity, and a renewed sense of purpose.