Season 7, Episode 1 — "Relevance Report 2025: Sports"

As the 2025 Relevance Report launches, this debut episode brings together three leading voices in communication to reflect on how sports mirror the industry’s biggest transformations — from AI and media disruption to purpose-driven storytelling.

Guests:

• Jennifer Stephens-Acree — Founder & CEO, JSA Partners
• Kirk Stewart — USC Professor, Former Nike VP of Global Communications
• Maryanne Lataif — SVP, Corporate Communications, AEG
  Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

• The Rise of Women’s Sports — 0:02
• Brand Sponsorship and Cultural Momentum — 3:00
• The “Bro Culture” and Camaraderie in Women’s Leagues — 5:00
• College Athletics and NIL Impact — 8:30
• The Transfer Portal and Fan Loyalty — 10:30
• Technology and the Fan Experience — 17:20
• Immersive Storytelling in Live Events — 19:30
• Celebrity Athletes and Media Power — 22:20
• The Future of PR in Sports — 25:40
• Sports as the Great Unifier — 29:10

1. Women’s Sports Are Leading a Cultural Shift
Jennifer Stephens-Acree spotlights the boom in women’s sports as both a cultural and commercial movement, where authenticity, storytelling, and activism have become the foundation for fan connection and brand relevance.

2. College Athletics Is at a Crossroads
Kirk Stewart critiques the financial and ethical complexities of college athletics, from billion-dollar NIL deals to constant roster turnover. His forecast: a new model resembling the NFL, with athletes eventually recognized as employees.

3. Technology Is Reimagining the Fan Experience
Maryanne Lataif reveals how AEG is revolutionizing live events with personalization tools, spatial audio, and real-time audience data, turning spectators into participants and deepening emotional connections to teams and artists.

4. PR’s Expanding Role in Sports
The panel agrees that communicators are now central to shaping sports narratives — from athlete storytelling to immersive digital fan engagement — as PR bridges data, creativity, and cultural relevance.

5. Sports as a Unifying Force
In an era of division, the guests identify sports as one of the last remaining shared spaces that bring people together, a reminder of PR’s power to connect communities through emotion and experience.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

Host: Fred Cook
Executive Producer: Ron Antonette

Season 7 Producers: Joe Carreon and Anvi Mahajan
Production: Camille Culbertson, Jack Gisler, Toma Battino
Editorial: Joey Cha, Ivan Feng, Natalie Lopez, Grace An, Emmy Snyder
Social Content: Angelina Tran, Hailey Evans
Growth: Van Luu, Shaan Dhaliwal

Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Download the 2025 Relevance Report at

annenberg.usc.edu/relevance

This episode is a replay of special podcast hosted by PRWeek about the 2025 USC Relevance Report.

This special PRWeek podcast, "AI Activated," brought together three PR industry leaders and PRWeek Hall of Famers to discuss AI's impact on public relations. Hosted by Steve Barrett, Editorial Director of PR Week, the conversation featured:

• Frank X. Shaw, Chief Communications Officer at Microsoft
• Melissa Waggener Zorkin, Global CEO of We. Communications
• Fred Cook, Director of USC Center for Public Relations and Chairman Emeritus at Golin

The discussion centered on research from Microsoft, We. and USC about AI's transformative effects on PR practices.

• AI's Impact on PR and the Role of Humanity 0:02
• Balancing AI and Humanity in Storytelling 2:31
• Fostering an AI-Ready Culture 5:49
• Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption 12:48
• AI in Media Relations and Measurement 16:21
• Preparing the Next Generation of PR Pros 22:17
• The Future of AI in PR 27:34

Key insights include:

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

The panel emphasizes that AI should enhance human storytelling and relationships rather than replace them. Frank Shaw compared current AI adoption to the early days of personal computers, suggesting we're just beginning to understand its potential.

Creating an AI-Ready Culture

Melissa Waggener Zorkin highlights the importance of employer encouragement in AI adoption, noting that organizations should empower employees to experiment with AI tools and celebrate early adopters who can share knowledge across teams.

Education and Skill Development

Fred Cook shares his experience incorporating AI into USC student projects, revealing how prompt engineering skills significantly impact results. He notes that students who crafted detailed prompts received better AI outputs than those using basic instructions.

Practical Applications

The conversation covers AI applications in content creation, data analysis, media relations, and measurement. Frank Shaw discusses using AI for strategic planning and information capture, while Melissa emphasizes AI's democratizing effect, allowing professionals at all levels to contribute innovative approaches.

Future Outlook

The panel agrees that AI will make PR more exciting for young professionals by automating routine tasks and allowing them to focus on more strategic and creative work. The podcast referenced two reports for further reading: "Energized by AI" and "The Relevance Report."

The USC Relevance Report of 40+ forward-looking essays about the current and future use of AI in public relations is available for free download at annenberg.usc.edu/relevance.

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Based on a survey of over 1,000 PR professionals, the 2025 Global Communication Report from the USC Center for Public Relations –in conjunction with Zeno Group and IABC – reviews how AI, hybrid work, generational shifts, influencer culture, and polarization are reshaping public relations.

To download the report, go to this link

To find information about the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), go to this link

Public relations is entering a new era—driven by technology, authenticity, and the influence of a younger, more optimistic generation.

AI in PR: Embraced as a powerful tool, not a replacement for human creativity

Hybrid Work: Redefining mentorship, collaboration, and team culture

Shifting Trust: Younger audiences rely more on influencers than traditional media

Skills for the Future: Media literacy and AI training are now essential

Polarization: A rising challenge that demands thoughtful communication

Gen Z’s Impact: Advocating for purpose-driven, inclusive, and authentic PR

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.
Host, Fred Cook
Executive Producer, Ron Antonette
Season 6 Producers, Javiera Contreras, Anahita Mehra, Joe Carreon, Marshall Winfield
Created by ZaZu Lippert

LINKS
Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn.
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.