With each new rookie class, professional sports generates a new crop of instant celebrities. The sudden crush of fans, reporters, and paparazzi. Unfortunately, these young men and women are ill prepared for the immense challenge that celebrity presents. Many times, for the rookie looking to cope with this new life, it’s a case of “I don’t know what I don’t know.”
Anyone who works in sports has plenty of stories about pro athletes complaining about signing autographs, avoiding promotional appearances, and doing nothing to cultivate a fan base. In their eyes, these athletes “deserve” the attention they receive based solely on their ability to score points and win games. More times than not, these are the athletes who usually find the least commercial success in The Game….and afterwards.
In a recent USA Today story, actor Will Smith provided a good perspective on celebrity and his feeling of responsibility:
Smith doesn’t get busted for DUIs or punch or scream at paparazzi. “Not any more, not any more,” he jokes.
His parents and grandmother instilled in him the belief that with privileges comes responsibility. Smith doesn’t moan about the attention he gets, kvetch about the lack of privacy or lash out at reporters for asking personal questions.
“By being famous, you’re afforded rights that other people who aren’t famous aren’t afforded,” he says. “If I’m going to walk to the front of the line (at the restaurant) because I’m Will Smith, then I have to sign all the autographs. If I don’t want to sign any autographs, I don’t walk to the front of the line. It’s that simple. Stand in the line with everybody else.”
Smith is right. It’s that simple.
Celebrity isn’t something a pro athlete comes automatically equipped to handle. An athlete’s new found fame brings a set of challenges that requires practice to address…just like the years of practice which honed the athlete’s skill on the field. However, no matter how much practice an athlete has in dealing with his/her celebrity, it must be rooted in a sense of responsibility to the fans that make their incredible profession possible.
It’s one of the most important lessons we share with our clients at U/S Sports Advisors.
Posted by Ken Ungar.
