Media advisory: Professor can comment on NFL increasing penalties for domestic violence


LAWRENCE — University of Kansas professor Jordan Bass is available to speak with media about the NFL’s decision to institute more strict penalties for players involved in domestic violence incidents.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently announced the league will suspend players for six games on first offense and ban players for life upon a second offense. The announcement comes after the league was heavily criticized for suspending Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games after being charged with third-degree assault following an incident in which he allegedly knocked his wife unconscious. The suspension was widely criticized as being too lenient, given the nature of the offense and that harsher suspensions were given to players for offenses such as marijuana possession.

Bass is an assistant professor of health, sport and exercise science, and is he executive director of KU’s Laboratory for the Study of Sport Management. His research has examined how social media has changed the landscape of sports, how fans can place immediate pressure on sporting organizations and how such organizations are reacting to negative incidents, or in many cases, failing to react quickly enough. He can comment on the new policy, the previous suspensions and how the public has proven able to influence large sporting organizations such as the NFL into firing coaches and reacting to negative publicity.

To schedule an interview, contact Mike Krings at 785-864-8860 or mkrings@ku.edu.

Fri, 08/29/2014

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Mike Krings

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