Several years ago the Players’ Tribune was established to give athletes a louder voice in the media. Derek Jeter was at the center of its creation, partnering with Jaymee Messler to allow fans and the media to understand star athletes better. After years of successfully bringing hard-hitting sports stories to the masses, Jeter and Messler are looking at changing the game once again.
Humble beginnings
The idea of The Players’ Tribune began with Messler and her 20 years of experience working with athletes. She has worked in sports management, where she built relationships with some of the world’s top athletes.
Messler believes she was so capable of doing such a good job as a sports manager because she really cares about people. The Players’ Tribune co-founder built great relationships with sports stars in the past, and as Jeter was approaching retirement, she knew he would be perfect for her next plan.
Giving athletes their own voice
We get to listen to athletes pretty regularly thanks to preview shows and post-competition interviews, but often they are just regurgitating whatever their PR manager has told them to say. Messler wanted the world to hear what athletes genuinely have to say and with Jeter onboard she knew the Players’ Tribune was a great idea. She managed to get the project off the ground and now it has become one of the greatest sources of sports writing.
Why is it so great?
The sources are the athletes themselves as they delve into the issues they have struggled with away from the gaze of fans. Athletes have been given a real voice, and many have brought forward their tales of mental and physical health issues or any abuse suffered in their past.
The Players’ Tribune is not focused on rushing up to athletes straight after the game to get knee-jerk reactions, it’s all about thoughtful writing. After being established four years ago it has proven to be a huge success, but it’s time to step things up if the Players’ Tribune is to reach its full potential.
What next?
With Messler at the helm, and Jeter in tow, the Players’ Tribune is looking to give all athletes a stronger voice and is driving for equality. The media company recently partnered with SELF Magazine to reach a wider audience through a new video service. The Tribune running a piece about NHL star Daniel Carcillo and his struggles after his best friend took his own life after getting cut from the league.
This prompted the NHL to review their processes to ensure athlete’s wellbeing were looked after. The Players’ Tribune is helping to form a community of athletes through its annual conferences, something that’s going to continue. They are moving to Europe to bring stories from that continent, and the big change for the organization is their move into TV and video.
Derek Jeter and is business partner Jaymee Messler have revolutionized sports writing, and now they are tackling broadcasting too. There’s a revolution coming, and The Players’ Tribune is at the heart of it all.
