PR Writing: Research

For this assignment, the company I have chosen to affiliate with is the Thunder who are based in OKC. This professional basketball team was established in 2008 and this is their website.
Overview:

The OKC Thunder is a top tier basketball team who has a very strong presence in the community through charity, school visits, and other engaging events. For such a young team, the Thunder has gained international attention and already has a culture of success and a name to be reckoned with. Oklahoma City started as a small city with not much to offer; with the Thunder, the city has grown around it, becoming a metropolitan hub with big business, very nice hotels, and fine dining. The Thunder generally does very well in competition, even competing against the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals . It has a smaller workforce than most teams, but generates quality output that other NBA teams across the country come to OKC to learn from.
Strengths:

Strong community presence; waiting list for season tickets; loyal fans; superstar players (Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook/Serge Ibaka); no competition with MLB or NFL; small workforce, so lower costs; strong social media presence
Weaknesses:

Location, while OKC is growing, it’s also still small and under the radar; major sponsors/economy going through financial crisis because of oil prices (Chesapeake, Devon); recent confusion over rebranding
Competitors:

Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors
Social Media:

OKC Thunder Instagram (1.6 million followers)

OKC Thunder Facebook (6 million likes)

OKC Thunder Twitter (1.21 million followers)
In the News:

Why Aren’t the Thunder Playing Much Smallball Anymore? (February 23, 2016)

Record Aside, Thunder Must Prove Contending Chops (February 23, 2016)

Competitive Juices Going at Thunder Practice (February 23, 2016)