The sport of disc golf can never get too much attention, so whether you want to promote an upcoming tournament, highlight a work party at your local course, or simply want to alert others to the fact that there’s actually a course in your town, reaching out for press coverage can be key.

Yet if you’re not well connected within local media or simply don’t know where to start, the thought can be a bit overwhelming. Not every newspaper or television station in the area will respond with your same level of enthusiasm, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Getting press attention can look a variety of different ways, so try out a few of the following tips!

(Jonathan Poole of Innova Champion Discs – Man behind the magic at the USDGC – photo by The Disc Golf Guy)

Look For Experience

It’s always easiest to get media attention if you know who to contact, and if there’s a specific writer or broadcaster in the area who has worked on disc golf stories in the past, you’ll have a much better chance at success. A quick search on your local newspaper’s website can typically help you figure out who to contact, whether it’s someone familiar with disc golf or a specific sports writer.

Talk with other players in your community to find out who they have reached out to in the past. Perhaps someone who was a TD four years ago remembers a reporter who came out to cover their event and you too can make contact with that same person. Like so many things in life, getting press attention is based on making sure you know the right people.

What To Say?

News professionals are always looking for exciting information that often times includes a unique story angle. Simply talking about the fact that a tournament is happening may not be enough, but if you’re running it for charity or are having some high profile players show up, then suddenly your story is a lot more interesting.

In other instances, reporters simply don’t know how to talk about disc golf because it’s still so far under the radar. Think about the story that you’d like to see and help to communicate that idea to a writer. Unless you tell them how unusual it is that 100 people showed up for a volunteer work party, they might not even know that it’s worth talking about.

Using Apps To Your Advantage

One of the best ways to get the attention of media personnel is to tweet at them. Sure, sending a Facebook message or an email might suffice as well, but nowhere else do people seem to be able to successfully access others than via Twitter. Give them just enough information to pique their interest and make sure they have a way to contact you for more.

You can also promote your event through the DUDE Community Events website. Simply visit the submit an event section and fill in the details. Not only is this a great way for you to get press attention, but it informs a much larger audience about your gathering. Remember, it can take a few tries before you get connected with the right press people, but as long as you stay persistent you have a great shot at getting more news coverage than you thought possible!