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Full Court Press

Full Court Press

Author: Observatory on Corporate Reputation LLC August 6, 2026 Duration: 33:17
Communication Breakdown
Business NewsNewsBusinessManagementMarketing
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine how the WNBA has become the latest battleground in America's broader cultural debate after Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham's comments about transgender athletes ignited national controversy. Rather than debating the underlying political issue, the hosts focus on the league's communications challenge, exploring how outside groups can redirect public attention and force organizations into conversations they did not initiate. They introduce concepts like "narrative arbitrage," attention management, and governance infrastructure, offering a thoughtful framework for how organizations can maintain focus when external controversies threaten to redefine their identity.

Takeaways
  • Silence is not always inaction. Strategic restraint can prevent organizations from amplifying controversies beyond their proper scope.
  • Public goodwill creates stakeholder expectations, making it critical to clarify the difference between organizational values and organizational policy.
  • Leaders can lower the temperature of contentious debates by reframing where discussions belong 
Topics Mentioned
WNBA, Sophie Cunningham, Caitlin Clark, transgender athletes, sports communications, corporate reputation, stakeholder expectations, narrative arbitrage, governance, crisis communications, organizational boundaries, public trust, culture wars, attention management, leadership communication, framing, media strategy

Companies Mentioned
WNBA, Indiana Fever, ESPN, White House, NCAA, Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx, SiriusXM


Episode Hashtags
#WNBA #IndianaFever #ESPN #WhiteHouse #NCAA #SeattleStorm #MinnesotaLynx #SiriusXM #CorporateCommunications #PublicRelations #CorporateReputation #CrisisCommunication #Leadership #StakeholderManagement #NarrativeStrategy #SportsBusiness #MediaRelations #ReputationManagement #StrategicCommunications #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork

Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation.
Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling.
Produced in partnership with Advocast Leadership Advisory and  Shawn P Neal.

For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcasts@ocrnetwork.com

Communication Breakdown is a sharp, fast-moving podcast for PR and communications pros who want to understand what really happens when reputations are on the line. Hosted by OCRs Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling, each postgame-style episode breaks down how organizations navigate high-visibility crises, product launches, policy debates, and other make-or-break moments in the public eye. Drawing on experience from institutions like USC Annenberg, UNC Chapel Hill, OpenAI, and Apple, the hosts dissect real-world cases, exploring what worked, what failed, and why. Listeners can expect candid analysis of messaging, leadership, media strategy, stakeholder management, and internal alignment, all grounded in current events across news and business. Whether youre in marketing, management, or corporate communications, listen episodes of Communication Breakdown to sharpen your judgment, stress-test your own strategies, and better anticipate how communications decisions play out when it matters most.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Communication Breakdown
Podcast Episodes
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Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different communication moments with the same core question underneath them: what happens when credibility gets tested in public. First, they analyze Pope Leo XIV’s unusua…
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In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine how United and Delta communicated through a punishing week for the airline industry, marked by soaring fuel costs, geopolitical instabil…
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In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll break down two parallel realities corporate communicators now have to manage at once. First, they analyze how the White House communicated the o…
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In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack the Supreme Court’s 6–3 ruling that last year’s emergency tariffs were illegally imposed, throwing $175 billion in collected duties into…
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In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine a Bloomberg column arguing that America’s most powerful CEOs have gone conspicuously quiet in the Trump era. They unpack the idea of a “…
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