The Erasmus+ Sport project “The Power of Public Relations in Sport (PPR)”, co-funded by the European Union, has successfully concluded with its final meeting held in Istanbul, Türkiye, bringing together all partner organisations from Croatia, Denmark, Belgium, Serbia, and Türkiye. The event served as the closing milestone of a two-year collaboration aimed at strengthening the role of public relations and communication strategies within sports organisations across Europe.
During the final meeting, partners shared their feedback, lessons learned, and success stories from the implementation of the project’s Public Relations Toolkit, which had been tested with sports clubs at the local level. Participants reflected on how the toolkit and handbook supported clubs in developing structured communication strategies, improving their visibility, and building stronger relationships with fans, sponsors, and communities.
The PPR Handbook, produced as a result of the project, serves as a practical guide for sports administrators, coaches, and managers, offering key insights into areas such as stakeholder engagement, crisis communication, sponsorship development, digital PR, branding, and reputation management. Drawing from European and international examples, the handbook empowers clubs to adopt professional approaches in communication and enhance their visibility both locally and internationally.
Throughout the project, participating organisations successfully applied the acquired knowledge to real-life scenarios—strengthening digital communication, enhancing community engagement, and attracting new partnerships. The case studies highlighted in the handbook, such as those from basketball and dance federations, demonstrate tangible results, including significant increases in online visibility and sponsorship acquisition.
As highlighted during the Istanbul meeting, the PPR project has contributed to the professionalisation of sports organisations, helping them understand that effective communication and transparency are as crucial as sporting results themselves. Partners agreed that continuous learning, innovation, and the use of digital tools are key to sustaining the progress achieved.
The consortium, coordinated by VERE MONTIS Association (Croatia), together with Studio Conex (Croatia), International Dance Organization (Denmark), Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires (Belgium), Mini Football Association of Serbia, and Kargenc Club (Türkiye), expressed their commitment to continue promoting knowledge exchange and capacity building in the field of sports communication.
The Power of Public Relations in Sport project demonstrates that well-planned and transparent communication can significantly enhance the visibility, credibility, and sustainability of sports organisations—creating a stronger connection between sports, media, and society.
