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About Greg Bouris

power χ was launched in 2018 by Greg Bouris, a communications and marketing professional with C-Suite level experience in all aspects of internal and external communications activities, marketing, brand development and reputation management for renown professional sports organizations, hall of fame athletes, regional broadcast networks, non-profits and consumer companies.

 

After graduating from high school, Greg, a native of Pawtucket, RI, took a job as a floor-boy on the lollipop floor of a major candy manufacturer.  After a month or two of stacking pallets with crates of lollipops and loading them onto big rigs destined for parts unknown, Greg decided to embark on the collegiate path in pursuit of a career that would allow him to mix his interest in business with his passion for sports.  After stops at R.I. Junior College and Biscayne College (now St. Thomas University), Greg graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst's nascent sport management program.  After graduating, Greg spent a year working with the National Hockey League's public relations and marketing department, while also working game nights for the NBA's New York Knickerbockers.  The following year, Greg joined the publicity department of the four-time Stanley Cup winning New York Islanders, where he remained for nearly 10 years.  Greg left the Islanders and joined his former Islanders boss, Hall of Famer Bill Torrey, to help start the expansion Florida Panthers.  From south Florida, Greg ventured back to the northeast, where he worked with SportsChannel New York, 1800Flowers.com and, for nearly 19 years, the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Some of Greg's career highlights include:

  • Experience working at the collegiate, professional league, professional team and players' union levels.

 

  • At 26, was the youngest PR director in pro sports, when tabbed to lead the New York Islanders publicity department, working under the guidance and with the support of seven future Hall of Fame players and administrators.

 

  • While with the NY Islanders, oversaw the creation of one of the NHL's first customized and computerized coaching statistical analysis programs and launched the first desk-top publishing system in all of pro sports. [Note: Click here to see what pro sports' first-ever, in-house published media guide looked like (using PageMaker 1.0 on the brand new Macintosh computer.)]

  • While with the Florida Panthers, was part of team that launched just the second website in pro team sports. [Note: Click the link to see what a state-of-the-art website looked like in 1995/1996 AND be sure to click the audio links.  The use of audio was pushing the limits of the technology. A year later, the second iteration of the site, the tech allowed for the audio to be played when the site opened! The tech allowing for web photos and videos was still to come, as bandwidths and loading times were just evolving.  A shout-out to the Panthers' staff at the time is in order!  We were always pushing the limits and exploring!]

  • Helped lead the "buzz" around the legendary "Year of the Rat" campaign during the Florida Panthers historic run to the Stanley Cup final.

  • Worked with President Jim McCann at 1800Flowers.com as the company took a leadership position in launching the e-commerce age.

  • Tabbed by the Major League Baseball Players Association to create the first full-fledged communications department in its storied existence.

 

While at the MLBPA...

  • Directed a four-person communications team that oversaw all content creation and distribution on three external, public websites and a Players-only app, multiple social media accounts across several platforms, and monthly and quarterly public e-newsletters

  • Served as chief spokesperson and media liaison for all matters regarding labor relations, business affairs, group licensing and the Players Trust

  • Responsible for crafting strategic and crisis communications plans and briefs, as well as developing key talking/message points to support overall communications goals of the Association

  • Developed and implemented communications and marketing plans and assisted in the development of strategic planning and programming for the Major League Baseball Players Trust, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization

  • Oversaw production of record-setting television PSA campaigns that generated $100 million+ in media value over three years

  • Created and implemented PR, media and promotional programs that earned more than two billion gross media impressions annually

  • Oversaw the development and launch of MLBPlayers.com and PlayersTrust.org, including vendor review, project management, development and creative oversight

  • Responsible for the production and promotion of annual Players Choice Awards cable television program broadcast on MLB Network

  • Chief MLBPA communications liaison with Major League Baseball for various programs managed jointly by owners and players, including Players Weekend and the World Baseball Classic international baseball tournament

  • Created and helped administer the Action Team national youth volunteer program that grew to more than 100 high schools in 35 states

  • Recipient of University of Massachusetts’ Harold VanderZwaag Award for distinguished service to the sport industry.

  • Contributing chapter author, Principles and Practices of Sport Management.

  • Currently serves as director of the undergraduate sport management program and full-time lecturer at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, where he also served as an adjunct professor for 20 years.

Podcast: Greg Bouris shares industry tips and insights with High Point University's Dr. Florian Hemme, Assistant Professor of Sport Management.

Read: Sports Business Journal Op-Ed: Bill Torrey - One of the most influential leaders of the past 50 years

Read: Providence Journal Op-Ed - My Turn: Greg Bouris: Dare to dream big dreams, R.I.

Read: Pawtucket Times - A big league image maker: Pawtucket native Greg Bouris reflects on 19 years inside the game he grew to love while watching from the seats of McCoy Stadium

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