Caitlin Murphy

I'm a freshman from New Jersey studying Media Advertising



Projects by Caitlin Murphy

News Story

NIL Decision Shifts Landscape of College Athletics

By Caitlin Murphy, Skylar Sutton and Jaycie Cress

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Nov. 5. 2024)

Crowds are gathered at Indiana Memorial Stadium, thousands of people are decked out in red and white face paint, and striped overalls. The stands have filled exponentially over the course of the football team’s undefeated 9-0 winning streak. Fans ranging from students and staff to alumni and fans from around the country fill in the stands in anticipation of seeing a good football game. Each person in these stands are expecting more from the football players than they have in years past. Because of this unexpected, undefeated winning streak, Indiana has become more popular in the sports industry and its athletes are gathering more prosperity and popularity than they have in the past.

Big Noon, Barstool and College Game Day arrive at Indiana University all in the same season, shocking college football fans from all over the country. Giving IU more recognition in the football world on social media, moving unsuspecting people to root for them and their strong efforts of working well as a team to have a good season. Raising the question: How are these athletes getting recognized for their accomplishments?

Football linebacker Isaiah Jones walks through Indiana Memorial Stadium
Indiana University football linebacker Isaiah Jones walks us through Indiana Memorial Stadium to get a behind the scenes look. We sat down with Jones and interviewed him on his view of the name, image and likeness ruling and listened to how he felt about the situation. Photo taken by Caitlin Murphy

 

College athletes, for many years, were accustomed to getting scholarships to play their sport at specific schools that wanted them. The talent the recruiters saw was put in place to give the athletes money to play the sport for the school; making them better athletes. However, just a few years ago, the NCAA put out a new approach on how athletes should be able to handle their money.

In a transformative shift for college athletics, the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreement, set on July 1st, 2021, has revolutionized how college athletes monetize their personal brands, how it has shifted the strategy of recruitment, and how it has raised questions regarding the fairness of the sports. As the universities and NCAA adapt to this new reality, the landscape of college athletics is rapidly changing.

Dr. Galen Clavio holds a press conference for C250
Dr. Galen Clavio, associate professor at Indiana University answers multiple students questions in C250. Clavio conducted a “news conference” on name, image and likeness which informed students about the NCAA’s recent ruling. Photo taken by Emma Pearce

Just a few weeks ago Dr. Galen Clavio, director of the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University, conducted a “news conference” in the C250 lecture hall to provide information about NIL to hundreds of students. Clavio answered multiple questions from students who gained insight from an industry professional that provided the basics the students were grateful to hear. “IU is selling out games, not because they have a popular NIL base, or overly known players, it is simply because they have a good team,” Clavio said to the students.

While NIL is well regarded for most colleges and their athletes, not all are seen the same on the basis of distribution of money and the use put to the promotions of the athletes. Giving them more leeway into doing what they want with the money they get from NIL, providing a fan base of people who like the sponsorships they do or the commercials they are in, and leading people to buying tickets to their games. This pushes the focus of college athletics into a popularity contest with the promotions they can get from the money provided from playing for that particular school, rather than by just playing. Isaiah Jones, a redshirt sophomore linebacker at IU said, “[NIL] has made college athletics as close to professional sports as possible, because now players are getting played to play.” He explains how he chose Indiana from the beginning when the transfer portal wasn’t directly affecting him and most players. However, Jones explained, “The NIL will affect where players want to play, the portal, and how coaches recruit.”

IU football player Isaiah Jones answers questions about NIL.
Interviewers sat with Isaiah Jones to ask him questions about his opinions on the NIL decision as a college athlete. Jones said about his opinion on NIL, “I think it opens up some recognition from younger guys, which affects transfer portals, and where people want to go.” Photo taken by Caitlin Murphy

NIL has changed the way sports are played and viewed, shifting the landscape to something bigger and broader than just playing sports. Looking toward the future, while this is seen in more well-known colleges, the NIL is expanding and is subject to change as it grows within the realm of sports. Yet, this hasn’t been seen at smaller private schools such as Princeton, where the players do not get the same benefits for doing the same sports as the athletes at schools with NIL. But, there is still time for the NCAA’s decision to make its way over to them. Overall we have seen how this shift in the landscape of college athletics has prospered with the influx of deals and sponsorships and how this will continue to grow as different sports that were once underrated become more popular.

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/t/1_z5wc0vy9?st=0&ed=99[/kaltura]

On October 20, 2024, Indiana University students shared their opinion on the NIL ruling. Past and present students were asked about what they know about NIL in general and how they think it will affect college athletes in the future. 

###

Public Relations Story

Apple leaves audience stunned by revealing their newest product: The Apple Watch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Apple Leaves Audience Stunned By Revealing Their Newest Product: The Apple Watch

Media Contacts
Caitlin Murphy
Kaela Winfield
Lucy Little

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) – Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced a shocking new product, the Apple Watch, to an enthusiastic crowd in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday, September 9, 2024. The groundbreaking new device received rave reactions from excited fans and industry insiders alike.

At this past week’s Apple event, CEO Tim Cook, along with the company’s vice president Kevin Lynch, introduced new technology that the audience was not expecting; the Apple Watch. This groundbreaking product had been specifically designed to redefine how Apple users interact with the company’s technology on a day-to-day basis. “Apple Watch is the most personal device we’ve ever created,” stated Cook, as he stood upon the stage with a proud look while wearing the newly unveiled watch. The Apple Watch not only combines a beautiful design encapsulated with advanced technology, but also has the skill set to integrate health and fitness into commodities for everyday use by the user.

College Student uses Apple Watch
Ashley Waller uses her Apple Watch to track her workout with the IU Nursing run club. Ashley tracked her workout with the watch and was able to track how many miles she ran and her pace.

The new watch has the capabilities of ensuring precise timekeeping, activity tracking for people on the fitness side, and support for third-party apps for the smaller screen; but that’s not even the best part because just like the iPhone the Apple Watch is customizable. Cook emphasized, “Because you wear it, we invented new intimate ways to connect and communicate directly from your wrist.” Users can show off their personality with their new watches by either changing the face of the watch itself or changing the wristbands to match their own personal style.

Some may think that Apple has simply just shrunk down the iPhone interface to fit the watch, but that is not the case. Apple’s team developed the Digital Crown, a unique part of the device that changes the way you can use the watch. By rotating the crown, Apple consumers can use it to zoom in on maps, scroll through lists, or scroll through various apps without having to use their fingers and make an error. The Apple Watch was also designed to work hand-in-hand with the iPhone, making it either a duo or standalone product. The watch will present notifications, allow users to read and respond to messages, answer calls, and even use Siri, all without having to pull out their iPhone once. As Lynch demonstrated these features, he highlighted how users could quickly access apps and important information with just a glance at their wrist.

Employee uses Apple Watch for help
IU Athletic Department employee, Jason Ghandi, uses his Apple Watch to check his notifications during the day. Jason uses it as a subtle way to check his notification without seeming disengaged.

One of the watch’s most impressive features has to be the health and fitness of it all. Both Cook and Lynch discussed how the device is able to track a user’s physical activity and exercise in a positive way, in turn the user feels more encouraged to lead on a healthier lifestyle. The watch has multiple apps related to fitness on it, such as a heart rate monitor, a workout app, fitness goals, and an activity tracker. The key difference between the fitness goals and the workout tracker lies in the details: the fitness goals monitor your overall daily activity, while the workout app targets specific exercises like running, offering detailed data such as distance, calories burned, and more. It doesn’t matter if the user is an everyday mom trying to get her steps in or an Olympic athlete; the Apple Watch is designed to mesh to their own fitness goals and provide them with feedback that way it is more likely for a user to achieve them.

The starting price for this newly developed watch will be $349 and availability can start as early as the next year. Cook wrapped up the event by focusing attention to how the Apple Watch will have an impact on the day-to-day lives of the people. “We think people are going to love to use Apple Watch,” Cook said. “It’s something functional yet incredibly beautiful.” The combination of advanced technology, customization, and health-oriented features, the Apple Watch will become an indispensable tool needed for millions and millions of users worldwide; the company has done it once again by changing the way users interact with their technology. Apple continues to push the boundaries of wearable technology as they just enhanced the connection between users and their devices.

Tim Cook addresses the crowd at the Apple event in Cupertino, California on September 9, 2014. Cook unveils the newest break in technology; the Apple Watch which gained loud applause and shock from the audience.

The ending of Apple’s promotional video of the cool things the new Apple Watch has to offer. Opening up the next generation of technology and how Apple hopes to enhance the realm of media for the future on September 9, 2014.

###