Jaycie Cress

I am a freshman at Indiana University studying media advertising.



Projects by Jaycie Cress

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. 

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Public Relations Story

Newest Apple Product to Change the World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Apple Watch Announcement

Media Contacts
Jaycie Cress
Shayana Oppen
Jon-Duke Rodgers

This past Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at an Apple convention, Apple’s co-founder and CEO, Tim Cook announced the reveal of their newest product, the Apple Watch. He was joined on stage by other key executives. One of which was Jony Ive, who had been instrumental in the design and manufacturing of the Apple Watch. The announcement of the watch has generated significant excitement, marking Apple’s entry into the wearable technology market. This event also stands as a significant shift in how technology is integrated into daily life. The watch is not like any other. Not only does it tell time but it also has so many features including a dial that controls the watch like a home button on the iPhone. It features an array of sensors, including a heart rate monitor, accelerometer, and gyroscope, enabling users to track their workouts and daily activities. “It uses the GPS and Wi-Fi in your iPhone to track how far you’ve moved” announced a video played by Tim Cook. The Activity app encourages users to meet their fitness goals through visual progress indicators, giving a sense of accountability and motivation.

Mason Williams, a full-time keyholder and employee at a retail store, wearing his Apple Watch while cleaning at work. He uses the watch to track his steps and monitor his activity levels throughout his workday at the mall.

The watch was released with three options you could purchase: the Apple Watch Sport, the standard Apple Watch, and the luxury Apple Watch Edition. Each collection was designed to appeal to different demographics. The Apple Watch Sport was lightweight and durable, crafted from anodized aluminum and featuring a flexible band, making it accessible and practical for athletes or people that prioritize fitness. The standard Apple Watch was made from stainless steel and offered a more polished look, for a more everyday business look.The Apple watch is also introducing a new type of electronic called Taptic Engine. It allows the watch to deliver subtle notifications through haptic feedback, providing a discreet way to stay connected without the need for constant screen time. This feature was particularly appealing in professional settings where checking one’s phone could be deemed inappropriate.
While the Apple Watch Edition featured an 18-karat gold casing, aimed at the luxury market. This tiered approach allowed Apple to cater to a wide audience, from everyday users to affluent customers seeking a high-end accessory.

Richard Chen, an international student from China studying at the Kelley School of Business, wears his Apple Watch while working on a project. He uses the watch to keep photos of his family on hand, offering him a sense of home while studying abroad.

The watch also adds a feature of touch screen which is nice because while the dial is nice for some things, most people do like touch screens. You can scroll, zoom, and navigate in whichever way you prefer. “The digital crown is a remarkable device; it zooms into apps, it enables nimble precise adjustments, and critically you can use it without obstructing the display.” a video demonstrating the watch userface claimed.
The watch also has features that connect to your phone so that you’re able to take calls and respond to texts all from the watch. You also receive your notifications and can put the watch on vibrate so it won’t interrupt you but you’ll still get the notification. They also give recommended responses in case you’re in a hurry and need to respond quickly.
This watch is being released at the same time as the iPhone 6 which is very exciting for Apple and Apple fans. Especially since you can connect your phone to the Apple watch this is an exciting feature with a brand new phone.
The Apple watch also has a variety of wallpapers and ways to read the clock so it’s even accessible for children. The watch is completely customizable to you in every way, including the band. They make different sizes and colors to make the watch perfect for every day. The bands also come off easily so you can switch them every day to make them match your outfits. The Apple watch is an exciting announcement that the world is very excited to see. There’s so much new technology that it really should make consumers day to day much easier.

The Apple Watches digital crown is the feature that allows the device to function for its small size.

The all day fitness tracker and sports tracker becomes an everyday watch.

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