World Wrestling Entertainment Responds to the Chris Benoit Tragedy: A Case Study

Transcription

1 Case Study International Journal of Sport Communication, 2011, 4, Human Kinetics, Inc. World Wrestling Entertainment Responds to the Chris Benoit Tragedy: A Case Study Laura Richardson Walton and Kevin D. Williams Mississippi State University, USA An organization s initial response to a crisis can dictate the tone of its sustained response throughout the crisis, as well as stakeholders reactions to the incident. When news of the deaths of professional wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife, and their 7-yr-old son broke, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) immediately paid tribute to the superstar. A memorial show to Benoit s career aired as investigators searched the family s home. The investigation revealed that Benoit murdered his wife and son before taking his own life, resulting in WWE s retraction of its earlier tributes. Furthermore, the organization had to respond to the swarm of speculation that steroids and WWE s lax policy on their use were to blame. This case study analyzes WWE s immediate response strategies to their employee s family s deaths and the subsequent strategies used on learning that the employee was implicated. Qualitative analysis of corporate documents and official statements seeks to provide direction regarding how similar organizations should respond in the days immediately after tragic events when employees may be implicated. Keywords: public relations, crisis, sport, On hearing that the bodies of professional wrestler Chris Benoit; his wife, Nancy; and their 7-year-old son, Daniel, had been found in the family s Atlanta residence, Benoit s employer, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) canceled that night s event scheduled to broadcast nationally (WWE, 2007a). WWE instead aired a tribute to Benoit and his career, as it had done for other wrestlers who died while on its roster. The memorial included statements from the owner, WWE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon, and other wrestling superstars highlighting Benoit s career and positive personal qualities. McMahon eulogized Benoit as one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time (McMahon, 2007a), and tributes were posted on WWE s Web site. According to coworkers and fans, Benoit was a respected mentor (Montgomery, 2007a). Twenty-four hours later, as WWE began its Tuesday night broadcast, McMahon s rhetoric regarding the WWE superstar was dramatically different. The investigation had revealed that Benoit had murdered his wife and son before committing suicide. One of WWE s greatest superstars was now addressed as Mr. Benoit by McMahon as he spoke to the viewing audience before that night s program began The authors are with the Dept. of Communication, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS. 99

2 100 Walton and Williams (McMahon, 2007b). WWE had prematurely paid tribute and homage to someone now being called a monster, creating a unique crisis situation for the organization (Truesdell & Silverman, 2007, 5). When anabolic steroids were found at the crime scene, media speculation that roid rage was to blame became rampant ( Top 10 Crime, 2007). Fueling the speculation was the fact that 11 professional wrestlers had recently been linked to a nationwide steroid investigation conducted by Sports Illustrated s online site, SI.com ( Report: Pro Wrestlers, 2007). Although Benoit was not named in that investigation, the inference was being drawn that WWE had a careless attitude concerning steroid abuse among its superstars and, in some way, was responsible for letting Benoit s alleged roid rage get the best of him. As Atkinson (2002) notes, many scholars have argued that professional wrestling, as in WWE, does not constitute sport. However, we adopt the perspective of Rinehart (1998) for the current analysis, who argues that WWE should be considered avant-garde sport. Rinehart asserts that stating that WWE is not real sport because its matches do not have unpredictable results, like that of football or basketball, marginalizes the event and is akin to making a high versus low sport argument comparable to that found in the art world. In fact, to the audience, the result of the wrestling match is unpredictable. The televised staging of the match, the framing of prior narratives concerning the athletes to create drama, and the commoditization of the athletes themselves are all characteristic of both WWE and the NFL. If someone were to argue that professional wrestlers are more entertainers than athletes, a valid response would be to question the role of athletes such as Dennis Rodman, Terrence Owens, Alan Iverson, and other athletes who have held prominent roles in traditional sports entertainment programs. Many studies in sports entertainment have focused on an athlete s or a team s response to a specific crisis incident. This study analyzes WWE s immediate response to a specific crisis event involving the death of an employee, as well as two additional deaths for which he was ultimately responsible. In addition, it examines WWE s subsequent response when its initial reaction proved ill advised. The organization was forced to change its stance on the situation within the first 24 hours after realizing that one of its employees was implicated in the murdersuicide. The time frame for the study encompasses the organization s immediate communication strategies, its attempts to memorialize the fallen wrestler, and then its efforts to distance itself from Benoit and respond to criticisms surrounding its wellness program. This case study is unique in that one of WWE s critical mistakes in its crisis response was failing to obtain all information before making statements. Relying on qualitative analysis of corporate documents and media coverage, we seek to provide direction regarding how similar organizations should respond after tragic events involving employees who may later be implicated in causing said tragedy. Background With nicknames such as The Rabid Wolverine and The Canadian Crippler, professional wrestler Chris Benoit had a reputation as a vicious wrestler. In the ring, Benoit played the part of a highly skilled, cold, calculating technical wrestler. Outside the ring, fellow wrestlers praised him as being a man s man (Douthit & Hollis, 2007). Wrestler Chris Jericho described Benoit as a very private, silent

3 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 101 guy, but also, as a very caring heart of gold type guy (Douthit & Hollis, 2007). His coworkers viewed him as a mentor, leader, and consummate professional. Many also recalled Benoit s love for his family, especially his son, Daniel. Jericho states, I will tell you about the relationship he had with his wife and his son, is that Chris idolized his son, his both of his sons and his daughter.... But Daniel, the son that he lived with in Atlanta, he just talked about him constantly and always asked me about my children.... This guy loved his kids, L-O-V-E capital letters. (Douthit & Hollis, 2007) Although scheduled to appear at an event Saturday, June 23, 2007, in Texas, Benoit notified WWE he would not attend (World Wrestling Entertainment, 2007b). WWE changed Benoit s flight plans but was unable to reach him to confirm the changes. During the early morning hours of Sunday, coworkers received confusing text messages from Benoit. His coworkers informed WWE of the mysterious messages, prompting WWE officials to contact the Atlanta-area Fayetteville County sheriff s office around 12:45 p.m. Monday. At 4 p.m., officers informed WWE officials they had entered the Benoit residence and found three bodies. As officers accumulated forensic evidence, they determined that Benoit had murdered his wife by asphyxiation sometime Friday and then murdered his son in a similar fashion Saturday ( Police Paint, 2007). Nancy was found bound at the hands and feet on the floor. Daniel was found in his bed. Both bodies had bibles lying next to them. Benoit committed suicide by hanging himself sometime early Sunday morning, presumably shortly after sending the suspicious text messages. Officials found various prescription drugs including anabolic steroids inside the house, although all appeared to have been legally obtained. No suicide note was found. Speculation as to Benoit s motives began, and steroid use (and the resulting phenomenon of roid rage) was one explanation offered by reporters and the public (Chandler, 2007; Mosconi, Quinn, & Nichols, 2007). As WWE realized the situation was a murder-suicide, all tributes to Benoit on WWE.com were replaced by photo collections and news stories. As one fan wrote, I hate it, but if... that is true, my respect and admiration of any sort for Chris Benoit died right with him (Montgomery, 2007a, 11). The autopsy reports for the Benoit family were released July 17. The report revealed that he had had steroids, Xanax, and the painkiller hydrocodone in his system at the time of death (Montgomery, 2007b). Chief medical investigator Chris Sperry noted that Chris s elevated levels of testosterone were within therapeutic limits, something fairly common in people with chronic pain. Nancy also had Xanax and hydrocodone (still at therapeutic levels) in her system at the time of death, but most noteworthy was that 7-year-old Daniel had Xanax in his system. Sperry concluded this was most likely the result of Chris Benoit sedating his son before killing him. Shortly after the autopsy reports were released, the concern over whether steroids played a role in the killings reached a critical point when Congress asked WWE to provide records of the company s drug policies and practices ( Congress Asks for WWE, 2007). Congressmen Henry Waxman (California) and Tom Davis (Virginia) stated in a letter to WWE, The tragic deaths of World Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Benoit and his family have raised questions about reports of

4 102 Walton and Williams widespread use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by professional wrestlers ( Congress Asks for WWE, 2007, 3). The congressmen added, These allegations which include first-hand reports of steroid use by prominent former wrestlers have swirled around the WWE for over a decade. Investigations by journalists have described a culture of performance-enhancing drug use in professional wrestling, high fatality rates among young professional wrestlers, and an inability or unwillingness of WWE to address these problems. ( Congress Asks for WWE, 2007, 4) Waxman and Davis s implication that steroids may have played a role in the Benoit incident added to media speculation that roid rage was to blame for the murders. Although the medical examiner found Benoit s steroid use within therapeutic levels, many following the case could not understand how someone who had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system would not be affected. Dr. Phil Astin, who had prescribed the drug for Benoit and whose practice was later raided by federal officials, stated that Benoit was taking the drug to correct a hormone disorder. Authorities found evidence that Astin had prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every 3 4 weeks for at least a year before the murder-suicide took place. Astin s lawyers argued that the elevated level of steroids was part of Benoit s hormone-replacement therapy. Regardless of the reason for Benoit s steroid use, the investigation made one thing clear: WWE wrestlers were receiving suspicious quantities of steroids from medical care providers in epidemic fashion (Weber, 2007). WWE was now being presented as turning a blind eye to steroid abuse in its company, and with roid rage a theory behind the Benoit killings, its own culpability was being questioned ( A Chokehold, 2007; Cohn, 2007). The Benoit murder-suicide represents a unique opportunity for a case study in organizational communication. In professional sports leagues such as the NFL or NBA, when a death or murder occurs it may affect a particular team but not necessarily the entire organization. For example, when Washington Redskins player Sean Taylor was shot and killed in his home during a burglary attempt in 2008, the entire NFL did not cancel its schedule or halt work ( Redskins Remember, 2007). When Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died in December 2009 after falling from the back of a truck during a domestic dispute with his fiancée, the Bengals organization released statements on the incident, but the NFL made no changes to the week s schedule ( Bengals Chris Henry, 2009). In contrast, when WWE was informed of Benoit s death, the evening s event was cancelled and replaced with an official WWE response and a 3-hour tribute to Benoit. Literature Review Massey (2001) describes a crisis as a major, unpredictable event that may result in harm to an organization and/or its stakeholders (p. 157). During a crisis, an organization s operations are disrupted, and if it is not handled in a timely and effective manner, the crisis can threaten the organization s very existence (Barton, 2001; Coombs, 2002; Seeger, 2002). Thus, crisis management involves the strategic efforts by the organization to avoid potential crisis situations, as well as its efforts to effectively manage those that do occur (Pearson & Clair, 1998). Fearn-Banks

5 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 103 (2001) describes crisis communication as the verbal, visual, and/or written interaction between the organization and its publics (often through the news media) prior to, during, and after the negative occurrence (p. 480). Significant to the organization s crisis-response and image-repair strategies is the use of apologia in communicating with stakeholders. Hearit (2001) argues that although corporate criticism is not a new phenomenon, the modern criticism of organizations has become more prolific, more widespread, and often more vitriolic (p. 502). The rhetorical concept of apologia examines how individuals defend their character, or image, from public attacks by employing various communication strategies (Ware & Linkugel, 1973). Dionisopoulos and Vibbert (1988) were among the first to adapt apologia to examine how organizations respond to public attacks on their image. Increasingly, organizations must rely on both proactive and reactive measures to address crisis situations. Furthermore, Hearit emphasizes that apologia is not simply an apology but rather the organization s response to attacks that seeks to present a compelling competing account of organizational actions (p. 502). Methodology Practitioners and educators alike have used case studies to answer questions of definition, fact, value, and policy (Stacks, 2010). The goal of a public-relations case study is to analyze the theoretical significance of some set of public relations activities by placing them in historical, social, economic, political, or ethical context (Pauly & Hutchison, 2001, p. 387). If viewed from this perspective, a case study provides a means to evaluate, and thus improve, an organization s communication strategies. In addition, it can deepen our knowledge of public relations as a communication practice (Pauly & Hutchison, 2001). Stacks and Michaelson (2010) argue that more case studies are needed in the profession to help practitioners provide more strategic input into business decisions (pp ). Coombs (2006) also calls for increased case-study research in organizational crisis response to develop ideas for future research into strategic communication development. This analysis relies on a grounded theory approach to understand WWE s actions in the days after the Benoit tragedy (Stacks, 2010). To help analyze the effectiveness of WWE s communication strategies and actions after Chris Benoit s death, William Benoit s (1995) theory of image-restoration discourse will be employed. (For clarity s sake, William Benoit will be referred to by his full name throughout the article. There is no known relation between Chris Benoit and William Benoit.) William Benoit (1997) applied his original theoretical framework for understanding individual image repair to organizational responses to crisis situations. According to William Benoit, organizations may rely on one or more of 14 image-repair strategies to begin mending relationships with key publics. First, the organization may use denial, relying on either simple denial or shifting blame to someone else. Attempts to evade responsibility for the offense may involve the organization s claim of provocation for the act, that the situation was an unforeseeable accident, or that the organization had acted with good intentions despite the negative outcome. Blaney, Benoit, and Brazeal (2002) argue that defeasibility may also become a strategy for organizations if the act occurred because of a lack of

6 104 Walton and Williams information about or control over the factors that caused it. To reduce the offensiveness of an act, organizations may attempt to bolster their image, minimize the importance or effect of the situation, or differentiate the act from other similar (but often more offensive) incidents. An attempt to argue for the greater, transcendental purpose of the act may also be used in the organization s response. Other strategies designed to lessen the offensiveness of the act may include attacking accusers or providing the victims some form of compensation. Finally, corrective action to restore original conditions and prevent future occurrences may be promised to the affected individuals, or an organization may rely on an act of mortification, which is to confess and ask for forgiveness. In addition to the response strategies of William Benoit s theory of image restoration, four additional response strategies will be used to assess WWE s response. These are vocal-commiseration strategies designed to convey empathy and understanding about the misfortune suffered by its publics (Smith, 2009, p. 124). (a) Concern involves a company s efforts to communicate that it is not indifferent to the situation, without an admission of guilt. (b) Condolence is an organization s more formal expression of grief for the loss or misfortune suffered but, again, with no admission of guilt. (c) A company may also employ messages of regret. These do not imply fault but involve admitting sorrow or remorse for the incident (Smith, 2009, p. 124). Smith argues that expressions of regret may help organizations avoid lawsuits and help temper hostility among their publics. (d) Finally, a company may respond by issuing an apology to its publics. The addition of these strategies is significant to this case because of the human loss involved. Although William Benoit s strategies address many possible organizational responses, the addition of these four vocal-commiseration responses provides us the ability to conduct a more comprehensive assessment of WWE s response strategies (Table 1). By using case-study methodology and William Benoit s rhetorical approaches to responding to a crisis, we will provide meaningful insight into how organizations can effectively respond to crisis situations when an employee is implicated. This analysis seeks to answer two questions: (a) What were WWE s initial message strategies in responding to the Chris Benoit tragedy? (b) What were the subsequent message strategies used by WWE after realizing its initial response was ill advised? The prepared statements preceding the Monday evening WWE and Tuesday evening Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) broadcasts, three corporate news releases issued within the first 48 hours of finding the Benoit family, and Vince McMahon s nationally televised interview on the Today show with Meredith Vieira will be the artifacts analyzed for this case study. (Several attempts were made to contact WWE media-relations specialists employed during this time period to gain additional perspective. Officials were unwilling to respond to questions about the Benoit family tragedy.) The recorded broadcasts, press releases, and McMahon s interview represent the official WWE response to the tragedy before all facts were known and in the days immediately after the discovery of the Benoit family, the point at which WWE was forced to change its initial response strategy to the crisis. Additional corporate statements were issued, and appearances by WWE superstars were made weeks later when the autopsy results were released, but these artifacts are beyond the scope of this project because the Benoit crisis has ended for WWE.

7 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 105 Table 1 Theoretical Framework for the Analysis Response strategy Description Denial simple denial blame shifting Organization did not act; problem does not exist or did not occur. Another act occurred or someone else did it. Evasion of responsibility accident defeasibility good intentions provocation A mishap beyond the organization s control. Lacked information or ability to control the situation. Organization had good intentions. Organization acted in response to someone or something else. Reduce the offensiveness bolstering minimization differentiation transcendence attacking the accuser compensation Corrective action Mortification Emphasize the positive characteristics or results. Effort to reduce the significance of the act. Effort to position the act as less offensive than other similar acts. Act occurred while trying to accomplish something positive. Reduce the credibility of the attacker. Reimburse the affected parties. Develop a plan to prevent the problem from reoccurring. Apologize. Vocal commiseration concern condolence regret apology Communicate awareness of the problem with no admission of guilt. Express grief over loss or misfortune without admitting guilt. Express sorrow or remorse with no admission of guilt. Accept full responsibility and ask for forgiveness. Note. Adapted from Benoit (1995, 1997); Blaney et al. (2002), and Smith (2009). Analysis of the WWE Response WWE Monday Night Raw Opening Statement WWE aired a tribute to Chris Benoit in place of its regularly scheduled Monday Night Raw broadcast before the details of the situation were known. The initial tribute began with a brief monologue by Vince McMahon that relied solely on the vocal-commiseration strategy of condolence. McMahon s somber monologue provided no details regarding the cause of the Benoit family s deaths because they were not yet known. He expressed grief for the family s loss and promised fans that WWE would pay tribute to a man he claimed was admired and loved by his peers. McMahon eulogized that Chris Benoit was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but there was no mention of the possibility that the beloved superstar could be to blame for the tragic events that occurred.

8 106 Walton and Williams The organization s stance was one of support for the surviving family, as well as its employees. This initial statement should have set the tone for WWE s response, but as the investigation revealed the circumstances surrounding the Benoit family s deaths, WWE would have to quickly recant its initial hero worship. ECW Heat Opening Statement An opening statement of approximately 48 seconds preceded the Tuesday evening broadcast of the ECW program Heat. The statement relied on two primary strategies: condolence and minimization. Condolence. McMahon s condolences before the Heat program were directed to everyone who has been affected by this horrible incident (McMahon, 2007b). In his previous night s statement, he had specifically mentioned the Benoit family, but his desire to move the organization past the crisis was evident as he quickly expressed condolence and moved forward in his monologue to minimize the events. Minimization. McMahon s statement before the Heat broadcast sought to separate the corporation from Benoit now that the facts of the family s deaths were known. His strategy of minimization was not an attempt to make Benoit s actions less horrific but rather WWE s initial response to them less horrific. He asserted that the Heat broadcast was the first step in the healing process and added there would be no further mention of Mr. Benoit in the evening s broadcast (McMahon, 2007b). He sought to communicate that WWE s return to normal broadcasts would initiate the healing process, discounting the possibility that this may have begun with the previous evening s tribute show. There was no praise of Benoit s career or his character as in the previous evening s statement. Rather, McMahon asserted that organizational operations, and thus the evening s show, would proceed as normal and that WWE performers would do what they do better than anyone else in the world entertain you (McMahon, 2007b). McMahon used the introduction to shift the focus away from the tragedy and roid-rage rumors by creating the perception that the organization would return to business as usual. WWE Press Releases WWE issued three press releases during the first 24 hours of the tragedy. All were available on the corporate Web site, The primary strategy used in the first press release was condolence; it was released before all the details were known. The second and third press releases used bolstering, defeasibility, and attacking the accusers as primary message strategies. Condolence. The June 25 statement by WWE was very brief (six sentences). It reported that the Benoit family had been found dead, and no additional details were available but authorities were investigating (World Wrestling Entertainment, 2007a). The company also announced its intention to air the 3-hour Benoit tribute during its broadcast for the evening rather than the scheduled live event. Chris was beloved among his fellow Superstars, and was a favorite among WWE fans for his unbelievable athleticism and wrestling ability, the release memorialized. This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss (World Wres-

9 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 107 tling Entertainment, 2007a, p. 1). The statement acknowledged Benoit s pride in his performance and respect for professional wrestling, as well as his love for his fans and peers. The statement concluded with WWE s expression of sincere condolences and prayers to the surviving members of the Benoit family and their loved ones in this time of tragedy (World Wrestling Entertainment, 2007a, p. 1). The singular communication strategy of the release before the facts of the case being known is congruent with the organization s strategy in the initial monologue by McMahon. Before the knowledge that Benoit had murdered his wife and child before taking his own life, the organization s stance on the tragedy was to honor his memory with dialogue filled with sadness. Once the facts of the situation were known, however, WWE statements had a different tone one that sought to create as much distance between the organization and the wrestler as possible. Defeasibility. On Tuesday, WWE released a statement that provided an internal timeline of the Benoit family tragedy. Most of the information dealt specifically with the curious text messages received by Benoit s coworkers; the final bullet point of the release attempted to defend WWE s decision to air the memorial to Benoit s career. WWE explained that the tribute was consistent with company policy and the decision to air it was made with limited knowledge regarding facts of the case (WWE, 2007b, p. 1). The statement attempted to justify WWE s initial response by explaining that once the facts of the murder-suicide were known, all tributes to the superstar were removed both on-air and on WWE.com (WWE, 2007b, p. 1). WWE sought to communicate that its initial response was made without all the facts, perhaps to lessen some of the criticism the organization was facing. Bolstering. Within 24 hours of the crime-scene discovery, speculation that roid rage was to blame was rampant in the media. WWE now had to deal with its decision to memorialize Benoit, as well as develop a response to these allegations. The organization s attempts to distance itself from Benoit became even more fervent. Significant effort in the second press release was devoted to this attempt as WWE emphasized the results of Benoit s April wellness test, adding that roid rage could not be to blame because the investigation revealed deliberate action, not rage (WWE, 2007c, p. 1). The second bullet point emphatically stated, Steroids were not, and could not, be related to the cause of death (asphyxiation) (WWE, 2007c, p. 1). WWE also worked to distance itself from the steroid rumors by emphasizing the wellness program and drawing attention to the way in which Benoit had murdered his wife and child. Attacking the Accuser. The second press release began attacking the media for its sensationalistic reporting from the onset with its title, WWE Shocked at Latest Developments in Benoit Tragedy, Concerned by Sensationalistic Reporting (WWE, 2007c, p. 1). The company immediately began its rebuttal to media speculation that steroid use played a role after the lead sentence. The statement recounted the major points made by the Fayette County sheriff s department and the district attorney regarding the details of four crime-scene findings, all of which, WWE argued, were contrary to media speculations about steroid use as a factor. WWE also stated that Benoit s last drug test, in April 2007, was negative and emphasized that the corporation s testing program was independently administered (WWE,

10 108 Walton and Williams 2007c, p. 1). The company also took the opportunity to reiterate its stance that media speculation was not appropriate: WWE strongly suggests that it is entirely wrong for speculators to suggest that steroids had anything to do with these senseless acts, especially when the authorities plainly stated there is no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body, pending toxicology reports, and that they had no evidence at this time as to the motive for these acts. (WWE, 2007c, p. 1) Today Exclusive Interview With Vince McMahon WWE Chairman Vince McMahon appeared on Today for an interview with host Meredith Vieira. The 12-minute segment was introduced by a 2-minute background story on the Benoit murder-suicide. The story graphic for the introductory segment read Steroid rage? Wrestler s double-murder suicide (Bell, 2007). The primary strategies used by McMahon during the interview included bolstering, defeasibility, differentiation, and attacking the accuser. Bolstering. McMahon relied on bolstering throughout the interview with Vieira to foster positive feelings toward the organization despite the negative publicity swarming around it. He described his employees as well-adjusted individuals who were family oriented. He explained that WWE performers had one objective in their jobs to put smiles on people s faces. He described his employees as hard-working individuals who do their jobs very, very well. McMahon also emphasized the importance of moving past this situation and his desire for the company to return to the normalcy of entertaining its fans (Bell, 2007). Defeasibility. McMahon made several statements throughout the interview that expressed WWE s surprise at Benoit s actions. He described Benoit as a consummate professional and even mild mannered. The message to viewers was that the organization had no way of telling this man was a monster. He provided information about Benoit s most recent wellness tests, done just 2 months prior, and stated that Benoit s results were totally negative. McMahon sought to communicate that the organization had no indication that Chris Benoit was capable of such horrific acts (Bell, 2007). Differentiation. To defend WWE from criticism that its performers were aggressive, with the potential for violent acts against others, McMahon attempted to draw similarities between what he saw as an isolated incident of violence by a performer and societal views of postal-worker violence. He asserted that the Benoit murder-suicide was no different than the isolated instances of violence that have occurred at post offices, and people still use the post office (Bell, 2007). McMahon wanted the audience to understand that Benoit s actions were similar to other outbursts by individuals and that his employment as a WWE superstar was not a determining factor for his actions. Attacking the Accuser. McMahon also used the interview to attack the media for their rampant speculation that roid rage was the cause of this tragic situation. He explained that Benoit s actions over the course of the weekend were methodical and not indicative of the rage typically associated with steroid use. He repeatedly

11 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 109 asserted, and at one point became hostile with Vieira, that this speculation was not appropriate and was the cause of almost hysteria around us (Bell, 2007). When asked if he felt that the hysteria was warranted, McMahon responded that he would not know until the toxicology reports from Chris Benoit s body came back. He also offered several other explanations that may have contributed to Benoit s actions, including family and career-related stress, as well as the presence of other prescription drugs at the Benoit home (Bell, 2007). Discussion The extreme popularity of the corporation s productions, and yet its small roster of athletes, gives rise to significant questions of image-repair strategies during times of crisis for the organization, also a publicly traded company. At the time of the incident, Monday Night Raw boasted more than 16 million viewers each week and had risen to the number-one program not just on the USA cable network but on all advertising-supported cable. In addition, the WWE Web site, WWE.com, was averaging 17.5 million unique visitors each month (Guthrie, 2007). According to a 2009 WWE financial statement, 65% of the WWE s 2007 revenue came from its live and televised events (World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., 2009 Annual Report, 2009). Its public image fuels television interest, and from this interest come its profits. It simply could not exist on the same scale without its television audience, so WWE must remain in the public eye while maintaining a respected reputation among its fan base. Because of its high visibility, the immediacy with which WWE needs to respond to a crisis is understandable. Rather than respond without all the details of the case, however, WWE could have released a statement acknowledging the situation, aired a best of montage or previously aired broadcast, and withheld accolades for Benoit until all information was known. Ultimately, it may have been the urgency to react that made it so difficult for WWE to determine the correct response strategy to the Benoit incident. Coombs (1999) asserts that the best way to manage a crisis is simply to avoid it. Some organizational crises, however, are unavoidable (Fearn-Banks, 2001; Olaniran & Williams, 2001). How an organization responds in the earliest stage of a crisis situation often dictates the tone of its sustained response throughout the life of the crisis, as well as affecting stakeholders reactions to the incident (Coombs, 2002, 2006). William Benoit (1997) proposes that the organization s actions and statements during a crisis response can significantly affect its ability to manage the situation. Although WWE had no control over Benoit s actions, its quick response to those actions without all the facts may have created more reputational damage than the incident itself. Coombs (2002) advises that being quick to respond to a crisis helps organizations fill the informational vacuum created during uncertain times (p. 172); however, organizations must gather all information before responding. The findings from this study suggest that WWE s initial response to the Benoit family tragedy proved to be premature. The tribute show touting Benoit as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time that aired while the investigation was being conducted was a corporate blunder. A more appropriate response might have been to make an initial statement before the Raw broadcast outlining the known facts of the Benoit family situation. This would have communicated to stakeholders that

12 110 Walton and Williams WWE was aware of the situation but allowed additional time to gather all facts before taking an official stance on the events. Crisis literature encourages a quick response but also mandates information recovery before that response (Coombs, 1999). This prevents an organization from having to repair any additional damage caused by its hasty reaction. McMahon s condolences during the statement on behalf of WWE to all those affected were clearly warranted. Certainly, it would have been perceived as callous and insensitive of WWE management to ask Benoit s friends and colleagues to perform that evening given the loss of their friend. Thus, canceling the evening s live show was a reasonable response and consistent with WWE s response when other wrestlers died. The 3-hour tribute to a man later found to have murdered his wife and child, however, was not. With access to archival footage, a best of show not specifically highlighting the career of Benoit might have proven a better organizational response given the limited knowledge of details surrounding the family s deaths. This would have allowed investigators time to assess the crime scene and provided WWE with a more accurate picture of the events that took place at the Benoit home. After airing the tribute and engaging in hero worship of sorts, WWE had to quickly reverse its position when all the evidence came to light. With regard to WWE s efforts to distance itself from Benoit and, more significantly, the allegations that steroids were to blame for this tragedy the attempts at bolstering also proved ineffective. The organization was quick to attack the media for its speculation that steroids were to blame for Benoit s actions, but WWE was just as hasty to claim they were not without any proof. Steroids were found at the Benoit home; for WWE to adamantly deny that these drugs played any role in the murder-suicide before the toxicology report and autopsy report were available was to engage in the same type of speculation for which it was attacking the media. A more effective message strategy would have been to acknowledge the rumors by stating that WWE would wait until the autopsy and toxicology reports were released before making an official statement on what could have triggered Benoit s actions. Coombs (2006) maintains that the organization should provide an explanation when the rumors circulating may in fact be more damaging. Finally, the attempt at bolstering paired with attacking the accuser made WWE look defensive rather than responsive. WWE seemed to be protesting the media speculation too much, perhaps drawing more scrutiny and resulting in additional criticism by the mainstream media. Conclusion In an effort to understand his son s behavior, Michael Benoit donated his son s brain to Chris Nowinski of the Sports Legacy Institute for testing. Nowinski, a former professional wrestler, has dedicated his new career to understanding the long-term effects of head trauma. Julian Bailes, a researcher with the institute and the head of neurosurgery at West Virginia University, conducted tests on Benoit s brain and found damage in all four lobes and the brain stem. The neurologists concluded that Benoit s brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer s patient ( Benoit s Brain, 2007). Although Bailes admitted he could not be certain Benoit s actions were the result of this brain damage, he believed it to be a significant factor and argued that steroids were an unlikely cause of the

13 The Chris Benoit Tragedy 111 changes to Benoit s brain. Studies examining the brains of career boxers as far back as the 1920s have produced similar results, and steroids had not yet been invented ( Benoit s Brain, 2007). Nowinski s findings lent credence to McMahon s claims that the media s rush to blame the incident on roid rage was premature. They did not, however, alleviate concerns in Congress over the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in professional wrestling. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Henry Waxman, began its own investigation into steroid abuse in professional wrestling soon after Benoit s death. Waxman left the committee without major reform taking place, opting instead to write a letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy s chief, John Walters, asking that he continue the investigation to remedy the problematic situation (Red, 2009). Perhaps most important, one is left to wonder if the murder-suicide had any impact on WWE s public image among its fans. During the week of the Benoit incident, WWE stock was trading for $15.99 per share. According to Yahoo! Financials ( 10 months later WWE stock hit the highest value it had achieved since its opening year, at $18.97 per share. Crisis communication will continue to be a significant area of study for publicrelations practitioners in all areas of business. Case studies are useful in providing insight into the specific strategies and actions taken during crisis situations, as well as evaluative measures of theoretical effectiveness. Future research in this area might seek to provide insight into how other organizations have responded to situations when an employee is implicated in a murder. Although analyzing a relatively short time period for the organization, this case study provides significant information about the risks involved in paying tribute to a deceased employee before all facts are known. Although a timely response to a crisis is of utmost importance in maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders, a timely response without all the information may result in an escalation of the crisis. Just as important as the crisis guideline of never saying no comment is the never speculate rule. Discussion Questions In this case study, professional wrestling is described as an avant-garde sport. Rinehart (1998) argues that because the outcome of the matches is unknown to audiences and since normal professional athletes are commodified much like professional wrestlers, WWE is really no different than the NFL or NBA. Do you see justification for treating WWE as a professional sport? What are the similarities and differences? Unlike the NFL, NBA, or NHL, WWE is a publicly traded company. How do you think the responsibility of having shareholders and public stock affected the public-relations decisions made after the Benoit events? Do you think the NFL, NBA, or MLB would have responded differently, and if so, how? WWE Chairman of the Board and CEO Vince McMahon served as the talking head of WWE throughout the initial response of the organization. McMahon introduced the tribute show for Benoit and then a day later retracted his initial statement on a subsequent broadcast. He also gave the first in-depth interview

14 112 Walton and Williams after the incident on Today. However, McMahon also plays an antagonist character on WWE s broadcasts. Does this blur the line between playing a part and being the official spokesperson for the organization? When an owner of a sports organization is viewed by others as being over the top, is he or she the best face the organization can offer to the media? Crisis literature provides many guidelines for mapping organizational responses during the uncertainty of crisis situations. Other than gathering all facts before responding, what other crisis guidelines might have been helpful for WWE to follow in more effectively responding to the Benoit family tragedy? In speculating about why Benoit would commit such a horrible act of violence, many critics of WWE pointed a finger at roid rage. Although WWE has faced dogged criticism over the rampant use of steroids in its organization, there was very little evidence that connected the Benoit events to roid rage. If you were the public-relations manager for WWE, what would be your official comment and position on the speculation that steroids contributed to the deaths? After Benoit s autopsy, some argued that a possible explanation for his actions was that he appeared to suffer from severe brain injury that impaired his judgment. Given that possibility, do you think WWE s rhetoric of labeling Benoit as a monster is justified? If Benoit was mentally ill, should WWE reconsider how it memorializes Benoit and how his legacy should be remembered? Studies in crisis communication often find organizations using a combination of response strategies, just as WWE did in its response to the Benoit family tragedy. What recent crisis situations come to mind in which multiple strategies were employed? Evaluate their effectiveness. Based on the facts of the case and the timeline presented, recreate a script for a 30-second monologue for Vince McMahon to read before the Monday Evening Raw broadcast. What would be the key points? What new response strategies might be employed? References Atkinson, M. (2002). Fifty million viewers can t be wrong: Professional wrestling, sportsentertainment, and mimesis. Sociology of Sport Journal, 19, Barton, L. (2001). Crisis in organizations II (2nd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: College Divisions Southwestern. Bell, J. (Executive Producer). (2007, June 28). Today [Television broadcast]. New York: NBC. Bengals Chris Henry dies after falling off truck in domestic dispute. (2009, December 17). Retrieved from Benoit, W.L. (1995). Accounts, excuses, and apologies: A theory of image restoration strategies. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Benoit, W.L. (1997). Image repair discourse and crisis communication. Public Relations Review, 23(2), Benoit s brain showed severe damage and multiple concussions, doctor and dad say. (2007, September 5). Retrieved from Blaney, J.R., Benoit, W.L., & Brazeal, L.M. (2002). Blowout!: Firestone s image restoration campaign. Public Relations Review, 28, Canoe Network. (2007, July 27). Congress asks for WWE drug test reports. Retrieved from

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