Brian Billick is no stranger to the media.
The Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Baltimore Ravens earned an undergraduate degree in public relations from Brigham Young University before moving on to post-graduate studies in journalism.
“I knew I wanted to be a coach all along,” Billick said. “But there are so many communications involved in coaching, dealing with the media and with boosters.”
Billick will bring his knowledge and experience to campus on Thursday when he speaks about managing the media at the McCormick Tribune Center Forum at 7 p.m.
The event, sponsored by the Medill Broadcast Program, is designed to give students insight into how a sports franchise views the media.
“It should give people a professional view of the media, from the perspective of the people who work in an organization (like the Ravens),” said Mike Trudell, a Medill senior who coordinated the event. “(Billick) will talk about the best way to manage the media from the point of view of ownership and management.”
Billick has toured the country as a corporate speaker, but he said his real passion is speaking to students.
“With degrees in communications and journalism and the position I’m in right now, I like to speak primarily to journalism students about issues of journalism today, especially sports journalism,” Billick said.
The head coach said he plans to address the extraordinary success of the National Football League and how it pertains to the media today.
“The National Football League is one of the most dominant companies in the sports entertainment industry today, and one of the main ways it achieved that status is through communications with the media,” Billick said.
Before moving to the Ravens’ organization in 1999, Billick spent five seasons as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings.
It was in Minnesota that Trudell met Billick’s daughter, Aubree, a Weinberg sophomore.
“Mike and I go back to my Minnesota days,” Billick said. “He and Aubree were good friends, and when it came to looking at schools, Mike was instrumental in showing Aubree around Northwestern. We developed a friendship as a result of that.
“I said to Mike, ‘If I can ever help you or the students are interested in hearing me speak, just let me know.'”
When Billick found out he would be visiting the Midwest for the Illinois High School Coaches Association coaching clinic, the head coach asked Trudell if he wanted to plan an event with Medill.
“He said he was going to be in town, and he asked me if I wanted to set something up,” Trudell said. “He likes doing these types of things with students. Usually, he gets paid as a speaker. But with this, it’s just fun for him.”
And when it comes to NU, Billick said he always loves visiting.
“I was the main protagonist for Aubree coming to Northwestern,” Billick explained. “I’ve always loved Chicago, and Northwestern is such a great environment.”
