The study garnered a 53 percent response rate (n=187) from NCAA I-A members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. Based on their responses, practitioners were classified according to one of four role types--a technician and three management-related roles.

Such results may call for high-level athletic managers to reassess the way they are utilizing their resident public relations practitioners. They also indicate that sports information personnel may need to address the issue of role conflict and might consider some new ways to serve their institutions.

Results indicated that the majority of practitioners view themselves currently as technicians. They also showed significant differences (p<.05) existing between technicians and other role types in terms of job title, salary, gender, years of experience, age and job satisfaction. Significant differences were also present between current and ideal primary roles with most practitioners, even those with management-related titles, voicing the desire to engage in management activities more frequently.

To examine the perceptions of NCAA Division I-A sports information practitioners regarding their current and ideal professional roles, this project utilized a questionnaire containing a public relations role survey as well as items regarding the practitioners, their institutions and their job satisfaction levels.