The Firm will “always take the most direct and sensible approach to further the client’s interests – they’re very focused on the client.”
We specialise in reputation management, litigation PR and crisis communications, advising organisations and individuals facing complex reputational challenges and intense media scrutiny.
Our work increasingly focuses on corporate defence, including advising organisations and individuals in the sports sector, where governance, financial sustainability and ownership structures face growing scrutiny from regulators, supporters, investors and the media.
Maltin PR was founded more than 15 years ago by Tim Maltin, who is recognised as a ‘Top Flight’ reputation manager in the Spear’s 500 Guide and listed among the leading crisis communications experts in London.
Four of our Partners are also ranked in the Spear’s 500 Reputation Managers Index as leading advisers to corporates and high net worth individuals.
Our team comprises 50 reputation management specialists, including former BBC and broadsheet journalists alongside professionals drawn from corporate communications, investigations and crisis management backgrounds.
We work closely with organisations, Boards, General Counsel, club executives, governing bodies, athletes, teams and investors to protect reputations when organisations face scrutiny. Alongside strategic counsel on media perception and stakeholder engagement, we support internal communications teams in managing media relations, regulatory communications and long-term reputation management.
“Second to none, responsive, collaborative. Maltin PR deliver on everything we expect of them – above and beyond.”
Support for General Counsel and Sports Executives
General Counsel and senior executives within sporting organisations increasingly face situations where legal issues quickly develop into complex reputational challenges.
In the current media and sporting landscape, investigations, disciplinary proceedings or arbitration disputes can generate significant media attention and supporter debate.
Our role is to work alongside legal teams and internal communications functions to ensure reputational considerations are carefully managed during sensitive proceedings.
We assist clients in matters including:
- Regulatory investigations and disciplinary proceedings
- Arbitration and litigation involving clubs, athletes or governing bodies
- Governance disputes within sporting organisations
- Ownership conflicts and investor disputes
- Financial regulation and compliance issues
- Safeguarding and integrity investigations
- Discrimination or diversity issues involving players, staff or supporters
- Sponsorship and commercial partnership controversies
- Reputational issues arising from contractual conflicts
By coordinating communications strategy with legal strategy, we help ensure that media narratives do not undermine a client’s position during sensitive disputes.
Crisis communications in sport
Sporting organisations and individuals can quickly become the focus of intense national and international media attention. Governance disputes, disciplinary investigations, financial issues or allegations involving athletes can escalate rapidly into sustained media coverage.
In such circumstances, reputational damage can occur before the underlying facts are fully understood.
We assist clubs, governing bodies, athletes and investors in executing effective crisis communications strategies, ensuring that messaging is carefully aligned with legal considerations while protecting relationships with supporters, sponsors, commercial partners and regulators.
Our team is experienced in rapidly analysing emerging situations, preparing responsive communications strategies and engaging with journalists to ensure that accurate information is presented in a fast-moving media environment.
Reputation and regulatory risk audits
Sport is subject to increasingly complex regulatory frameworks across national and international governing bodies.
Financial sustainability rules, ownership requirements, integrity frameworks and safeguarding obligations are creating new areas of scrutiny for clubs, leagues and federations.
We assist clients in conducting structured reputation and regulatory risk audits to identify potential areas of vulnerability before issues escalate.
Typical areas of reputational risk include:
- Governance
- Financial Sustainability
- Integrity and Compliance
- Stakeholder Relations
- Equality, Diversity and Safeguarding
Identifying potential issues early allows organisations to prepare clear and evidence-based communications strategies before narratives develop externally.
Media monitoring and intelligence
Understanding how media narratives develop is critical during sporting disputes.
We monitor coverage across national and international media outlets and social media platforms, providing analysis of how stories are evolving and how stakeholders are responding.
This includes:
- Media sentiment analysis
- Monitoring commentary from governing bodies and regulators
- Tracking narratives relating to governance, ownership and financial issues
- Analysis of supporter and stakeholder commentary
- Monitoring international coverage of disputes or investigations
Monitoring can be provided regularly or continuously during periods of heightened scrutiny.
Media training for sporting executives and athletes
Senior executives, athletes and officials may increasingly find themselves required to address difficult issues publicly.
With former BBC broadcast and national print journalists on our team, we prepare clients for media scrutiny through:
- Broadcast interview preparation
- Media training and broadcast familiarisation
- Preparation for press conferences and regulatory announcements
- Executive messaging and speechwriting
- Crisis communications simulations
We also assist sporting organisations in preparing communications to supporters, sponsors, investors and regulators during periods of regulatory or reputational pressure.
Case studies
Settlement PR in a motorsports rights dispute
Litigation PR in a high-value commercial dispute
Maltin PR was instructed by an investment fund involved in a commercial rights dispute with a leading international motorsport organisation.
The client sought compensation but wished to avoid the cost and duration of prolonged litigation.
Working alongside legal advisers, we developed a litigation PR strategy designed to demonstrate how the dispute would be scrutinised publicly if proceedings progressed. This included promoting the client’s pre-action correspondence and ensuring the matter attracted media attention around early court hearings.
Following a period of media scrutiny, the dispute was resolved through a multi-million pound out of court settlement.
Reputation management in football
Advising a Premier League football club owner
A member of the Maltin team advised a high profile Premier League football club owner in relation to complex litigation the individual was bringing against multiple parties.
The work required careful management of the narrative surrounding the dispute, given the significant media interest in both the claim and defence arguments – and the need to prevent the matter from impacting club activities.
Launch of a sports management agency
Introducing a new entrant to the sports representation market
Maltin PR supported the launch of a new sports management agency created by a senior lawyer in partnership with a high-profile former international footballer.
Our role was to position the agency as a credible new entrant in the sports representation market while highlighting the legal expertise behind the venture.
We delivered a targeted media campaign across national, legal and sports industry publications, including a full-page feature interview in a leading UK broadsheet.
Fraud claim involving a football club investment
Securing scrutiny around alleged misrepresentations in a proposed club investment
Maltin PR supported clients pursuing legal proceedings against a businessman in relation to a proposed multi-million pound investment in a European football club. The claim alleged that the investor had misrepresented his financial position and ability to complete the transaction.
Working alongside the legal team, we implemented a litigation PR strategy to ensure the allegations and court proceedings were accurately reported.
National media coverage highlighted the claims and the legal steps taken by the claimants, reinforcing the seriousness of the proceedings.
Reputation management around Formula 1 crisis communications
Reputation management support for individual connected with F1
Our client, an individual connected with F1, was being threatened with the publication of faked text messages, which would have wrongly implicated our client and other high profile individuals in F1.
The perpetrator sought to secure money from our client and, failing that, publish the false texts in order to damage his career.
We devised a media and communications strategy that focused on seeking to protect our client’s reputation without involving him in the detail of the case in order to protect them. We worked closely with a reputation lawyer to provide our client with sensitive and effective ongoing support and advice.
The result of our work was that none of the false allegations were published.
Sports PR brochure
To find out more about our Sports PR services, please see our Sports PR brochure.