Under normal circumstances, the LSU billboards would be encouraging fans to buy tickets or attend eventsLSU
LSU football coach Ed Orgeron, women's basketball coach Nikki Fargas and gymnastics co-head coach D-D Breaux all are "doing their bit to help encourage folks to heed" Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ "state-wide edict to stay home during the pandemic," according to Scott Rabalais of the Baton Rouge ADVOCATE. LSU’s athletic department has "purchased tons of space on rotating electronic billboards across Baton Rouge and the state." In "normal times, those billboards encourage folks to buy tickets to an upcoming game or meet, celebrate an LSU athletic achievement or even provide in-game score updates." But currently, LSU is using the billboard time to "push out messages featuring Orgeron, Fargas and Breaux to encourage folks to stay home and heed the government edict." LSU Senior Associate AD/External Communications Robert Munson said that the coronavirus billboard campaign is "part of a larger effort by the athletic department to help get the message out." Rabalais notes Orgeron also "cut a TV commercial on coronavirus tips, and LSU play-by-play announcer Chris Blair has done a similar one for radio." Munson said that over time, LSU will "likely look to get other coaches involved in the coronavirus campaign" (Baton Rogue ADVOCATE, 3/26).
OTHERS GET INTO THE ACT: Many other college coaches and ADs have filmed PSAs aimed at telling their fans to listen to authorities regarding coronavirus protection. They include North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams, Alabama football coach Nick Saban, Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz and UCF AD Danny White, among others (THE DAILY).
