The Oakland Raiders, an iconic National Football League franchise with a storied past and rocky present, have fired PR chief Zak Gilbert after a year.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the move, noting owner Mark Davis' ire over an April Sports Illustrated feature about the team under new general manager Reggie McKenzie.
Former owner Al Davis, an NFL icon and Hall of Famer, died in 2011 at 82. His son, Mark, was reportedly unhappy with the way SI portrayed his father and himself while McKenzie was covered more favorably in the national magazine. The magazine noted McKenzine's challenge in "transforming an entire culture and overhauling an organizational model that had become stale and outdated after nearly five decades under Al Davis, the iconic and imperious owner..."
The 37-year-old Gilbert was director of athletic media relations at Colorado State University before moving to the Raiders to lead media relations in March 2012. He was formerly an assistant PR director for the Green Bay Packers in the NFL and Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball.
In a statement, he thanked Davis and McKenzie, adding that he was "disappointed" to depart. "I leave holding my chin up, knowing I dedicated every waking hour to promoting a positive image for our team," he said in a statement.
The Raiders thanked Gilbert for his service to the organization, noting it "appreciates Zak's efforts to foster strong relationships with coaches, players, club personnel and the media."
The Contra Costa Times reported that Gilbert had been working from home since the SI story came out on April 18.
Mike Taylor, who previously led PR for the Radiers, was promoted to director of public affairs when Gilbert was hired last year. Will Kiss, former assistant director of communications for the West Coast Conference and a five-year veteran of the Raiders' PR unit, is joined by media relations coordinator Erin Exum in the Raiders' PR department.
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