Insructions
You have been retained as public relations counsel to the American Quidditch Association of America. Your job is to develop public relations materials to support the announcement and rollout of the AQAA. (Additional details can be found in the FS15 Scenario Brief.)
In Writing Project 2, we will assume that Lansing is one of the eight US markets that will receive an AQAA franchise. It will be awarded to an ownership group led by Roland Beasley, founder and CEO of Lansing-based CapitalClean. CC manufactures and markets cleaning products, equipment and supplies for the workplace. As stated in Beasley’s application, the team will play home matches at Cooley Law School stadium. The team does not yet have a name.
Your task for Writing Project 2 is to develop a good-news letter informing Beasley that his ownership group has won a franchise. The letter will be signed by AQAA Commissioner Harvey Porter. It should adhere to the general format and guidelines for business letters and reflect the good-news organization and messaging strategies covered in class.
Address your letter to Beasley at CapitalClean, 7 Hagrid Boulevard Lansing Michigan 48917.
Scenario Brief: American Quidditch Association of America
Quidditch – the flying-broomstick sport invented by J.K. Rowling and described in her popular “Harry Potter” series – has morphed into a real-world phenomenon. It’s played by thousands of enthusiasts across the globe, including dozens of students right here at Michigan State University. It was even featured in the 2013 Vince Vaughn-Owen Wilson comedy “The Internship.” All Quidditch participants are amateurs.
All of that is true. What follows is not, but will become the basis for many of your writing projects this semester.
Our scenario assumes that billionaire entrepreneur Harvey Porter has recruited a group of investors to form a professional Quidditch league in the United States. Porter, who made his fortune in the technology sector and is now a venture capitalist, is a Quidditch fan and player. He and his partners have incorporated the “American Quidditch Association of America” and plan to field an eight-team league in 2017. They will award franchises to ownership groups in eight US markets and begin play in June 2017.
AQAA’s headquarters are located in Ithaca, New York. Porter will serve as league commissioner. You have been hired as public relations coordinator for the fledgling sports league. Your job is to develop public relations materials to support the announcement and rollout of the AQAA.
THIS SCENARIO IS MOSTLY FICTIONAL. QUIDDITCH IS A REAL SPORT, BUT THERE IS NO “AMERICAN QUIDDITCH ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA” OR ANY PLAN TO PLACE PROFESSIONAL TEAMS IN US MARKETS.
Essay
American Quidditch Association of America
Ithaca, New York
October 5, 2015
Roland Beasley,
CEO and Founder of Lansing-based CapitalClean
7, Hagrid Boulevard Lansing Michigan 48917.
Dear Sir,
Am writing this letter concerning awarding of Franchise to ownership groups that are ex[ected to begin playing in June 2017. Am happy to inform you that Lansing has been awarded a Franchise from American Quidditch Association of America. Your team will be among the eight US markets selected. Your team will be required to produce and market cleaning products, equipment, and supplies for the workplace.
The Association is happy with your team that is expected to play home matches at Cooley Law School Stadium. The Association coordinates flying-broomstick sport that has many fans across the world. Most of the students here at Michigan State University and enthusiasts all over the world are fans of the flying-broomstick sport.
Vince Vaughn-Owen Wilson featured the sport in the comedy “The Internship” in 2013. All Quidditch members are professionals. Our commissioner, Harvey Porter, has engaged a set of stockholders to form a qualified Quidditch league in the US. He is a great fanatic and player of Quidditch. Porter together with some other colleagues incorporated the “American Quidditch Association of America” and plan to field league of eight team members in 2017.
In case further information is required, or any other concern regarding this initiative, kindly contact us accordingly.
Sincerely,
Harvey Porter
AQAA Commissioner
Reference
Wetzel, A. (2013). This is what they tell us. Hamburg: Anchor Academic Pub.
