Feature Article

Photo Source: Darby Hill Photography

The Superbowl is over and vacation has officially begun. Media relations specialist for the Denver Broncos, Taylen Wallis, can relax again after a long season.

The young professional’s love for sports inspired her studies and translated into her career in the National Football League.

Wallis graduated from the University of Texas in 2016. During her time in Austin, she changed her major four times before landing on public relations.

“A lot of my college years were, I don’t know what I want to do with my life. But I paid attention to the things that I enjoy, and sports is one of them,” says Wallis.

The public relations major studied abroad in Ireland for a semester. Her time abroad taught her how to live outside of her comfort zone, ask questions and be curious. Ireland gave her a chance to gain some independence and reflect on her time in college.

“I think that’s been really reflective for stepping into the rest of college and even stepping into different roles like this one, getting to do media relations for the Denver Broncos,” said Wallis.

Ireland allowed Wallis to move outside of her bubble at UT and gain experience in a new setting.

The UT graduate also served as the director of social and special events for her sorority, Delta Gamma, providing her with the connections to grow her network. Her position drove her love for media relations.

Wallis now works as the media relations specialist for the Denver Broncos. Her work focuses primarily on strategy development, crisis management and fan experience. However, every day presents a new challenge, keeping her on her toes.

“In season, I would say it’s a lot of just hands on, be done. And then postseason is evaluating, measuring and reflecting on all of that,” says Wallis.

J.D. Walton, Denver Broncos center, signed an endorsement deal with Gatorade. Wallis measured the consumer engagement from his campaign to decide whether the Denver Broncos franchise should also invest in Gatorade. Her work navigates through these different brands and people to connect with their fans through various media tactics.

Postseason centers around evaluating these efforts. Wallis examines what worked well and what did not. The specialist takes this analysis to make decisions for the team’s branding, media and endorsements for the upcoming season.

Media plays an important role in the sports world. Sports are a source of entertainment, whether an individual is a diehard or social fan. Media relations serve to reach both audiences, and Wallis works to connect with both.

“Would the world still go around if sports didn’t exist? Absolutely. I mean, it is not everything,” says Wallis.

Sports, however, remains Wallis’ number one passion.

Wallis contributes a lot of her success to networking. Wallis’ curiosity drives her to ask questions towards other professionals about their careers. These conversations built that foundation for connections she has leaned on for support within the public relations industry.

“Paving your runway requires some work on the front and back end. I think how you prepare in private really shows how you’re going to be in public… if you’re networking and doing all these things, then you become more equipped.”