Manager, Communications & PR

About Innovation Baseball Partners (IBP)

Innovation Baseball Partners (IBP) is an ownership group and operating company focused on building a portfolio of independent minor league baseball teams. We believe in the magic of baseball as a force for good, fostering high-quality baseball and strong community contributions through innovation, entertainment, and civic pride.

IBP provides resources, scale, and expertise to help each standalone team in our portfolio thrive. Our teams play in the Pioneer Baseball League, an independent league founded in 1939 that partners with Major League Baseball. ⚾️

This is a unique opportunity to own communications and PR for Long Beach's new independent professional baseball team, Long Beach Coast - formerly known as the Long Beach Baseball Club - helping to ensure a positive feedback loop between our community, stakeholders, media partners, players and team.

Long Beach Coast (LBC) is seeking a strategic Communications & PR Manager to establish and lead all media relations, public relations, and communications efforts for our inaugural season. You will build and execute a comprehensive communications strategy from the ground up, working closely with the Head of Marketing to establish our voice and visibility in the Long Beach community.

Innovation Baseball is committed to reimagining the fan experience through innovative approaches to sports entertainment, and this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the narrative and public perception of a new professional baseball franchise.

This is a ground-floor opportunity to build and scale our communications and PR operations from inception as part of a startup independent baseball team in Long Beach. The ideal candidate combines media relations expertise with entrepreneurial creativity and a passion for baseball, thriving in a fast-paced startup environment where you'll have significant autonomy to shape the success of the new organization.

• Develop and implement comprehensive PR strategy to build brand awareness and positive media coverage
• Establish and manage relationships with local, regional, and sports media outlets
• Write and distribute press releases, media advisories, and press kits
• Coordinate press conferences, media availabilities, and interview opportunities
• Serve as primary media contact and spokesperson when appropriate
• Build media database and tracking systems from scratch

• Craft compelling narratives about players, coaches, community impact, and organizational milestones
• Develop editorial calendar aligned with marketing campaigns and key franchise moments
• Produce feature stories, game recaps, and human interest pieces across digital platforms, working with our social media manager
• Collaborate on social media content strategy in collaboration with marketing lead

• Partner with community engagement team to amplify local initiatives and partnerships
• Coordinate speaking engagements and community appearances for team personnel
• Develop relationships with local business leaders, civic organizations, and community influencers with community engagement lead
• Position Long Beach Baseball Club as integral part of Long Beach's cultural identity
• Support grassroots marketing efforts through earned media opportunities
• Represent organization at community events, networking functions, and media opportunities
• Run the press box on gamedays with responsiblity for media credentials, game notes, distribution of team rosters, post game interviews, hiring of the press box staff, etc.

• Track media coverage, sentiment analysis, and PR performance metrics
• Analyze communications effectiveness and adjust strategies accordingly
• Prepare regular reports on media impressions, share of voice, and key messaging penetration
• Provide insights on community perception and fan sentiment

• 5+ years of progressive communications, PR, or journalism experience; sports industry preferred
• Proven track record of generating positive media coverage and building media relationships
• Exceptional writing, editing,…