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Abstract
In the current social landscape, the media concentrate on the lifestyle and behavior of certain sport celebrities, and they demand that professional athletes display high standards of moral behavior. In addition, growing media intrusion presents the professional athlete as a “damaged hero”. The wealth and star status of professional athletes make them primary targets for the media. In light of the 2004 brawl and the increased controversy surrounding the National Basketball Association (NBA), the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine individuals’ perceptions towards the NBA players’ image. These perceptions were assessed relative to the league's corporate social initiatives, such as the “NBA Cares” program, which are implemented in order to restore the credibility and image of the players. Results indicated an increased influence of the specific corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign on participants’ opinions towards the image of NBA players.