Final answer:
A sport public relations professional does not typically write or produce a story themselves and sell it to a media outlet. Their role is to pitch the story, provide media training to the athlete, and manage the message.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a successful sport public relations professional has an athlete with a great story to publicize, one common next step that is not usually taken is to write or produce the story themselves, then sell it to a media outlet. Typically, the role of a public relations professional is to decide which outlets to pitch the story idea to, provide media training and talking points to the athlete prior to any interviews, and try to manage the tone and message of the story once it is picked up by a journalist. Writing and selling the actual story veers into the realm of journalism, a field which strives to maintain a distinction from public relations, as journalists are tasked with creating balanced, informative content for the public good, rather than promotional material.