NCAA Tournament and the Media

jr/shotglass · Apr 1, 2014

Well ...

3_Octave_Fart · Apr 1, 2014

I don't want to hear a social critique from somebody who helped deify a football coach.

Alma · Apr 1, 2014

Ralph Smith said:

Dick Whitman said:

Ralph, you've said it more than anyone. People these days largely go to one place for their nuts and bolts sports information. And we all know where that place is.
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The problem is that whenever these topics are discussed, the usual chorus begins.
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The problem is, in this thread and others, I see no chorus that you're describing. If you're speaking of me the first I write the words "sock puppet" will be, well, just then.

Dick Whitman said:

Ralph Smith said:

Dick Whitman said:

Ralph, you've said it more than anyone. People these days largely go to one place for their nuts and bolts sports information. And we all know where that place is.
Click to expand...

The problem is that whenever these topics are discussed, the usual chorus begins.

- You're NOT A JOURNALIST!!!!!! You don't UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!
- Stop being HAPPY about this!!!!!!!
- Stop talking about this!! I'm HAPPY!!! (this one has kinda fallen by the wayside, to be fair)
- You're a big meanypants jerkface, and I'm gonna tell the Mods on you!
- Ya damn Sock Puppets!
- Because newspapers.

And so on.

I guess I don't quite get how anyone could only now be waking up to the fact the NCAA does not care about local media. I guess I don't quite get how anyone could still cling to the idea of Newspaper As Arbiter Of, well, anything.

It reminds me of the reporter who got angry on twitter because they couldn't bring their drink to pres row at the NCAA tourney last week. I'm sorry, but where in the world have you been?
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I was flabbergasted by that story.

I was stopped by the Dasani police 10 years ago, at least.
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I doubt there's a statute of limitations on inane things.

YankeeFan · Apr 1, 2014

jr/shotglass said:

YankeeFan said:

Who has "no business" being there?

Those are the school's seats (and the conference's and NCAA's in the case of their respective tournaments), why do you feel entitled to them?

And, while teams value "press" they are no longer dependent on you for it. They can compete with you with their own outlets. More games than ever are on TV, broadcast by media "partners".

And, since media outlets have long censored their own coverage, in return for "access" you've diminished your own value to your readers. Now, you're losing access, and feeling betrayed. It was never a partnership. You just didn't realize it. Sadly, as access is lost, the media seems more determined than ever to hold on to what little they have left, even if it further handcuffs their coverage.
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Some of what you say is valid. But you relish saying it far, far too much. This is still the meal ticket for some of us, YankeeFan.
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It's not glee. If there's any emotion to assign to my comments, it's a mix of surprise and pity that some folks in the business are unable or unwilling to recognize this.

It's simply truth telling, and that should never upset a journalist.

Mark2010 · Apr 1, 2014

Baron Scicluna said:

Starman said:

At a recent alumni meeting of one of the state's Big Ten schools, with the AD in attendance, a fairly lengthy discussion (well, shouting match) involved premium seating at football and basketball games, price hikes and reduced availability, and much anger was generated at prime seats "being given away for nothing" to the media while alumni have to pay big bucks.

It was made clear at the beginning of the shouting segment of the discussion there was a substantial number of alums who would be fine with kicking ALL media out and giving their seating to paying alums (who would apparently be happy to pay for it).

The AD tried to soft-pedal the whole discussion, and also to wash his hands of a lot of it ("a lot of these things aren't in our control") but the shouting consensus of the crowd was that media access should be limited to entities paying money to provide game coverage, the AP (which, it was agreed, should get one press pass and one photo pass), and everybody else (especially BLOGGERS!!) wishing to cover games should be required to pay full donor freight for seating, parking and postgame PC admittance (they have virtual sellouts in football, so this probably means five-figure sums every season).

The AD was very diplomatic and noncomittal, a lot of "that's an interesting idea," etc etc., and also pointed out the media would probably be "very unhappy" with such moves, which brought out full-throated shouts of "nobody gives a fuck whether the media is happy or not; make them pay full freight."

The idea that some outlets might not be satisfied with AP gamers for game coverage was quickly and loudly hooted down.

So basically, that's coming, pretty soon. Basically your outlet is going to have to decide how serious they are about really "covering" college teams, because they are gonna have to start writing some hefty checks to do so.
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Very well alumni. Have fun reading about JV swim meets and T-ball games.
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Pretty much. If that becomes the case, you'll see even fewer media at events than you do now.

steveu · Apr 1, 2014

Dick Whitman said:

Ralph Smith said:

Dick Whitman said:

Ralph, you've said it more than anyone. People these days largely go to one place for their nuts and bolts sports information. And we all know where that place is.
Click to expand...

The problem is that whenever these topics are discussed, the usual chorus begins.

- You're NOT A JOURNALIST!!!!!! You don't UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!
- Stop being HAPPY about this!!!!!!!
- Stop talking about this!! I'm HAPPY!!! (this one has kinda fallen by the wayside, to be fair)
- You're a big meanypants jerkface, and I'm gonna tell the Mods on you!
- Ya damn Sock Puppets!
- Because newspapers.

And so on.

I guess I don't quite get how anyone could only now be waking up to the fact the NCAA does not care about local media. I guess I don't quite get how anyone could still cling to the idea of Newspaper As Arbiter Of, well, anything.

It reminds me of the reporter who got angry on twitter because they couldn't bring their drink to pres row at the NCAA tourney last week. I'm sorry, but where in the world have you been?
Click to expand...

I was flabbergasted by that story.

I was stopped by the Dasani police 10 years ago, at least.
Click to expand...

Happened to me too at the Division III national men's basketball Final Four in 2008. Inside I'm like "You're F****** kidding me" but outside it's like "okay", then just go put my drink in a Dasani cup.

playthrough · Apr 1, 2014

Of course the cup policy is dumb, but it's not the end of civilization. Show me another sports entity that doesn't protect its corporate partners. I was embarrassed for SI when they devoted a few inches about it in the mag last week. Is this their first year covering the event?

LongTimeListener · Apr 1, 2014

playthrough said:

Of course the cup policy is dumb, but it's not the end of civilization. Show me another sports entity that doesn't protect its corporate partners. I was embarrassed for SI when they devoted a few inches about it in the mag last week. Is this their first year covering the event?
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That one might be #1 on the list of funny things I tell non-journos that make them say "Really? No shit?"

As passe as it is for us, barely anyone outside of us knows of the policy.

jr/shotglass · Apr 1, 2014

Ralph Smith said:

jr/shotglass said:

Well ...
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People don't follow your links, Ralph. You want to make a point, don't be sketchy.

Starman · Apr 2, 2014

jr/shotglass said:

The absence of coverage will be the last straw for quite a few readers, your intuition or not.
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Not only are big-wheel alumni (who would like to buy the seats) and money-counting ADs (who see each seat generating tens of thousands of dollars per season) not WORRIED about such an outcome, many would actively welcome it.

Alma · Apr 3, 2014

Starman said:

jr/shotglass said:

The absence of coverage will be the last straw for quite a few readers, your intuition or not.
Click to expand...

Not only are big-wheel alumni (who would like to buy the seats) and money-counting ADs (who see each seat generating tens of thousands of dollars per season) not WORRIED about such an outcome, many would actively welcome it.
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Prove this.

Dick Whitman · Apr 3, 2014

Ralph Smith said:

Alma said:

Starman said:

jr/shotglass said:

The absence of coverage will be the last straw for quite a few readers, your intuition or not.
Click to expand...

Not only are big-wheel alumni (who would like to buy the seats) and money-counting ADs (who see each seat generating tens of thousands of dollars per season) not WORRIED about such an outcome, many would actively welcome it.
Click to expand...

Prove this.
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Are you saying that well-monied major college boosters prioritize local media coverage?
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I think he's just saying that they would not WELCOME zero coverage from the locals.

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NCAA Tournament and the Media

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

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Alma Well-Known Member

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NCAA Tournament and the Media

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

3_Octave_Fart Well-Known Member

Alma Well-Known Member

YankeeFan Well-Known Member

Mark2010 Active Member

steveu Well-Known Member

playthrough Moderator Staff Member

LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

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