Question on high school coverage...

I do color on local high school football games. The local team had a playoff game in another town yesterday.
Before I go any further let me point out that I do not enjoy covering the games and this will be my last year doing it.
Anyway, I try to enter the field and some old rum dum asks for my ticket. I explain that I am with radio station WXYZ and am doing the game. He proceeds to tell me I need to buy a ticket. I tell him politely that I am not going to buy a ticket and continue on my way. He chases me down and asks what I think I am doing. I tell him I am going to the pressbox. He says if I don't have a pass he will call the cop over and have me booted.
Now let me make it clear. I am 44 years old and while I look younger I have not been carded in at least 5 or 6 years. I am wearing a nice pair of courdaroy pants, a J Crew sweater and an LL Bean coat.
I tell the old man that there are at least 500 places I would rather be on this day than watching this shitty game in this dump of a town. He still tells me to buy a ticket. At this point I beg him to have a cop throw me out so that I have a legit excuse to go home and crack a beer and watch college football on my day off. As I walk towards the pressbox I hear him yelling at me, all the while there are people lined up trying to get into the game (why I can not imagine).
My question is. Are there really fairly well dressed 44 year old men that spend their Saturday afternoons trying to sneak into high school football games in order to save 3 fucking dollars?

 

Don't you have a press card or media credential of some sort to show the ticket taker?

I never have had trouble at home games because the ticket takers know me. At away games, I always have my press card out to show the ticket takers.

Never had a problem yet.

 

Exactly. You should have had some sort of ID that said who you were and what outlet you were with, even if it was a quick hand-made one, as long as it had the station/paper logo on it.

There are plenty of gate nazis out there that go on a power trip. But I've never encountered a problem when showing my newspaper ID.

Did you even call the school AD the day before or earlier that day to let people know you were coming?

 

I have never needed a card and do not have one. I guess I just can not imagine a 44 year old guy trying to save $3 by saying he is doing radio.

 

Of course we called the school. Perhaps I should have added that I was carrying equipment at the time. I guess I looked like a very cunning $3 saving thief.

 

This sounds more and more like a TV person who thinks he doesn't have to follow the rules.

It really isn't that hard. And isn't about people trying to save $3 to get into a game. There are rules to get into a game. You wouldn't try to go into a college game without an ID.

 

You are a fucking dick. I do not know whare the TV thing comes in but you are entitled to your opinion. And don't tell me about rules asshole. I have been to hundreds of games on all levels. There is a huge difference between the major college basketball games I cover and the shitty high school games I do as a favor. I have never had a problem in the 15 years I have been doing this until this fucking old creep played his power trip. I picture you being that same kind of power hungry fuckwad.

 

Rules for a high school football game? That's ridiculous Hank. If the person at the gate decides to be a prick that's on them, not the media assigned to cover it. I've never had any ID for a high school game, the school district has never issued any passes, and I've never had a problem. Flashing a notepad should always do the trick. Lets keep in mind this is high school. High school.

 

Sorry BadgerBeer, you've gotta have some sort of an ID saying you're media. Now I've encountered plenty of gate Nazis, to borrow someone else's turn, but as long as I've got a pass I've never had a problem. Even though most high school games are quite the informal affair, simply carrying equipment and saying you're going to the pressbox won't be sufficient for a lot of gate guys. Personally, I'd let you in, but nothing says the gate guys should.

Just as you're only doing your job, they're doing theirs.

 

So BadgerDrunk is the only member of the media who has ever been questioned about the veracity of his claims. And since he is the only member of the media who has ever been questioned, that must mean that he is correct -- that NO ONE has ever tried to sneak into a game by claiming to work for the local paper/TV station/radio station.

Let's see -- you went in with a bad attitude looking for a fight thinking you were above the situation. You could have easily talked your way into the game with a smile, or by asking for the AD. It's never failed for me.

Good thing you won't be back next year.

 

Man, someone needs a nap.

More likely, it was you and your bad attitude about wanting to be home, instead of being at that game.

Your posts display exactly what kind of person you are.

(It never amazes me how some people get behind a computer screen and suddenly have all the guts in the world to call people names, but most likely wouldn't do that to some one in person).

 

Something you may not realize if you do not have high school athletes residing under your roofs.

The gate receipts from ticket sales do not line the "Gate Nazi's" pocket. That money goes back to the school's athletic department to help pay for uniforms, coaches' salaries, buses and drivers for away games -- things like that. I don't know about other parts of the country, but each sports season, I write out a sizable check to the school district so my kids can participate in sports. That's three checks per school year. Even with every athlete paying in, there still isn't enough money without those ticket sales to cover costs. Not all school districts have money to burn. Those "gate nazis" are most likely people who care about their schools and are just doing their jobs. Can some go on a power trip? Most definitely. Just like some members of the press get on a power trip about their position.

If each person going through those gates tried saying they were with the local press and succeeded, the majority of schools, at least in my area, would have to shut down their athletic programs. And equipment isn't a gimme, I've seen parents carry in some pretty hefty camcorders -- along with lots of coats and blankets -- into games.

Badger Beer, you came on the board asking a question, it was answered. Just because you didn't like the answer doesn't mean you should shoot the messenger.