Reporters wearing local team apparel?

I used to obsess over this - especially with my tie colors - then last week I went to a prep softball game wearing a mint-green collared t-shirt and jeans to cover a softball game between local Team A (purple and silver) and local Team B (dark green and gold). One of the boosters from Team A jokingly called me on it. Last time I'll EVER take it that casually.

 

Huck, well said.

Down here, I will not wear any schools' colors while I am covering them. Once in a while, I'll slip up and forget while I pick a shirt out of the closet in the morning, but color can be one more thing for fans in the gym to call you out on. I would prefer to not provide them the opportunity.

I will not wear any professional or college apparel while out working. (If I am scheduled to work only in the office on a Saturday or Sunday, I might toss a professional team's or my alma mater's T-shirt or cap into the mix.)

 

There is no cheering in the press box, and wearing the logo of a team counts as cheering in my book.

That said, I was wearing a hat from my alma mater when I was first starting out at a high school football game, and I did not realize it was the same colors as one of the teams playing. Because I always walked the sidelines when I got a chance, coach thought I was spying for the other team even though the letters on the hat did not go with the initials of the high school team.


I actually saw an NFL owner who clapped in the press box after a decent play on the field get mother f'd (audible by all) by an old school beat writer for clapping in the press box. Good times.

 

Wearing team clothing makes it easier to approach athletes for autographs after the event. Plus, you'll look great getting your picture taken with the coach and/or star players.

 

"But don't you know, ma'am/sir? We at the Podunk Press favor every school but yours."

 

I used to tell them that I could care less about either of them. I really did not like anyone, but I knew who I hated.

Just kidding, but wouldn't it have been fun.

 

When I worked in Podunk my favorite college team's mascot was the same as one of the local high school teams. They have different colors, but I made sure I never wore my favorite college team's shirt/hat to any local games for fear some dumb redneck might make a connection and say I was a fan of that team.

At my current paper, I've heard of a former photographer wearing a Podunk hat or shirt when goes to a Smallville game. The Smallville people get made and give him a hat or shirt. Basically, he did it to get free stuff.

 

I can't believe we're actually having this discussion.

No, no, no...

 

A quick thought this morning.

No, it's never appropriate to wear anything bearing any kind of team/franchise/college logo to work. Ever.

What I'm mystified by on this thread, however, is the number of people who actually own this souvenir stuff; some of whom seem to have accepted it from the teams they cover.

Never accept anything - even a T-shirt you intend to give away - from anyone you cover. Or may cover. Ever. Simple.

 

Always wear a pink polo shirt. No team has pink in their colors.

But of course since I'm a desker, it really doesn't matter anymore.

 

The Scottsdale Community College Artichokes wear pink and green. I shit you not.

 

Keeping it neutral but casual, I wore a pink shirt to cover a dirt race in Paducah, Ky. There I was, standing on top of the "tower" during the race, when I looked down and realized that my pen was a perfect match to the color of my shirt.

I had bought the pens that day because someone was selling them to raise money for breast cancer awareness. It didn't even occur to me that they matched my shirt at the time.

What made it worse was I had just teased a guy a little while before that, because his orange and gray shoes were a perfect match to his orange shirt.