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Sandomir: Press Boxes Become an Afterthought...

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Speedway, Jun 11, 2007.

  1. crimsonace

    crimsonace Well-Known Member

    Bob Knight -- such a friend to the journalistic craft -- used to say this a lot (of course, it was every time he was in a run-in with the media). He repeated the freeloader line, and that the media should pay for their tickets like everyone else, that they shouldn't get special access, et al.

    During the height of Knight's popularity in the 1980s, the Indiana Legislature actually took up a bill proposed by one of Knight's worshipers that would have required the media covering all sporting events in Indiana to pay for their seats. Thankfully, it failed.
     
  2. CaliforniaRed

    CaliforniaRed Member

    Stories like this are not read by anyone other than sportswriters. I hate to say it but it sure seems like this is a classic example of how journalists are out of touch with their audience.

    And Okie, if you think the team cares about the people that can't afford to pay for a ticket being upset because your seat has been replaced by a guy that's paying a 1000X markup, you might want to go back and take a business class. The Reinsdorf's of the world know its a better financial deal to piss off the print media (and its dwindling, old readership) to make some rich, young fans happy with their seats in the Jim Beam Club.

    Maybe Reinsdorf could give newspapers some new ideas on adding revenue streams.
     
  3. You think P.R. means nothing to sports franchises? Their image has no bearing on anything?
    Then why is the new NFL commish putting so much effort into the thugs?
     
  4. CaliforniaRed

    CaliforniaRed Member

    Okie, There's got to be a public that cares for a company to take a PR hit. And if you think your readers are going to be in a tiff because your seat got moved, you aren't paying attention to your readers very well.
     
  5. I said we should make the argument. I'm not making any guarantees about its effectiveness.
    I do believe if readers see it like I see it, they will care. The question is whether I can get them to see my point of view.
    But I also tend to believe most readers are smarter than we give them credit for. It can be hard to believe because we most often hear from the crazies, but I think the average newspaper reader is intelligent enough to understand the value of what we do.
    Otherwise, why are they reading?
     
  6. Gold

    Gold Active Member

    Using that logic, Reinsdorf should sell seats in the dugout.

    This isn't just a newspaper vs. broadcast outlet carrying the game question. It is a question of being able to accomodate, for instance, six television stations in Chicago as well as print outlets and putting them in a position where they can do their work.

    Everybody, including news side people, think sports writing is easy. When I tell people I can write 12 inches within 20 or 25 minutes, they are amazed.
     
  7. Aussie_Nick

    Aussie_Nick Member

    That is what it boils down to in a nutshell. That is why they don't care.

    And if I was a fan, I wouldn't care either. Because if I was a fan, in my mind, sports writers don't have a hard job anyway! They get paid to eat hot dogs in the press box and watch sport! Why should they get the best seats? They don't need it! [/fan]
     
  8. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    True dat!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
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