Taking advantage with press credentials

[JR119]

What are your thoughts on people who abuse press box passes?

I always found it improper when credentialed journalists were in the press box just to be there and not work.

They're taking advantage of their press affiliation and I believe it's embarrassing to the company they work for.

While a good number of journalists are on hand to work and cover the event, there are these non-working credentialed people taking up space (seats) and often adding unneeded noise -- when they're just hanging out watching a game.

I know we don't make much money in this business, but go buy a ticket.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Like typos and roaches, it's something that has always been with us and always will.

I have no idea what one-third of the people in the press box at the Music City Bowl were doing the other night. But, with just a couple of exceptions, I assume they were doing something constructive.

I mainly try to make sure I'm living up to the "working press" tag.

 

[rmanfredi]

When I was covering the Galaxy, there was a local radio host who was credentialed and had a spot in the press box. He used to have a regular weekday show on one of the all-sports stations, but had been demoted to fill-in host and update guy. When he did have a show, he was probably the only person in LA who would talk soccer occasionally. But without a show, I had no idea what he was doing there - he would show up, drink his free soda, watch the game and leave. He was very nice and unobtrusive, and most of the time we weren't hurting for spots along the rows at the Home Depot Center, but it was still a little weird and uncomfortable since he wasn't there to actually report on anything, and he didn't have a regular outlet by that point to talk about soccer.

 

[JamesCimburek]

Have a couple local radio guys who used to be on the area college broadcasts that are notorious for this. Basically they sit up there and try to converse with the actual working media.

One of them, a former area high school coach who isn't even an employee of the station, was told several times last season that he isn't supposed to be in the press box during the football games, but the college won't remove him because he's a Hall of Famer.

 

[flexmaster33]

Yes, if you're at the game working use your pass...if you're going for the entertainment of going to a game buy a ticket.

 

[sgreenwell]

The state association is normally far worse about this than the media in my area. I was covering the semis of the state basketball tournament last year and had to beg to get the last seat because two entire rows (about 30 seats) were taken by hangers-on of the big private schools who had ins with the state officials.

 

[Killick]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

In some of the instances mentioned, though, when the guy (or gal) isn't working even in the most generous sense... kick their ass out in a loud and very manner to embarrass the **** out of 'em.

 

[Gator]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

In some of the instances mentioned, though, when the guy (or gal) isn't working even in the most generous sense... kick their ass out in a loud and very manner to embarrass the **** out of 'em.

Kick their ass out? And just how do you think you're going to do that? They have a credential, don't they?

 

[Batman]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

In some of the instances mentioned, though, when the guy (or gal) isn't working even in the most generous sense... kick their ass out in a loud and very manner to embarrass the **** out of 'em.

Kick their ass out? And just how do you think you're going to do that? They have a credential, don't they?

Blue font?
A credential is not a bulletproof vest. There are certain expectations that come with it, many of which are stated very clearly either on the credential itself or at various places of most press boxes.

 

[Gator]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

In some of the instances mentioned, though, when the guy (or gal) isn't working even in the most generous sense... kick their ass out in a loud and very manner to embarrass the **** out of 'em.

Kick their ass out? And just how do you think you're going to do that? They have a credential, don't they?

Blue font?
A credential is not a bulletproof vest. There are certain expectations that come with it, many of which are stated very clearly either on the credential itself or at various places of most press boxes.

I agree that you shouldn't be there when you're not working, but I'm playing devil's advocate. Killick said he was going "kick their ass out" and I assume he meant it as a member of the media. I'm not sure that's possible. Of course I wouldn't be there if I wasn't working, but if I were, and any member of the media attempted to kick me out, I'd promptly tell them to shove it.

 

[bigpern23]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

This happened to me all the time at my first shop, a weekly, with a Division I men's basketball team in our coverage area. There might have been three games in a week and there was no way I was going to write about all three of them, but I was there for every game.

I considered being there and talking with people on and around the team part of my job even if I wasn't jotting down notes throughout.

As for hangers-on, etc., as long as they aren't keeping me from doing my job or keeping a real journalist out of a seat in the box, it doesn't much matter to me if they're allowed there.

I can't think of a time that I was covering a college or professional game where someone who wasn't a working journalist actually hindered anyone from performing their job.

Seems like people are more upset that someone is "on their turf" who they feel doesn't deserve to be there.

 

[leo1]

What about the generic media types that cover the local teams in the loosest sense of the word? When I was still in the business 10 or so years ago, I'd see local radio guys at press boxes. These guys nominally discussed all the local teams on their radio shows so I could see the argument for why they'd be there, I guess. They're not doing hardcore reporting but if local afternoon drive time guy needs to be knowledgeable about all the local teams, it makes sense, right? If the team was willing to give them a credential and a spot in the box, I saw no reason to complain about them, other than the one obese dude who worked at a 1,000 watt, daytime only radio station that no one, and I mean no one, had ever heard of.

 

[MTM]

Things used to be a lot worse when press box meals were free.

A lot of folks, especially TV reporters, would come just to eat.

 

[playthrough]

My father, still blissfully clueless about this profession after my trying to explain it for the past 20 years, will call me and say "XX game should be a good one, you should get a press pass and go!" Not only do I tell him that's not how it works, but that I wouldn't even WANT to be in a press box for a game I wasn't working. I'll take my couch and fridge every single time, I don't care what game it is.

 

[Point of Order]

What about the generic media types that cover the local teams in the loosest sense of the word? When I was still in the business 10 or so years ago, I'd see local radio guys at press boxes. These guys nominally discussed all the local teams on their radio shows so I could see the argument for why they'd be there, I guess. They're not doing hardcore reporting but if local afternoon drive time guy needs to be knowledgeable about all the local teams, it makes sense, right? If the team was willing to give them a credential and a spot in the box, I saw no reason to complain about them, other than the one obese dude who worked at a 1,000 watt, daytime only radio station that no one, and I mean no one, had ever heard of.

Because he ate all the food? Crowded you out of your seat?

 

[Stitch]

It might stink to be in a crowded press box with hangers-on, but what are you going to do? Anyone with a credential is a guest, no matter their affiliation.

 

[Batman]

I'm of two minds on this, to some degree. Even if you're not covering that specific night or writing a gamer, but you cover that team as part of your job, you'd better damned-well know what happened during the game. So, fine.

In some of the instances mentioned, though, when the guy (or gal) isn't working even in the most generous sense... kick their ass out in a loud and very manner to embarrass the **** out of 'em.

Kick their ass out? And just how do you think you're going to do that? They have a credential, don't they?

Blue font?
A credential is not a bulletproof vest. There are certain expectations that come with it, many of which are stated very clearly either on the credential itself or at various places of most press boxes.

I agree that you shouldn't be there when you're not working, but I'm playing devil's advocate. Killick said he was going "kick their ass out" and I assume he meant it as a member of the media. I'm not sure that's possible. Of course I wouldn't be there if I wasn't working, but if I were, and any member of the media attempted to kick me out, I'd promptly tell them to shove it.

Gotcha. I thought he meant for the SID or whoever is in charge to kick them out.
I agree with you on this, then. Media members should police each other on some behavior (excessive talking, cheering), and I've seen that done. It's not their job to take the vigilante justice to the next level, though. There ought to be someone in the press box in control of that.

 

[txsportsscribe]

the president of the small newspaper group i used to be with would get press credentials to the masters for he and his son. neither did any writing any other time of year but when it came masters time, i would actually have to hold the press run (pretty sure every other paper in the chain had to do the same thing) for his "stories" even though we were very local, had little extra space and never, never, never covered pro golf any other time.

 

[HanSenSE]

My father, still blissfully clueless about this profession after my trying to explain it for the past 20 years, will call me and say "XX game should be a good one, you should get a press pass and go!" Not only do I tell him that's not how it works, but
that I wouldn't even WANT to be in a press box for a game I wasn't working. I'll take my couch and fridge every single time, I don't care what game it is.

It's amazing how many people are clueless about "press passes." Went to a pharmacy in town once and the clerk was going on about how I could go to (nearest pro team goes here). So I explained that, after volleyball on Tuesday, water polo on Wedneday, boxing on Thursday and the Friday nightmare, I'd rather watch the pros at home.

Then there's those that want me to get them a press pass for Springfield-Shelbyville. I usually reply by asking what kind of story they will file and remind then we'll need it by 11 ... and they seem shocked that they need to turn in a story if they are going to represent the media!

 

[flexmaster33]

Yes, the local preps association has been cracking down on this recently and it has gotten better, but 4-5 years ago you had all these small-town papers requesting credentials for parents who would submit photos and such. The worst would always be the wrestling tournament where all the classes in the state converge on the big stadium and there are 12 mats going at once. To walk around the ground media/coach area was getting to be a nightmare, as you'd see parent A from Podunk High climb into the bleachers and hand off the pass to parent B when their kid took the mat...not to mention trying to cover the tournament with yahoo mom screaming at the top of her lungs in your ear. After the crackdown on credentials for employed-media only, these parents seemed to be going to coaches for their special passes. That got cracked down on hard last year, at least it seemed to be that way.