After reading this thread I'm curious as to how one goes about getting credentials for something like this? Do you guys just know the right people or did you just go to your local paper and ask for them. What do papers require of you in order to give you credentials?
NFL credentials are produced by the home stadium usually. They are issued to various media outlets. The local media outlets hand them out accordingly. They have to be 'activated' before used by calling in with the ID number and identifying yourself as a member of that media outlet.
In my case, I worked as a staff photographer for my local paper back in the 80s. I noticed a few years ago that they didn't have anyone shooting the Steelers games for them anymore (they used to have a person doing it, and they had a falling out), and I asked them if they were interested in having me do it since I now live near Pittsburgh.
A lot of people are under the false impression that newspapers just have a stack of NFL (or concert, or whatever) credentials sitting in piles at the paper, and people can just ask for them. Obviously that's not the case; you need to be working with the paper, magazine, or whatever, and then they have to go through a process to request these things.
For the Steelers games, we need to make requests for each individual game, on newspaper letterhead, which includes a letter from the editor and my contact information. Then the Steelers approve them, and notify me and the newspaper a week or so prior to each game, and I have to have proper ID to pick up my passes at Media Will Call.
Each league, concert, organization, etc., will have its own process for credentials, but in general people can't just ask for them without having a very good reason for doing so.
In short, you need to have a working relationship with a recognized publication.
That's interesting to read -- the Steelers don't have a call-in thing like that. I've found it interesting to see how the rules and processes vary from team to team.
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
NFL credentials are produced by the home stadium usually. They are issued to various media outlets. The local media outlets hand them out accordingly. They have to be 'activated' before used by calling in with the ID number and identifying yourself as a member of that media outlet.
That's interesting to read -- the Steelers don't have a call-in thing like that. I've found it interesting to see how the rules and processes vary from team to team.
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
NFL credentials are produced by the home stadium usually. They are issued to various media outlets. The local media outlets hand them out accordingly. They have to be 'activated' before used by calling in with the ID number and identifying yourself as a member of that media outlet.
With the Panthers, I have to call their media relations guy and give him the number on my Press Photographer badge. He then puts that in the computer and when I show up at the gate, I'm admitted. If I show up with a number that hasn't been 'activated' they won't let me in.
Do they pay you to go and do this? Don't most small papers have the ability to just get photos from the AP or something? There are game photos in our paper and I know they don't send people to the games.
Probably the biggest thing is that it just looks better for a newspaper to have their own photographers shooting these events. It makes them look "bigger," so to speak, rather than just grabbing stuff from the AP.
With the Panthers, I have to call their media relations guy and give him the number on my Press Photographer badge. He then puts that in the computer and when I show up at the gate, I'm admitted. If I show up with a number that hasn't been 'activated' they won't let me in.
That's the first I've heard of that process. We put the request in (at least a week in advance) and we get e-mail saying that we're approved. Then we go through a series of showing photo ID to everyone in sight at the stadium. I have to show ID to pick up the credential at the stadium, then at the media entrance, and one more time to get onto the field.
I've been other places, like Cleveland, where all I have to show is the credential, and that's that.
Last season, we actually had to LEAVE our drivers license with security until the end of the game. We had an arm band to wear, and we didn't get our license back unless we returned the arm band!
I just looked at the sports section of our local paper online and all of the photos (except local sports of course) come from the AP. So how much do you think the AP charges to use their photos?
I'm not sure about this, but I believe they'd charge on a sliding scale, based on the circulation of the publication.
Originally posted by NstiG8tr:
I just looked at the sports section of our local paper online and all of the photos (except local sports of course) come from the AP. So how much do you think the AP charges to use their photos?
I just looked at the sports section of our local paper online and all of the photos (except local sports of course) come from the AP. So how much do you think the AP charges to use their photos?
like any other service, they have different subscription plans. the more you buy, the cheaper it is per unit. i don't know, but i'm guessing that depending on size, placement, and type of photo (some are more 'exclusive' than others), the fees could range from $35-500.
