Eating at high school games

When is there only free food?

 

Haven't covered a game in over a decade, but at old Giants Stadium the dining room had only free food. I guess you could leave the press box get on the elevator and find the hit dog vendor and bring it back to the press box.

 

If food wasn't provided, what would you do? You'd bring your own food or buy your own food.

Like I said, this ship has sailed. Free food and journalists go hand-in-hand now.

 

All the teams in your area charge the media? Guess now most teams do. The Yankees, Rangers and Knicks started to charge around 99-00 IIRC. Someone here probably knows for sure. But before that the food in the media dining room was free. Would think the Giants and Jets now also charge, but in early 00s it was still free.

 

So it was wrong to eat the free food? If it wasn't there I would probably just eat before and after the game. Saw people, well one guy that I definitely recall, taking stuff home after a game. That is completely uncalled for, but never saw anything wrong with eating before the game if the food was free in the dining room. I'd always leave a tip if they had a glass out, which some cheap fucks making a decent amount of money didn't do.

 

You should not accept free food, or anything else--gifts, giveaways, etc.--from a team, league or subject you cover.

If you have dinner with a source, would you let them pick up the check? I'd hope not.

 

No I wouldn't, but in the past teams had free food in the media dining room. Before the late 90s-00s, I will bet you could not find a beat writer or anyone who covered the NY teams, who never ate for free at a game. Can't say for sure, but would think it was the same in other cities.

 

I don't think there's been free meals in MLB press boxes for years. If anyone here has an MLB beat or is a member of the BBWAA, they can provide more details.

 

Pretty sure with the Yankees it was late 90s. What about NFL teams? they all charge now?

 

Yeah, definitely tell him to fuck off, and with a nail-studded 2x4 ...

 

I never was on the beat, but I filled in from time to time. Never saw any free food.

 

I covered many, many college and professional games and eating free press box food did not affect my reporting one iota.

I have put my foot down on rare occasions an individual offered something because they liked a story. Come to think of it, that mostly involved food. I'm getting hungry!