Media Bowl Gifts

Not a bowl game, but the NHL gave out Winter Classic knit hats to every media member who picked up a credential.

I treat media gifts the same way the NCAA is supposed to treat recruiting violations. Is the same thing available to every other student/reporter? If yes, then okay. If no, then decline.

If you get handpicked for a one-on-one dinner or opportunity that could be seen as currying favor, either pick up the check as you would do for any other source mining, or decline. If everyone's got the same access, then it's okay.

I'm not going to wear the NHL hat to cover a hockey game (by the way, it's just the Winter Classic logo and the Reebok logo, no teams or even NHL on it). But when I'm out freezing my ass off at a November/December high school playoff game? You bet. It's warm, it's comfy, and it fits my large ass head.

 

I got a rock.

 

The schools control access to a teams up to a point. If locker rooms are closed during the regular season they'll be closed at a bowl game. Same with practice.

A good bowl game finds ways to give you as much additional access as possible. Either thru quote sheets, media availabilities at team functions and/or multiple press conferences.

I think every game does a head coach presser prior to the game. The good ones do additional pressers with coordinators and players.

 

I covered a local bowl game for years. It was nothing but a pain in the ass and the media folks were well-intentioned but caved completely to whatever whims the coaches had.

 

I covered a couple Sugar Bowls and they were more poorly run than most high school events. Orange Bowl was pretty bad as well. There was one year where you had to wait in line for about 15 minutes to file your story. They told my paper and several others that there would be one pool phone for every press box seat. They wound up having four total in the whole press box. This was long, long, long before anyone had wireless.

I've covered two Fiesta Bowls. Both were outstanding. Every smaller bowl I've covered was very well-run.

 

I covered a Holiday Bowl a zillion years ago where the PR people would call the beat writers every morning and let you know the itinerary. Access was incredible. The people who worked for the bowl were so nice that it made both of the coaches relax considerably.

One of the bowl hosts was so gorgeous and so nice that our columnist said to me, "Everything I've asked her for this week she's said yes to, should I push my luck?"

Fortunately, he didn't.

 

To the holier-than-thou crowd: You paying full price for that seat too? Considering its on the same level as the luxury boxes, it's gotta be expensive.

 

Bingo. I hope you're paying for parking, too. And you better not be taking a special media rate at the hotel. Full price, all the way.

Anyway, I echo the Fiesta Bowl comments. Really good game to cover, except for the Ell Roberson fiasco year, and that's only because Bill Snyder is a dick. The only other one I covered was the '96 Orange Bowl. I remember getting a commemorative Florida Panthers' Eastern Conference Coke bottle. Dems were the days.

 

Some of the comments on here, although perhaps honorable, are pretty laughable. At least compared to how business gets done by the other 99.9% of business people.

 

The Outback Bowl had a good media set up as far as workroom and access (at least access outside of just practice stories, like hospital visits and stuff). The Armed Forces Bowl was really accessable. Practices were open, events were too. The Cotton Bowl is really strong, they bust their tail to make sure you've got what you need. It is funny to see the difference between the SEC and Big 12. A&M's practices are open for the first 15 minutes, all the player avaliabilty you want. LSU has closed practices, limited player access. Different worlds. The bowl staff itself is truly helpful.

 

I don't mind accepting a money clip, a meal, an open bar here and there, but I have never, ever felt comfortable wearing a freebie polo with a team or bowl logo on it.

 

Off-topic a bit, but say you're assigned to cover The Masters and get selected in the lottery to play in the post-tournament Media Day on Monday.

Do you decline the opportunity to play Augusta National - a course you will NEVER have a chance to play again - because others who weren't picked don't have the same opportunity?

Just asking.