Travel time, game time

Never see anything wrong with being three hours or so early. There's always something I can work on, and that way I have protected myself in case (1) there is an unexpected delay and (2) a story arises that I can get taken care of before the even begins. It also gives you a chance to chat with folks, which is how you develop sources in some arenas.

 

Got two words for anyone who worked the MAC or Big Ten around Michigan from like 1985 until the Detroit Newspaper strike, concerning when not to arrive for a game.
Terry Cabell.

 

I'll bite .. what's the story on Terry Cabell?

 

When I was a circuit rider on a I-AA beat out of Nashville, I liked to get to the game site about an hour ahead of time.

Not like traffic was a big issue. But I agree with the notion that it's good to leave yourself plenty of time just in case.

 

TC used to show up seconds before kickoff or even later -- every time.
Nicest guy in the world but arriving early was not his thing

 

Covering an NFL game in San Diego? Arrive the day before the game. Should be interesting Monday with the MNF game at 7:15 local time and the usual rush hour traffic and Chargers-Raiders fans to boot. Ugh.

 

Shit, when I covered Vanderbilt...

 

For the Daytona 500 (a 1 p.m. start), it's generally accepted that if you're coming via I-95 and you haven't gotten to the International Speedway Boulevard exit by 7 a.m. you're too late. (Not that you won't make it in time for the race, but you'll get stuck in an ungodly traffic jam.)

 

Major League Baseball coverage is a different animal. You're there 4 hours before gametime, every day, and if you're covering in NYC, or you're from NYC, you're even earlier. A real grind.

 

That's true. I once just parked and walked two miles to Daytona because I never would have gotten there in time otherwise. And it wasn't even race day!

 

San Diego isn't THAT bad, but it's pretty bad. I think they encourage tailgaiting just to avoid the gridlock of all gridlocks.

For some college rivalry games in towns that aren't well-configured for a lot of traffic, you need to get there hours before kickoff just to make sure you can get a spot at all. That's always a bit scary when you cut it a bit close and you're creeping along hoping the makeshift lot they're redirected you to isn't full yet.

 

But at least that has some journalistic value with the clubhouse and field access. Shit, you get more done before the game than during it if you're doing your job correctly. Same with the NBA to a certain extent.

But anymore than two hours before a NFL or college game? I know in some locales because of traffic/parking that's reality, but if it isn't, it's overkill and a waste of time to just hang out in the press box for that long, though with wireless, at least now you can answer e-mail, do more meaningful work on other stories, etc.