Bloggers, Webmasters and Press Passes
Eric at Off Wing has a post about how he worked with the Washington Capitals to come up with a set of guidelines for issuing bloggers press passes.
It’s where you’d expect this to come from given Eric’s proximity to the Capitals and Caps owner Ted Leonsis’ pro-blogging and open organization attitude.
I thought I’d add something to the guidelines. Not rules, but perhaps some advice based on what experience I have, mess ups and all.
For those that don’t know, I covered the Buffalo Sabres for the Fischler Hockey Report in 1998 while I was at SUNY Buffalo. I also worked with the NHL and New York Islanders in 2000. While the NHL and Islanders work wasn’t press-related, there were still some interaction lessons to be learned.
Back in ‘98 I had a website called Singa’s Cella. It was something of a personal site. It started becoming hockey-centric and I would update tidbits of info, mostly about the Islanders and had some fight-related stats on it. Bloggy without the archives along with some statistics and links to other resources. I had some decent traffic and was eventually contacted by someone on Stan Fischler‘s staff about contributing to his book, Ultimate Bad Boys. Fun, I thought, so I agreed. I let them know I was located in Buffalo during the school year and was told he needed a correspondent there for his report. Fun again, and I started going to games.
I was supposed to send weekly updates about how the Sabres were playing, include any rumors or interesting tidbits of info I could. I didn’t have the local sports channel (Empire Sports, now gone), so everything I picked up was from the local paper (the Buffalo News), some radio and the games I went to. Road trips led to some boring reports, and home stands led to some just ok reports. Definitely something I wish I could do over again.
I was a little timid to talk to the players at first. After all, most rookies were older than I was at the time. After a few weeks of observing I started asking the friendlier (friendlier to the press) players questions other reporters were leaving alone. Matt Barnaby quickly became one of my favorite players. A few became favorites only on the ice.
As bloggers who might only attend a few games as press, or may feel like they might not get another opporunity, you may feel like you don’t have time to observe, but I still urge you to.
- Your first game experience may not be the way things always are. Remember to write about it as it was, not as it is.
- First impressions count, but more for you. You’re expected to always be a professional reporter inside that arena. You should act the same way before, during and after every game. People within the organization may have some added stress from time to time. Players - and everyone in the organization - are more stressed after a loss. Realize that post-game attitudes change and don’t write someone off after just one or two nights as press.
- Dress right. Asking what the standard attire is doesn’t make you look like a fool. Showing up dressed inappropriately does. There are certainly different standards in different cities.
- Casual observation says generally the more experienced and established reporters ask questions first. You’re probably on the bottom of the food chain. Patience is good, just make sure you’re not shut out. Respecting the rest of the press is just as important as respecting the team officials and players.
I grew up on Long Island, so I wasn’t going to games rooting for the Sabres, but I wasn’t rooting against them either. This isn’t going to be the position many bloggers are in, but I urge them to take a step back from their fandom if possible. It’ll happen naturally over the course of time anyway, it has with me at least. You get to know people in the organization (or other organizations), and players and start being a fan in a different sort of manner.
- Don’t cheer in the press box. Some team employees might, but as press, you’re supposed to be objective. Plus, you might be sitting next to a scout for another team. Make friends, they’re good sources of information. I’m not saying not to write (or podcast or vlog, etc) from a fan perspective, just to contain yourself up in the box.
- Don’t assume backgrounds. Some are business people, many are former players. Best to either ask or go home and use good ole Google.
Shortly after I left school I freelanced as a web developer and eventually “permlanced” (I was basically freelancing full-time) for a company that landed the contract to redesign nhl.com. Very cool, I was thrilled. Some teams still had their sites under NHL control and the Islanders were about to break loose and take control of their own. They wanted a redesign for it and the company I was working with handled that to and I got to set it up. What’s better than working for the team I grew up rooting for?
Unfortunately, I wasn’t careful enough with my knowledge of what was going on and my access to the team with other people.
- Your access is your access. I know, I know, this shouldn’t need to be said - and any of you who have met me within the past five years are probably laughing given you know how protective I am of account and personal information.
- Slightly-related: Personal information is personal, including contact information on press releases. Lock away any phone numbers, email addresses, etc. you may be given. It’s only right. A minor-league team owner contacted me asking for a player’s information who I interviewed so he could say hi since they worked together in the past. I still contacted that player and asked if he would like the contact info, or if would like me to pass along his. This (should-be common) courtesy goes a long way to building trust.
Some other random thoughts:
- Limit contact. Simply put: don’t annoy anyone repeatedly. Condense questions/suggestions whenever possible, we’re all busy and you’d appreciate the same.
- Remember that blogging about an NHL game, team or event, like journalism, is a cooperative effort sometimes. Make sure you spend your criticism wisely, and that you can back it up with facts, and not just raw emotion. Criticism is fine, you’re a blogger, not an AP writer and no one will react poorly to that. Just make sure it is intelligent and informed criticism.
- Be patient. The NHL and its teams are starting to move away from the old corporate way of thinking. You’re somewhere in between being more valuable than they realize and less valuable than you think 
Patience will let you prove your worth to them and let you find your current place in the hockey world. Even if you don’t plan on staying in your spot, it’s good to see where it is right now.
- Use your current contacts. The web and the hockey blogging community are great assets, something I wish I had in the late 90s. Ask questions. If you’re not sure if it should be asked publicly, shoot a few emails over to people. We’re a pretty friendly bunch, and so are many mainstream press people.
- Respect embargos. For those that don’t know, an embargo is a request to not print something until a certain time. They don’t happen much in hockey anyway, but if/when they do, respect it.
- One of the other hardest things will be realizing what rumors to print, and what not to. You’ll want to give your readers the juiciest information, but you don’t want to lose your source. It’s not the easiest balance, but it can be achieved. Multiple sources, identified or not, always make things easier.
- You don’t have to become localized to be localized. While I’ve covered the Islanders a great deal this summer, this site isn’t NY-centric. However, the Rangers, Islanders and Devils are the easiest access for me and if I’m going to request a pass, it’ll most likely be for one of those teams. This is something the NHL and its teams must take into consideration as well. Having a storyline in mind (local rivalry, playoff rematch, wanting to even have access to the away team players for some specific reason, etc.) wouldn’t hurt to have a storyline in mind while requesting access to games when you’re not a local blogger. Once a relationship is established, it’ll get easier.
- A press pass is not a photo pass. Ask before bringing your camera.
- All quotes are not for print. If there’s a huddle of reporters and mics out, you’re ok. If the mic on the podium is on and there are video cameras, you’re ok. If you’re just chatting with someone - anyone - and you want to print something, make it clear.
I want to thank Alanah over at VCOE for lending her brain some. If anyone has any suggestions, or personal experience they’d like to share to make this work, go right ahead.
Comments:
David at The Ice Block gives hockey bloggers the do’s and don’ts of professional behavior, when trying to cover your favourite NHL team.
A great article for non-hockey bloggers too, as his experience should be helpful to any writer who nee…Posted by http://vancouvercanucksoped.com/2006/08/30/blogger on Aug 31, 2006 at 03:39 AMDavid,
Nicely done. I think there are a lot of writers and bloggers who should use this as a template for their first time as a credentially member of the media.
One question: what about lending some thoughts on how writers go about getting contact info from a source/player? For me, that sort of thing has either come from an assistant (for execs) and from one-on-one conversations at the practice facility with players, not necessarily in the locker room.
Posted by Greg Wyshynski on Aug 31, 2006 at 10:40 AMDavid,
Thank you for telling your tale. Lessons learned are a great help, especially when you don’t even know what lessons there are in the first place.
Posted by NInja on Aug 31, 2006 at 12:37 PMThanks to everyone who commented on yesterday's post either in the comments box or by email. It's all been very…
Posted by http://www.ericmcerlain.com/offwingopinion/archive on Aug 31, 2006 at 02:37 PMThanks guys.
Greg - I’ve also found the best way to get player contact info is from one-on-one situations. Sometimes it meant not following the crowd from one player to the next, hanging back, asking an extra question or just getting to the point, but if that’s not a possibility I’ve found speaking to the media director or the player’s agent are generally the best alternative methods.
“Source” contact info is similar, one-on-one always works best. No one wants to give their personal information to a crowd (even if most have it already). However, there are generally more opportunities to meet other media, scouts, team members, you just have to walk up and introduce yourself during the easiest one, even if it’s just to say “hello, can I shoot you an email or give you a buzz later?”.
Posted by David M Singer on Aug 31, 2006 at 09:37 PM
Next entry: Will They Do It Too?
Previous entry: Nashville Ad a Low Blow?