Pictures from NAIAs... not happening :(

[rainbowgirl28]

Yeah so I was all set to cover the pole vault at NAIAs this weekend... minus the part where I am competing of course.

I was also taking pictures for my team website, www.lindenwoodtrack.com and (more importantly) for www.trackshark.com which is the biggest college track and field website on the internet.

I applied for media credentials last week and got them no problem. Picked them up today.

So I was down on the infield today, getting some awesome pictures of the pentathletes and relays... and a meet management guy comes over and tells me I can't take pictures and they wanted to know where I got the pass. I explained I was representing several media organizations and that I had applied for media credentials and was there legitimately.

He said I couldn't take pictures because I was an athlete (and another coach complained). I asked if I could take pictures after I was done competing (I compete early tomorrow, leaving the rest of the day Friday and all day Saturday). He thought that might be OK, so it was discussed among the meet management people.

And they said no and took away my pass. I can't take pictures at ALL on the infield or I'll get DQ'd.

I might be able to get some video of the top girls and guys if I leave the infield and sit in the stands. The stands are not that far away, but with the low lighting indoors, I won't be able to get good pictures from there, so I am not even going to try.

God forbid the NAIA get any media attention. We only have the USA National Champion competing tomorrow in the pole vault. Not to mention some amazing athletes who are competitive nationaly and internationaly in the other events.

But hey, I'm an athlete, what would I know about any of that?

[rainbowgirl28]

I was getting some awesome pictures too

[CHC04Vault]

is it just me, or T&F sometimes the most anal sport ever???

[Lord of the Poles]

That sucked Becca!

and CHC is right, they are pretty anal sometimes, as that guy clearly presented.

[KYLE ELLIS]

Doesnt sound like they have officials that are fans of track, why do they even officiate grouchy old bags!

[rainbowgirl28]

Doesnt sound like they have officials that are fans of track, why do they even officiate grouchy old bags!

It's not the officials, it's the meet management. Most of the officials I have met here are cool.

[MightyMouse]

Track and Field is probably one of the least attended sports in a college, and its own people are turning down media attention.... *sigh*

[Bruce Caldwell]

LETS not provide any special advertisement or publicity to track and field someone might enjoy the pictures and bring more people to the sport. That would be terrible then meet management will have far too many more kids to manage and it will be hard on them.

BAN TRACK and FIELD free publicity it might bring more participants!

There might be pictures that will stimulate people to jump higher perform harder to beat the ones who are illustrated in the pictures.
There might be free advertising that shows a manufacturers product and they will get the advertising free and management will not get a cut of the potential advertising dollar.

What kind of business are these people in? Because what ever it is it is not in the best interest of the sport.