Issues with Media Rights, Broadcasting, and Press Credentials in Sports

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/31/nfl-adopts-game-day-social-media-policy/

Over the past five-years, various means of social media has become a real-time, trusted news source. Because of such technological advances, the NFL is not allowing reporters and commentators to participate in any social networking during games.  By doing so, the NFL seeks to protect their copyrighted material from losing money.  Franchises want as much exclusivity and ownership of the aired material as possible.  In my opinion, having reporters, bloggers and commentators upload play-by-play details to social media outlets during the games will be beneficial to their brand awareness.  This could also increase revenue streams if carried out the correct way. 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jeff_wagenheim/04/13/credentials/index.html

Two reporters assigned to cover a Mixed Marshal Arts (MMA) event were denied access to press credentials.  The reporters denied credentials were Josh Gross, of ESPN.com and freelance journalist Loretta Hunt, she was assigned coverage by CBSSports.com.  These reporters are two of the most experienced and respected journalists covering MMA fights.  MMA President Dana White was not pleased with the press coverage of theses two individuals after prior MMA events and denied them access at the door.

http://john-seidenberg.suite101.com/increased-restrictions-on-covering-sports-events-a149480

Certain media rights precautions that the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and Major League Baseball (MLB) have taken are restricting the duration of audio and video involving team members during game situations.  Also, they have limited the allotted length of game footage that can be archived on a Web site.  Leagues have followed many of these existing limitations in trying to control the product that comes out of sports coverage.  After reading this article, I became more aware of the minute details that are involved in each league’s content coverage standards.  Individually, they have a set news value placed on their content coverage.  For instance, MLB believes a game has no news value beyond 72 hours.