FHSAA Credentialing Policy

A. Regular Season

This policy applies only to FHSAA State Series contests. Member schools may choose to adopt all or part of this policy for use during the regular season, but they are not obligated to adhere to this policy outside of FHSAA State Series competition.

B. State Series Preliminaries

1. Working news media with valid press identification must be admitted to the facility without charge for FHSAA State Series contests. This valid press identification should be in the form of a card issued to the individual by the news media organization which the individual represents.

2. Every effort should be made to provide all media personnel with seating which allows an unobstructed view of the playing area. It is preferable that this seating be at mid-court or mid-field from the center out. The host school principal or contest managers should reserve more space for the news media for an FHSAA State Series contest than is required for a regular season contest.

3. An outlet which has been approved by the FHSAA to originate broadcasts of an FHSAA State Series contest must be provided with an adequate area in which to work. This area should provide an unobstructed view of the playing area. The station must contact the host school principal or contest manager in advance to make arrangements for seating and equipment set-up. (See the FHSAA Broadcast Policy for details.)

4. Media personnel must understand that certain facilities in which FHSAA State Series contests may be held will have limited seating in the press box or media seating area and that it may be necessary for them to sit in the spectator seating area. When such situations occur, the host school principal or contest manager should give priority consideration to the principal media outlets covering the two schools participating in the particular contest.

5. Media personnel may prefer to cover FHSAA State Series football and soccer games from the sidelines. Access to the sidelines is left to the discretion of the host school principal or contest manager who should guard against the overcrowding of the sideline areas which may threaten the safety of the media personnel, the participants and the contest officials. Media personnel must remain outside each team box at all times.
(a) Media personnel must avoid distracting the participating teams and refrain from entering either team’s box during the game.
(b) Photographers and videographers are prohibited from erecting tripods on the sidelines during the game.

6. The host school should cooperate with media personnel in providing them access to a work area and telephone following an FHSAA State Series contest so that the media personnel may file their account of the contest. Please understand that these individuals are working on a deadline. The head coach of each competing team is encouraged to cooperate with the news media by participating in interviews as quickly as possible following the conclusion of the contest and providing game statistics or meet results when available.

7. Designated Media Areas (National Federation Baseball Rule 1-2-3 and National Federation Softball Rule 1-2-3) are mandatory for all FHSAA State Series baseball and softball games which are played in facilities without camera wells.
(a) The host school shall be responsible for determining the location of the area and clearly marking its boundaries. The FHSAA recommends the area be located behind either the first base coaching box or the third base coaching box and that the boundary of the area most distant from home plate be flush with the baseline between first and second base extended or the baseline between second and third base extended. The FHSAA further recommends the area be 20 feet wide and at least five feet deep with the back of the area being the fence or dugout area.
(b) Only photographers and videographers should be allowed in the area. Reporters should remain off the playing field while the game is in progress.
(c) The Umpire-in-Chief will check for the location of the area and shall be the final judge as to the safety of its location. If in the judgment of the umpire, the area is not safely located or could be involved too much in play, the umpire may prohibit the use of the area. Photographers and videographers will be required to remain off the playing field if use of the area is prohibited.
(d) While the FHSAA does not require Designated Media Areas be marked for regular season baseball and softball games, umpires shall be instructed to enforce National Federation Baseball Rule 1-2-3 and National Federation Softball Rule 1-2-3 and prohibit access to unmarked fields by photographers and videographers. For this reason, the FHSAA strongly recommends the areas be marked so that photo and video coverage of regular season contests is not jeopardized.

8. Electronic flash equipment may be used by photographers at FHSAA State Series contests provided the use of such equipment does not interfere with the conduct of the competition. The host school principal, contest manager and/or the officials assigned to work the contest will have the authority to require photographers to cease using electronic flash equipment if it is determined that it interferes with the conduct of the competition. Photographers should be granted reasonable access to the out-of-bounds areas of the court or field in all sports as long as their presence does not interfere with the contest and does not endanger either themselves, the student-athletes or the officials working the contest. The host school principal, contest manager and/or the officials assigned to work an FHSAA State Series contest will have the authority to require the repositioning of photographers if they believe their placement may threaten the safety of the participants or interfere with the conduct of the competition.

9. If members of the news media do not abide by the news media rules and regulations established by the host school principal, contest manager and the FHSAA for an FHSAA State Series contest, their credentials may be revoked and/or they may jeopardize their opportunity to secure credentials in the future. The contest manager will have the authority to act on the behalf of the FHSAA in enforcing this policy.

C. FHSAA State Championships: Securing Credentials

1. News media personnel must obtain credentials from the FHSAA or the host school or host organization, if designated, for admission to the facility for FHSAA State Championship events in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer (winter), swimming and diving, track and field, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling. Credentials are not needed for FHSAA State Championship events in golf or tennis. Credentials provide news media personnel with access to the press seating area and other press facilities. NOTE: The FHSAA may issue a FHSAA Finals season credential to select news media representatives. This season credential will be good for admission to all FHSAA Finals state championship events during the school year. News media representatives receiving such a season credential still will be required to notify the FHSAA Office of their plans to attend an event to be guaranteed seating and informational materials at the event.

2. Legitimate requests for credentials only will be honored. Persons accompanying media personnel to an FHSAA State Championship event will be admitted to the facility only with a ticket of admission.

3. Requests for credentials to an FHSAA State Championship event must be made on-line via a secured area on the FHSAA website or on company stationary and received by the FHSAA Office or the host school or organization, if designated, by the deadline established for that event. Only those representatives requesting credentials by the deadline will be guaranteed seating and informational materials at the event. The FHSAA Office will e-mail media representatives on its e-mail list with instructions on securing credentials online.

4. It is the responsibility of the individual(s) requesting credentials to an FHSAA State Championship event to follow up with the FHSAA Office or the host school or host organization, if designated, to verify receipt of and approval for legitimate requests for media credentials. An individual or outlet which submits a request for credentials will not automatically receive confirmation.

D. FHSAA State Championships: Limitations on Credentials

1. The FHSAA reserves the right to limit the number of credentials issued to any one outlet for an FHSAA State Championship event so that as many outlets as possible may be accommodated.

2. The following guidelines set maximum limits on the number of credentials to be issued for an FHSAA State Championship event:
(a) Daily Newspaper or Wire Service – 4 reporter credentials; 2 photographer passes;
(b) Non-Daily Newspaper – 1 reporter credential; 1 photographer pass;
(c) Originating Radio Station – 4 reporter credentials;
(d) Non-Originating Radio Station – 1 reporter credential;
(e) Television Crew Originating Tape-Delay Telecasts –Number agreeable to both outlet and FHSAA;
(f) Television News Team Shooting Highlight Footage –1 reporter credential; 1 videographer pass; 1 producer/technician pass.

3. Out-of-state media personnel will not be granted media credentials to FHSAA State Championship events unless the outlet which they represent covers one of the participating schools or has an established circulation within the state of Florida of such a number that is deemed representative by the FHSAA. The FHSAA, however, shall reserve the right to deny credentials to an FHSAA State Championship event to any out-of-state media personnel even if the outlet which they represent meets the requirements listed herein.

4. Exceptions to all limits may be made by the FHSAA on a case-by-case basis.

E. FHSAA State Championships: Distribution of Credentials, Seating and Parking

1. Credentials to FHSAA State Championship events will not be mailed in advance, but may be picked up at the press entrance upon presentation of proper identification. An individual picking up credentials will be required to sign for them.

2. Acceptance of media credentials to an FHSAA State Championship event constitutes an agreement by the individual to abide by all media regulations furnished by the FHSAA and/or the contest manager.

3. Credentials to FHSAA State Championship events are almost exclusively issued as string tags. The tags must always be visible while at the event site. In some cases, specific areas will be restricted for media only.

4. Credentials to FHSAA State Championship events are approved only for authorized representatives of the company to which they were issued, and are not transferable. Unauthorized use of this credential will cause the person(s) and/or company responsible to forfeit future media privileges. It is the responsibility of the company or individual to which a credential has been issued to report its loss to the FHSAA or contest manager. The decision to replace lost credentials rests solely with the FHSAA.

5. Seats at some locations may be assigned by either the FHSAA Office or the host site. When this occurs, seating assignments will be prioritized as follows: (1) FHSAA television network; (2) FHSAA radio network; (3) daily newspaper in whose circulation area the event is being held; (4) daily newspapers which cover the two participating teams; (5) news wire services; (6) non-daily newspapers which cover the two participating teams; (7) all other daily newspapers; (8) all other non-daily newspapers; (9) all other radio and television stations; and (10) all other media.

6. Possession of a credential to an FHSAA State Championship event does not guarantee media personnel a seat in the press area for all contests or sessions. Seating will be assigned only for those individuals who request credentials in advance on a first-come, first-served basis.

7. Seating in the media area will be restricted to working news media. Friends and relatives who accompany the news media to the event site will not be allowed to sit in the media area.

8. The host site will provide working news media with reasonable access to telephones on which toll-free, credit card or collect calls can be placed for the purpose of filing reports. Arrangement for installation of personal telephone lines and payment for their use is the sole responsibility of each individual outlet.

9. The FHSAA or the host site will provide each member of the working news media one (1) copy of the official event program, as well as official results, statistics, etc. upon the conclusion of each contest. Such items will be provided on a complimentary basis.

10. “Cheerleading” or verbal abuse of contest officials in the working media areas will not be tolerated. These areas will be maintained to offer a working atmosphere conducive to productivity and concentration.

11. Violation of this policy may result in the loss of credentials and ejection from the news media area.

12. Reserved parking, where available, will be provided for media personnel with credentials which have been issued by the FHSAA to an FHSAA State Championship event. However, the FHSAA is not obligated to provide reserved parking for the news media. In most cases, parking in the press area will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

F. FHSAA State Championships: Postgame Interviews

1. The FHSAA operates under a closed lockerroom policy at all FHSAA State Championship events. At no time will news media personnel be granted access to lockerrooms or dressing rooms at any FHSAA State Championship event.

2. Awards ceremonies at FHSAA State Championship events are to take place in a timely and smooth fashion following conclusion of competition and is an FHSAA priority. While the FHSAA recognizes the deadlines and time constraints of the news media, it is FHSAA policy that interviews of coaches and athletes involved in awards ceremonies must wait until the conclusion of the ceremony. This allows for awards to be conducted in an appropriate manner with equal treatment to all media.

3. The following postgame interview policy will apply for FHSAA State Championship events in football:
(a) At the conclusion of the championship game 10 minutes shall be placed on the game clock. During this 10-minute period, media representatives will be permitted on field to interview coaches and players.
(b) Once the 10-minute period has expired, all media representatives other than photographers and videographers will be instructed to leave the field for the awards ceremony. No interviews shall be permitted during the awards ceremony.
(c) Once the awards ceremony is completed, media representatives may conduct additional interviews at the discretion of the coaches and players.

4. The following postgame interview policy will apply for FHSAA State Championship events in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball:
(a) The host site must designate a room or area secluded from the general public for a postgame press conference involving the head coach and up to five players from each team participating in the just-concluded contest.
(b) Participation in this press conference by the head coach is mandatory. Participation by the athletes is voluntary and at the discretion of the head coach.
(c) The procedure for each press conference will be as follows: (1) a five minute “cooling off” period will precede the start of the press conference; (2) the first head coach and athletes to appear will be from the losing team and will take questions for approximately five minutes; (3) the second head coach and athletes to appear will be from the winning team and will take questions for approximately 10 minutes.
(d) The interview session for each team must be conducted as expeditiously as possible so that the coaches may tend to responsibilities to their athletes or to the requirement that they vacate dressing rooms. Both the head coach and athletes may agree to supplemental one-on-one interviews following their press conference at their discretion.

5. The following postgame interview policy will apply for FHSAA State Championship events in cross country, golf, swimming & diving, tennis, track and field and wrestling:
(a) The host site must designate a room or area secluded from the general public for post-competition interviews in a relaxed setting involving the head coach and athletes from participating schools. This is not a formal press conference and interviews will not be restricted to the designated area. Coaches and athletes may agree to be interviewed outside the designated interview area at their discretion.
(b) Participation in interviews by the head coach when requested is mandatory. Participation by the athletes is voluntary.

G. FHSAA State Championships: Photography

1. Electronic flash equipment may be used by photographers at FHSAA State Championship events held outdoors provided the use of such equipment does not interfere with the conduct of the competition. The use of electronic flash equipment, other than strobe flash, at FHSAA State Championship events held indoors, however, is strictly prohibited. The FHSAA, contest manager and/or the officials assigned to work the contest will have the authority to require photographers to cease using electronic flash equipment at outdoor contests if it is determined that it interferes with the conduct of the competition.

2. Photographers and videographers displaying proper credentials to FHSAA State Championship events will be granted reasonable access to the out-of-bounds areas of the court or field in all sports as long as their presence does not interfere with the contest and does not endanger either themselves, the student-athletes or the officials working the contest, and does not violate the rules of the host facility. However, the FHSAA reserves the right to limit shooting spaces and shooting locations on an event-by-event basis.

3. Designated Media Areas (National Federation Baseball Rule 1-2-3 and National Federation Softball Rule 1-2-3) will be marked when necessary for the FHSAA State Baseball Championships and at the FHSAA State Softball Championships. Only photographers and videographers will be allowed in these areas.

H. FHSAA State Championships: Participating Schools

Upon written request of the school’s FHSAA representative, the FHSAA will provide to each participating school in an FHSAA State Championship event up to four (4) temporary floor/field passes (with accompanying instructions) for use by student media, such as the school newspaper, school yearbook and school video yearbook. No other passes than the four (4) will be given to a participating school for use by its student media.

I. FHSAA State Championships: Revocation of Credentials

If members of the news media do not abide by the news media rules and regulations established by the FHSAA, their credentials may be revoked and/or they may jeopardize their opportunity to secure credentials in the future. The contest manager will have the authority to act on the behalf of the FHSAA in enforcing this policy.