By applying for a media credential to cover a USA Ultimate event, applicants agree to review and adhere to the USA Ultimate Media Guidelines outlined below. Before submitting an application for a credential, please thoroughly review these guidelines. If you have an questions, please don’t hesitate to contact USA Ultimate’s media relations department.
1. GENERAL GUIDELINES
USA Ultimate strives to maintain a welcoming, professional, positive and safe working environment for members of the media. Accredited members of the media are expected to adhere to these guidelines and the instruction of USA Ultimate staff, the local organizing committee and event security at all times or risk limitation of access or revocation of credentials.
Media credentials are intended to provide working members of the press access to facilities such as media work space, and in some cases, field access for the purposes of video, photography or an unobstructed view of competition. Credentials are reserved for working press on assignment or approved media representatives of participating teams and are granted at the sole discretion of USA Ultimate’s marketing and communications department.
2. ACCREDITATION
Members of the media may apply for a media credential at any time through the online accreditation application. Credentials will be issued for major USA Ultimate championship events, including the College Championships, U.S. Open and National Championships. USA Ultimate also reserves the right to require media credentials at additional events at its sole discretion. The deadline to apply for media credentials is one week prior to the start of an event.
3. CREDENTIAL PICK-UP
Accredited media my pick up their credential during the event registration period, which is routinely held the evening before competition begins. All accredited media are encouraged to attend registration at this time in order to pick up their credential. In the event that an accredited member of the media cannot attend the event registration period, credentials will be made available for pick up on site at the USA Ultimate tent, subject to staff availability.
4. MEDIA WORK SPACE
A media tent, press box or other space provided by USA Ultimate is intended to serve as a place for working members of the media to do their job. Only credentialed media may access the designated media workspace. The availability, size and ___location of media workspace may vary across venues. In some cases, access and seating will be prioritized.
USA Ultimate will make every reasonable effort to provide internet access for working media, but cannot guarantee it for all events as it is often subject to existing venue infrastructure and available wireless networks.
All media covering a USA Ultimate event are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner at all times by following these rules:
- No alcohol.
- No smoking, use of tobacco products or illegal substances.
- No cheering, unruly behavior or profanity.
- Vocal volume should be conducive to a working environment.
- Dress accordingly. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times. Clothing with offensive messaging is prohibited.
- Fluids in vicinity of workspace must be in closeable, sealable containers.
- Clean up after yourself.
5. FIELD ACCESS (GENERAL)
To ensure the safety of participating athletes, coaches, support staff, officials and media, and in order to provide fans with an unobstructed view of competition, USA Ultimate restricts the access of people and equipment around the field of play. At no time should a member of the media interfere with, or otherwise compromise the competitive integrity of the game.
Adjacent to the field of play is a dashed “player line”. The only people allowed in the space between the player line and the sideline are observers working the game, pre-approved and accredited broadcast partners, official USA Ultimate photographers and one (1) team photographer per team competing in the game. Observers frequently run up and down the field in this designated space throughout the course of the game. A photographer in this space must never obstruct the observers’ ability to move freely or otherwise safely perform their job. USA Ultimate has a zero-tolerance policy for obstructing observers. A first offense will result in restricted access behind the player line. A second offense will result in immediate revocation of credentials.
Other accredited media covering a game may position themselves between the player line and the solid “equipment line” for a better view of the field, however they are encouraged to stay behind the equipment line whenever possible.
Any and all equipment, including but not limited to bags, jackets, water bottles, camera equipment, etc. must be left outside of the equipment line. For photographers, this includes tripods, monopods, extra lenses and other equipment.
Shooting still photography or video from an elevated position is permitted with pre-approval from USA Ultimate. Stepladders, scaffolding, or other similar equipment is not permitted on the sidelines. Stepladders may be used behind the end zones and must be at least 15 yards from the field of play.
6. FIELD ACCESS (STADIUM/SHOWCASE FIELD)
In addition to the guidelines in Section 5, the following, additional guidelines apply to accredited members of the media when covering competition in a stadium setting, or on the showcase field with restricted access. For select semifinal or championship games, or games that are televised or livestreamed, field access may become more restricted and require a daily, color-coded “field pass” in addition to your credential.
Priority will be given to rights-holding broadcast/livestreaming media, official USA Ultimate photographers and videographers, local and national media outlets, ultimate-specific media entities and credentialed media representatives of participating teams.
7. FIELD LAYOUT
The following diagram represents a typical sideline at a USA Ultimate championship event. Access to the sidelines is described in Section 5 above. If you have any questions, or are otherwise unsure of where to stand, please ask a USA Ultimate official on site.
8. INTERVIEWS
USA Ultimate is available to help facilitate media interviews with any participating athletes, coaches or event organizers. If you’d like to connect with an individual to schedule an interview, please contact USA Ultimate’s marketing and communications department. For accredited media, here are a few simple guidelines to follow regarding interviews with athletes and coaches.
- While your credential may provide you access to sidelines, never approach an athlete or coach for an interview during the course of a game – including halftime, timeouts or other stoppages.
- There is no formal mixed zone or other designated field-side interview area. Interviews with athletes and coaches may be conducted up to one hour prior to the start of a game, or anytime following the conclusion of a game.
- Be respectful of athletes, coaches, team staff an event organizers at all times.
9. PHOTOGRAPHY
To be eligible for accreditation, all photographers must agree to USA Ultimate’s Recording Partnership Agreement as part of their accreditation application.
10. VIDEO
All video recordings are subject to existing partnerships with rights-holding broadcast and livestreaming partners. All videographers applying for a media credential must complete the “Plans for Coverage” section of the credential application. Plans must not conflict with the exclusive rights granted to video partners. USA Ultimate reserves the right to restrict the distribution of video recordings in order to protect the rights of its broadcast and livestreaming partners.
The following guidelines apply to all non-rights holding, accredited videographers, including local and network television outlets, team-specific media representatives, and other videographers who do not have a pre-existing video agreement in place with USA Ultimate to record and distribute content from its events. Unless otherwise agreed to, USA Ultimate owns all video content produced from its events.
- Accredited videographers may shoot footage of all awards ceremonies, interviews, and other non-competitive activity of which another broadcaster has not acquired the exclusive rights.
- Videographers may not record and distribute all-game programs, on a live or tape-delayed basis, without prior written approval from USA Ultimate.
- In the event that the recording of full-game footage by non-rights holders is approved, USA Ultimate shall receive the first right of refusal to distribute via one or more of its distribution platforms on either a live or tape-delayed basis.
- Should USA Ultimate decline to distribute full-game footage recorded by a non-rights holder, individuals may publish games on their own personal/private platforms, but only after USA Ultimate has been offered – and declined – the opportunity to publish.
- Distribution rights of full-game footage may not be offered by an accredited videographer to a third party.
- Team-specific media representatives may record their own team’s games for private, internal use for the purposes of evaluation and scouting. Any intended public distribution is subject to the aforementioned guidelines.
- Sponsors and other commercial partners may hire video crews to shoot USA Ultimate events for marketing and promotional purposes. All such requests to do so must be cleared with USA Ultimate’s marketing and communications department.
- Non-rights holding accredited videographers may record any game for the purposes of producing highlight footage, unless otherwise prohibited by a pre-existing, exclusive agreement with a rights holder, and provided that all content is also made freely available to USA Ultimate for co-distribution.
- Video content from USA Ultimate events may not be sold, commercialized or otherwise branded with a product, service or business without a Licensing Agreement in place.
- USA Ultimate retains the right record its own video of any and all activity at its events.
11. TEAM MEDIA ACCREDITATION
Each team participating in a USA Ultimate championship event may request a maximum of two (2) team media credentials: One (1) still photographer and one (1) videographer. All accredited team media representatives are subject to the same rules and regulations. Team-specific media credentials are intended to provide teams with access to capture photos or video for their own internal marketing and promotional purposes or to acquire video to be used for player evaluation, opponent scouting, film review, etc. As such, team media credentials provide the necessary access for games in which that team is competing.
