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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Youth T&I League Protocall Home/Away?
Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | usa | Posted: 9:57 PM on 06.04.09 |
->> I live in a large city with three Little leagues of which I am the contract photographer for 2 of the 3, T&I and action. The city has a city tournament in which all three leagues top teams (minor and Major leagues) play for a city championship. This year the host league is the league I do not cover but the championships on Sunday will have a team from one of my leagues and played at their fields.
The question is do I need to get any approval to go to the "other" leagues field to cover one of "my" teams? I plan on inquiring about covering the host league, in case their photog has a contract. I know this company and they do not do much action but want to make sure and not step on anyones toes.
Does the location matter as long as I am cover my client(s)?
Jim |
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Clay Begrin, Photographer
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Petaluma | Ca | USA | Posted: 10:38 PM on 06.04.09 |
| ->> Hi Jim, I shoot mostly youth "action" photography and Little League is one of the sports I cover. I see two issues: First being what are you legally entitled to do and second what is the right thing to do. If I were in your shoes, I would first contact the other photographer and ask if they plan to provide action coverage. If they do, I personally would stay away unless they didn't mind me being there, as I wouldn't want them doing that to me. I know some may feel that several photographers should be allowed, but with local youth Little League I wouldn't want too many. If shooting outside the fences it is my understanding that if it is a public field you are legally entitled to shoot. However if the other photographer does not plan to shoot action, I would contact the President of the host league and ask for permission to be on the field. I am assuming you have a good reputation with the board members of the leagues where you regularly shoot and I would tell the host league President that the President of XXX league can vouch for my professionalism on and around the fields. I'm assuming you're on the field for the leagues you regularly shoot. That league may not allow field access and I would then ask if they had a problem if I shot outside the fences. For me it is all about reputation which I have a great one and I wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation by shooting an event or two where it may create a negative reputation. In my city I plan on being here a long time and wish to keep things smooth. Hope this gives you one opinion. |
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Richard Favinger Jr, Photographer
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Pottstown | PA | USA | Posted: 11:21 PM on 06.04.09 |
->> Can't say much else here, I agree...
I do the same stuff, shooting for my "home" league, but also equally shoot for the towns 2 others local leagues. How ever the town is small, and I am THE only photographer covering games.
I have a rep with the presidents of the 3 leagues, and field access, I also have a rep with the District Administrator, because he's THE BOSS to all the presidents.
If your home team really wants / needs shots, maybe strike a deal with photographer #2, and just shoot your guys, and he shoots his?
Field access is key! Got to ask! And be nice to the umps! ;-)
Field access to me is foul territory, I'm never actually ON the field or near the line in play. How ever you are IN PLAY so, mind your bean, less you take one off the head. |
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Kevin Seale, Photographer
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Crawfordsville | IN | United States | Posted: 11:23 PM on 06.04.09 |
->> While I do not disagree with trying to be amicable, my question is if it is a city tourney with multiple leagues, why/how would any league specific contract come into play anyway unless there is a specific contract pertaining to just the tourney?
Again, unless there is a tourney specific contract I think you have just as much right to access to cover your league's team as (s)he does to cover theirs. For that matter, I see no reason you should not have the option to cover both teams and complete with the other photographer for sales if you want. The customer (Parents) could care less who takes the picture. They just want the best results and if you can outshoot the other photographer, good for you and too bad for them.
If you have any interest in trying to pick up the third league contract, I would take full advantage of the opportunity to cover their representative team and would use it as my examples when I submitted my bid. This is a business, and an extremely competitive one at that. You owe it to yourself to gain as much business as possible and the customers will appreciate and embrace you, not create a negative reputation for you, if you are better than their current supplier.
I also consider myself lucky to live in a small town in the midwest. All this talk of contacting presidents, and getting multiple levels of approval is foreign to me. Around here, if you want to go take pictures, you go take pictures. The only time anyone might give you any grief is if you have an umpire that doesn't want you in a specific spot. 95% of the time it is free access.
The competition here is not the "official" photographer, but the 15 parents per team with their own cameras. |
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Kevin Seale, Photographer
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Crawfordsville | IN | United States | Posted: 11:28 PM on 06.04.09 |
| ->> I need to clarify my statement about free access. This does not apply to anyone who wants on the field. Like Richard, I live in a small town and everyone knows me so I never get any resistance but I also never had any resistance when I was first starting either. Again, small town with not near the politics it sounds like is more the norm in most places. |
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Clay Begrin, Photographer
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Petaluma | Ca | USA | Posted: 11:45 PM on 06.04.09 |
| ->> I agree with Richard about the officals. If the officials don't know me I always go and introduce myself, explain who I am , what I am there for and that I have the leagues approaval and that if they have any issues with me, please let me know and I'll correct the issue as I want to work with them. |
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Sam Santilli, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Philippi | WV | USA | Posted: 12:33 PM on 06.05.09 |
->> Kev, call the host league president and get the ok...calling the "other" shooter will be the kiss of death.
If the host league was a deal with the other shooter, stay home. You would not like him to rip you off, so do the right thing and respect his contract. Hopefully, if as you stated, the other company dores not do action much, you should be ok. Keep yourself professional, and you may end up with that league as well. Let us know how it works out. |
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Michael Granse, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 1:24 PM on 06.05.09 |
->> I do not think you have a conflict of contracts here, but a coincidence of geography. You have a conract to shoot T&I for the away team who happens to be playing at the field where some other photographer has a contract to shoot T&I for the home team.
Since neither of you is going to shoot T&I for the other's team, there should not be a problem here. |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | usa | Posted: 5:39 PM on 06.05.09 |
->> Just an update and thanks for the input and varying views. I had no intention of getting in contact with the "other" photog but did send the president and vice president of the league to see if they had and issues. Got a response this morning basically saying go for it and shoot our teams too.
I was always going to go to the games it was just a question about shooting the teams that are in the league that I am not contracted with. if I did not get this reply i would have only shot the teams from the league I work with.
in the end i will get more and hopefully this league for next year!
Jim |
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