Office of Athletic Media Services
The Office of Media Services at PFW is responsible for the day-to-day publicity efforts of 16 Division I sports. The primary function of the PFW Media Services Office is to service and accommodate the media in its coverage of the entire Mastodons' Athletic department. Requests for interviews and photos of student-athletes, coaches, or administration must be made 24 hours in advance through the media relations office.
The Media Services Office, located in the Hilliard Gates Sports Center, handles a myriad of press services, including, but not limited to, the issuing of credentials, the publication of media guides, game programs, and press notes, as well as compiling statistics and web site maintenance.
Members of the Media Services Office will assist you with any day-of-game need, including player and coach information, in-game statistics and post-game notes and quotes.
Journalists and media covering Fort Wayne Athletics benefit from working in a professional and comfortable environment.
Members of the Media Services staff are on call virtually every day of the year, around the clock, in an effort to enhance the coverage of Fort Wayne Athletics
Athletic Department Printed Material
All printed material is the responsibility of the director of athletic media services as assigned by the director of athletics. The SID along with the athletics director will make the determination of what is printed and distributed.
Athletic Media Services Questionnaire
All student-athletes will be required to fill out a student-athlete questionnaire at the fall student-athlete meeting, or before their competition season begins. The SID will provide all head coaches with the appropriate questionnaires.
Team Photos
All photos will be arranged by the Athletic Media Services Department.
Media Interviews
All media interviews of student-athletes must be arranged through the Athletic Media Services Department. Coaches are asked to inform the Athletic Media Services Department of any interviews they may be giving. Coaches should inform the Athletic Media Services Department if they know of media attending practices. PFW's locker rooms are closed to all media. The head coach will be available for interviews in the Media Room after each contest. Players will also be available by request at that time.
Reporting Scores to the Media
In all cases, the Athletic Media Services office will be responsible to ensure that the results of an Fort Wayne Athletic event are properly disseminated to the media and other appropriate outlets. The SID will make arrangements with the opposing SID for score reporting. If needed, the coach will call the SID with the results immediately following the contest.
All contests, whether won or lost, will be reported to Fort Wayne media.
Games/Match Statistics
The Athletic Media Services Department will be responsible for game/player statistics at home contests.
News Releases
The Athletic Media Services Department will submit press releases on Fort Wayne Athletics to the Fort Wayne media on a daily or weekly basis. Periodically, the Athletic Media Services Department submits feature ideas to local media, as well as the athletes’ hometown media. Coaches are encouraged to contact the Athletic Media Services Department with special requests and readily submit special items that may be of interest to the media.
Historical Record Keeping
The Athletic Media Services Department is responsible for maintaining files and records on all present and former Fort Wayne Athletics including but not limited to: statistics, honors, awards, news clippings and photos. In some cases, the coach may be asked to assist the Athletic Media Services Department in research. Also, the Athletic Media Services Department will become the official record keeper for team records.
Website Update
The Athletic Media Services Department will be responsible for keeping the athletic department website updated in a timely fashion.
Credentials
Credentials for home games are provided to those members of the media who are covering the game in a full working capacity and requests should be made by email as far in advance as possible. Members of the media MUST contact the Athletic Media Services Department by noon on game day in order to request a seat. A media pass does not necessarily guarantee a seat. Spouses, dates, children and non-workers are NOT permitted in the media areas. PFW reserves the right to revoke passes and privileges at any time due to misrepresentation or misconduct. Fan-based web sites are not eligible for media credentials. Scouts wishing for credentials must email, or have a member of the organization email Media Services Director Bill Salyer directly. No third-party scouting credentials are allowed.
Photographers
Photographers are not permitted to shoot from in front of the team benches nor from the catwalk above the floor (for security, insurance and safety reasons). Along the end lines, photographers must stay behind the broken line and clear of the free throw lane. Flashes are not allowed. Photographers are required to shoot from courtside. Certified photographers of newspapers, magazines, wire services and TV stations must request passes in writing. No credentials will be issued to freelance photographers.
Injuries
The Media Relations Department cannot disclose any health issue relating to a student-athlete due to the HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (HIPAA). All inquiries must be made to Head Athletic Trainer Nick Antonelli.
NCAA Guidelines and the Media
Media members should be aware of several NCAA rules that apply to student-athletes. If there is ever a question if any media-related activity or event including an PFW student-athlete could be a possible NCAA violation, contact Media Services Director Derrick Sloboda for an interpretation.
Areas of concern include:
Coaches and University officials cannot make comments on prospective student-athletes until they sign a National Letter of Intent. A coach cannot comment on a prospective student-athlete who verbally commits to an institution.
The Media Relations Department cannot disclose any health issue relating to a student-athlete due to the HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (HIPAA). All inquiries must be made to Head Athletic Trainer Nick Antonelli.
Coaches and athletic staff are not permitted to write guest columns for publications.
Do not ask student-athletes to list or endorse products. Commercial photographers cannot provide student-athletes with photographs or slides. The media relations office offers a similar service for student-athletes to purchase photographs.
Student-athletes may not be used in advertisements or endorsements of products, including media-related publications or on radio.
Student-athletes are not permitted to conduct interviews for 1-900 services.
During the playing season, a student-athlete may appear on local radio or television programming or engage in writing projects.