CIF Media Credential Request

THEIR REJECTION:

From: nocettir <rnocetti@cifstate.org>
To: andynoise@yahoo.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 12:17:38 PM
Subject: CIF Media Credential Request

We received your application for a credential for the CIF State Track and Field Championships. After reviewing the application and visiting your website, we are unable to grant your request at this time. It appears that you sell photos on your website and we have an exclusive contract with MaxPreps as the official photographer of the CIF

MY RESPONSE:

Every year, there is a new reason. In 2007, I was told by your office that all my site was a bunch of links to information on other sites. That it was nice that I did that but I needed original content. So I wrote meet previews and meet recaps and more for the 2007 cross country season and the 2008 track season. I was again denied in 2008 (for track) because I was deemed to not be a media outlet and though my photos were nice they were on a "flickr" account.

So I continued to write and post photos of the 2008 cross country season (got rejection for a pass for the state cross country meet) and this season for track, I even wrote more. Plus I bought a better camera and opened up a pro Smug Mug account. I have even taken the time to label most of my photos on there too. Once again, I sent off a credential request and have been denied again.

All I want to do is cover my Central Section athletes that I have been covering for the past three years. I do not want to cover just the stars (though making it to state is a huge achievement) like my local paper will do. The Bakersfield Californian is a fine paper but they will cover Matt Darr, Chris Schwartz and Anna Jelmini and post a couple photos and a brief story on the meet and be done with it. I want to cover all my athletes that made it to state, like I have done at this link:

CIF State Track & Field Championships: June 5 & 6
and like I did at the this meet:

CIF Central Section Finals - 05/23/09
and many others.

"It appears that you sell photos on your website and we have an exclusive contract with MaxPreps as the official photographer of the CIF". I understand contracts etc so what if I only post my photos on flickr were they are free.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andynoise/sets/72157618705852972/

Or on Smug Mug and I make them free.

Furthmore, Maxpreps doesn't seem to care very much for track, if one goes to their main page:

http://www.maxpreps.com/california/state.aspx?state=ca&urpath=,national

They don't even list track & field as a sport on the site. The only evidence that they cover track is a couple photos on the bottom of the page. Lastly, even my own local paper sells their photos and I bet most media outlets that get media credentials do.

http://bakersfield.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=23922856&event=768052&CategoryID=40209#Tabs

So why do they get a credential and I don't?