Welcome to the MPSSAA Media Policy landing page! Located in this section of our website are forms and instructions for members of the print and visual media covering MPSSAA Championship events. Any questions regarding credentialing at state championship events or broadcasting of playoff events should be referred to Assistant Director Jason Bursick.
CREDENTIALING
The MPSSAA will credential members of the media for state championship events. The MPSSAA Office does not issue credentials to state series preliminary events on the regional levels. State series event managers are instructed to provide complimentary admission and extend professional courtesies to representatives of news media organizations upon presentation of valid news media photo identification.
MPSSAA credentialing is for use solely in connection to news and editorial coverage of the event. Any non-editorial, commercial or other unauthorized use of any transmission, picture, film, videotape, audiotape, writing, drawing or other depiction of any game, game action, game information, player interview or other stadium activity, and any non-editorial or commercial use of the MPSSAA mark or logo is prohibited without prior specific written approval of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. To obtain media credentials for the MPSSAA state championships, please go to the Credential Request page located in the menu to the left. The MPSSAA will stop accepting requests for passes, 24 hours prior to the beginning of the championship event start date. Those not on the media credential list at the event will not be provided credentials on-site.
All media outlets requesting credentials to MPSSAA championship events must:
- Be a Limited Liability Corporation or bona-fide business registered to do business in the state of Maryland or its bordering states.
- Carry its own liability insurance and will hold harmless the MPSSAA, championship venues, and all associated parties for damages, injuries, or death occurring while covering an MPSSAA event.
- Use the official name of the Championship when referring to the event via print, radio, television, webs, or social media.
- Not conduct any interviews on the playing surface at any time unless permitted by MPSSAA staff.
- Not enter any locker rooms where teams are staged.
- Adhere to all media policies of the MPSSAA.
Credentialing is on a first come, first served basis and depends on the space available at the facility. The MPSSAA may deny or revoke credentials for noncompliance with MPSSAA policies and conduct for which there are reasonable grounds to believe violates state or federal law, or constitutes a breach of professional ethics. The MPSSAA will research all media requests prior to awarding credentials that determines if:
- The Organization have an established, longstanding history of coverage.
- The Organization have credibility as a news-gathering organization.
- The Organization have editorial oversight.
- The Organization creates original content which can only be generated by being onsite at an activity.
- The Organization coverage goes beyond the distribution of in-game scoring/statistics updates and highlights.
By completing the media outlet credential request form, the editor, and all individuals with the organization for which a pass has been requested, recognizes, understands, is knowledgeable, and agrees of all rules and regulations of the MPSSAA Media Policy.
School Media Credentialing - School athletic directors shall request credentials for their school photographer/reporter utilizing the School Media Credential Request Form (athletic directors with teams competing in the event will be sent the form). One photographer and one reporter from each participating school, in team championship events, will be allowed, pending space availability, in addition to official press photographers. For individual tournaments, one student media credential will be issued. Athletic directors, please remember that high school media credentials are intended solely for students, or sponsors, in the school journalism, yearbook, or website program(s). High school media credentials will not be considered for parents, booster clubs, spirit groups or other coaches to take pictures or footage of the contest.
To provide accountability, requests for student media coverage must be made by the athletic director of the student(s) school. The following terms must be met:
- All regulations listed in the media information/policies must be followed.
- Online School Media Credential Form must be submitted.
- Still Images must be provided to the MPSSAA upon request.
Other Credential Requests - During MPSSAA championships, no media credentials or courtesies shall be provided to the following:
- Organizations that are exclusively social media-based or personal, fan-based websites.
- Organizations that provide documentary coverage of teams and/or individuals.
- Organizations that are scouting, ranking or recruiting services, professional or college coaches, private clubs, or specialty websites that are promotional services for an activity.
- Commercial/individual photographers/videographers and their companies.
- Parents/Booster Members/Fans.
BLOGGING/VLOGGING POLICY
Any credentialed individual (including news print, internet, new media, television and radio) for an MPSSAA event must abide by the MPSSAA policies regarding blogging/vlogging. Blogs, or Vlogs, may not produce any form of "real-time" accounts, plays or descriptions of the event. Real-time accounts or descriptions are any coverage that provides continuous play-by-play, live and real-time statistics or continuous detailed descriptions of the event. Periodic updates, scores, and statistics are acceptable. Determination of periodic compared to real-time accounts is at the sole discretion of the MPSSAA and has the right to revoke credentials at any point during the event. Please complete the Newscast Privileges Agreement and return it to Jason Bursick.
BROADCASTING / PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY
The MPSSAA must be contacted, in writing, for permission to broadcast, cablecast, or video stream live or on a delayed basis, a contest or any portion of a contest. No live video streaming or broadcasting of the event is permitted at any time without prior permission from the MPSSAA. Violation of this policy is subject to immediate removal and forfeiture of credentials.
Persons photographing or videotaping a contest, and stations cablecasting, or live streaming a contest must remain in the areas that have been designated for spectators, sports photographers, schools, cable/television stations, or internet video broadcasters, respectively.
Persons broadcasting, cablecasting, photographing, videotaping, or live streaming a contest shall not stand on any unsafe or potentially hazardous physical object or facility. Persons broadcasting, cablecasting, photographing, videotaping, or live streaming a contest shall not interfere with the visibility and comfort of spectators, shall not present a safety hazard to spectators, and shall not disrupt, disturb, or interfere with the competition or with an individual competitor. There is to be no equipment in the locker rooms at any time.
Broadcast/live stream announcers/analysts are to confine their remarks to an actual description of the contest and the action in connection with them and will make no comments in regard to the judgment of game officials or coaches during any broadcast originating from the game/contest site. Violation of this clause will result in the organization not being permitted to continue its broadcast.
Outlets are responsible for their own line installations. Championship hosts are not required to provide telephone, Ethernet or other types of transmission access for outlets to use for originating games. Members of the media should contact the site coordinator, or the MPSSAA, prior to an event for access to phone lines, Ethernet or wireless access. The MPSSAA will do its best to provide line installations when available.
All costs, including installations, wire charges, internet access charges, electrical charges, etc., incurred by outlets in connection with playoff originations are to be met by the outlets concerned. There is to be no expense to the MPSSAA or to local event managers in connection with such originations other than making available working space and issuing media credentials for working individuals according to the guidelines found on this page.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography of MPSSAA state championship series events is strictly for the purpose of news and editorial coverage of the event. Only those photos that appear in an actual newspaper or publication that the credential member of the media represents may be sold upon request. No other photographs or any other visual material taken at a MPSSAA event may be sold without express written consent of the MPSSAA. The actual newspaper or publication means a publication printed on paper and distributed to the homes of subscribers or sold at newsstands, or a news website or application operated by the organization that publishes such newspaper or publication.
Media outlets using freelance photographers must have an arrangement with them where the outlet retains the rights to all images shot for its normal publication and business functions, and does not allow the selling of images beyond the outlet's normal polices. The MPSSAA does not issue photography credentials strictly for freelance purposes or to commercial photographers other than its licensed vendors for selected events.
In the interest of public safety, the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for photography or any other purpose is prohibited during MPSSAA district, region, and state tournament competition. Unmanned aircraft systems may not operate in airspace over host school grounds or facilities conducting MPSSAA events.
MEDIA ENTRANCE
All members of the media shall pass through the designated media entrance, if available. Members of the media must display professional credentials with photo identification and may be asked to sign in. Bags and equipment may also be inspected for security purposes.
PRESS AREA
A designated press area will be made available, where possible, for members of the media to view and report on contests. Members of the media should contact the site coordinator prior to an event for access to phone lines, Ethernet or wireless access.