The purpose of the Athletics Media Relation Office is to facilitate communication between the athletic department and its external constituents, increase the awareness of and interest in Eastern Michigan Athletics and to publicize the activities and accomplishments of the student-athletes, teams and athletic department as a whole.
The Athletic Media Relations Office publicizes Eastern Michigan University's 19-sport NCAA Division I program - seven men's programs and 12 women's - through EMU's Official Athletic Site (EMUEagles.com), yearly media guides, press releases, interviews and e-mail distribution. The Athletic Media Relations Office at Eastern Michigan has been in operation since 1960 when Bob Briner was named the first full-time director. Prior to Briner's appointment, the daily duties of the then-Sports Information Office were handled by student employees. There have only been four directors in the history of the office. John Fountain followed Briner in 1966. Jim Streeter was named to the SID position in 1975 and served for 37 years before retiring from the post in October of 2012. Greg Steiner was promoted to Assistant AD/Media Relations on Oct. 22, 2012.
Specific responsibilities of the Athletic Media Relations include, but are not limited to:
- Arranging and overseeing all media interviews
- Arranging and monitoring press conferences and teleconferences
- Handling credential requests for games/matches
- Coordination of gameday on-site operations
- Producing informational and promotional publications
- Writing and distributing press releases and compiling and distributing statistical information
- Keeping the website posted with up-to-date information in a timely manner.
INTERVIEW POLICY
All interview requests must be forwarded to a representative of the Athletic Media Relations Office, and cleared with the primary sports contact. No administrator, coach, or student-athlete shall be contacted by the media without prior consent of the Athletic Media Relations Office. In turn, if a media representative makes contact without prior consent, it is the duty of the interviewee to alert the primary sports contact in the Athletic Media Relations Office.
Players should not be contacted for interviews at their residences, on their cell phones, via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and all other social networking entities.
When a student-athlete is requested for an interview, it is the wish of the primary sports contact to have the interview take place in a controlled environment, with a representative in the general vicinity. This will alleviate any tenuous circumstances, and allow the student-athlete to have a contact nearby, if necessary. Student-athletes' residence phone numbers WILL NOT be provided to the media. It is the intent of the office that all student-athlete interviews take place in the Athletic Media Relations Office, or in a predetermined location. Student-athletes will not be made available for interviews on gameday until after the conclusion of competition. It is at a coach's discretion whether they will conduct interviews on the day of competition.
Eastern Michigan University athletics follows the NCAA guideline of allowing a 10-minute cooling off period following the completion of competition prior to conducting interviews. At a home event, where applicable, the visiting coach and selected student-athletes will enter the media room first, followed by the EMU head coach and selected student-athletes. In the event of a Mid-American Conference or NCAA Championship event, following a 10-minute cooling off period, the winning head coach and selected student-athletes will enter the media room first, followed by the losing head coach and selected student-athletes.
Most practices are open to the media. However, all media are requested to make an advance call to the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office to check on the status of practice for a particular day. Failure to do so may result in an individual's removal from the venue.
During regular season football practices, unless otherwise noted, still and television photographers will be allowed to shoot stretching, warm ups and the first 20 minutes (three periods).
First-year players, including freshmen and transfers, will be made available to the media only after they have made a significant contribution or at the coach's discretion.
MEDIA GUIDES
Starting with the 2010 season, Eastern Michigan University no longer prints media guides. Complete information, including a record book/media supplement will be made available on each sports page at EMUEagles.com.
THE INTERNET
Information on the Eastern Michigan Eagles, all other Mid-American Conference teams and the conference is available to members of the media 24 hours a day through the various school and conference Internet websites. The Eagles' most up-to-date releases and statistics for many sports may be accessed throughout this website. The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has a website at http://www.mac-sports.com/ that is updated daily with statistics, box scores and conference statistics.
GAME SERVICES
Programs, media guides, lineups, statistics, MAC standings and notes and game background information will be supplied at all home baseball, basketball, football, softball and soccer games to accredited media representatives and scouts at Press Row (basketball), and at the Press Tables (soccer) or Press Box (football, baseball and softball). Access to Press Row and Press Room in Rynearson Stadium, the Gervin GameAboveCenter, Oestrike Stadium and Scicluna Field is reserved for properly-credentialed individuals only.
For basketball games, quick stats are provided to broadcasters during time-outs. At football and basketball, NCAA box scores are distributed at halftime with a complete NCAA Final Box Score and Play-by-Play available after the game in the Press Room or Press Boxes. Refreshments will also be served in the Press Box for the media prior to each football game.
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EMU Athletic Media Relations Event Guidelines
WORKING CREDENTIALS
Working press and photography credential applications for all home and road football and basketball games must be made prior to game day with the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office. The mailing address is: 799 N. Hewitt Rd. Convocation Center, Room 307, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197. You can e-mail your request to the Athletic Media Relations Office with your request on company letterhead, including name(s) for the passes, affiliation, press or photo and type and date of the event.
Passes not mailed in advance will be held for pick-up at the "Will Call" office at Rynearson Stadium (football) and the Gervin GameAbove Center (basketball).
Press Row for basketball is located on the main floor of the arena, on the opposite side as the teams in the Gervin GameAbove Center. Seating is limited to working media, professional scouts and accredited school officials. Requests from television stations for highlight cameras will be granted space in football and basketball games on a first-come, first-serve basis. In the case of televised games, all efforts will be made to give the production crew access to prime locations for the broadcast. Postgame press conferences will be held in the media room of the Convocation Center for both football and basketball.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BROADCASTS
The Athletic Media Relations Office has installed permanent telephone lines (Ethernet and a POTS) at the George Gervin Gameabove Center that are made available to visiting radio stations. To arrange for their use or for additional phone lines for broadcasts, please contact Greg Steiner in advance of gameday for arrangements.
Television stations desiring live coverage should contact the Greg Steiner to request broadcast rights.
Media outlets wishing to install any additional telephone lines should make arrangements by calling 734.487.1050.
Broadcast spotters or statisticians may be secured through the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office with advance notice.
PARKING
To arrange for a parking pass please contact the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office in advance of gameday. Directions to campus athletic facilities are available on this website.
WIRELESS
For those with laptop computers that can automatically select an IP address, there is a wireless Internet connection available in Rynearson Stadium and the Gervin GameAboveCenter. See an athletic media relations representative for the password.
Football Media Policies & Information
Eastern Michigan University understands the importance of assisting the media in providing coverage of the institution, its athletics programs, administrators, coaches and student-athletes. To this end, the best attempt will be made to fill reasonable requests by recognized media outlets. Members of the media are encouraged to work with the EMU Athletics Media Relations staff to assist in that endeavor. It is not permissible for media members to contact any athletics department administrator, associate, coach or student-athlete directly without working through the media relations department.
Press Credentials
Working press credential requests must come from the sports editors and the sports directors only. Requests for season passes should be submitted no later than Aug. 18. Requests for single games should be made as far in advance as possible and no later than three (3) days prior to game day. Once approved, all credentials must be picked up on game day at Media Will Call, located at the Convocation Center. Media Will Call will open two (2) hours prior to kick-off. A photo ID must be presented to receive the press credential. Parking passes will be mailed in advance through arrangements. Note: Credentials will be considered only for those media members on specific assignment for a specific media outlet that meets the criteria below.
PRESS BOX PASSES
Daily newspapers will be issued a maximum of four (4) season approved press box credentials. Websites with a national affiliation will be issued a maximum of two (2) season approved press credentials. Television stations based in the Detroit area will be issued a maximum of two (2) season approved press box credentials. Television stations based outside of the Detroit area will be issued a maximum of one (1) season approved press box credential. Radio stations will be granted one (1) season approved credential per daily radio show. In addition, one (1) credential will be distributed per station for the sports director. All other credential requests, including non-daily newspapers, magazines, out-of-market radio stations, etc. will be considered on a game-by-game, case-by-case and space available basis at the discretion of the assistant athletics director/media relations. Non-affiliated bloggers will not be credentialed. Please note: No one under 18 years of age will be issued a credential.
FIELD PASSES
Daily newspapers and websites with national affiliations will be issued a maximum of three (3) season field passes to be used for photography. Television stations will receive a maximum of two (2) field passes. Stations based outside of the Detroit area will receive one field pass. All other credential requests, including non-daily newspapers, magazines, etc., will be considered on a game-by-game, case-by-case and space available basis. Only working photographers/videographers with cameras will be allowed on the field.
Photographers/Sideline Policy
Eastern Michigan University adheres to the NCAA and MAC guidelines regarding media representatives on the sidelines.
- Photo credentials will be issued only to accredited media outlets prior to the game and photo identification must be provided.
- Working photographers/videographers are permitted to shoot in the designated areas. All other media representatives on the field (announcers, reporters, etc.) must stand behind the designated area. This will ensure that photographers/videographers have the appropriate space to do their work.
- According to NCAA policies, the presence of any type of photographer (television or still) in the bench area for all sports is strictly prohibited. According to the NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations Manual (Rule 1, Section 2, Article 4b): "the team area shall be limited to squad members in uniform and a maximum of 40 other individuals directly involved in the game. The 40 individuals not in uniform shall wear special identification." (Rule 1, Section 2, Article 4e): "No media personnel, including journalists, radio and television personnel, or their equipment, shall be in the team area or coaching box, and no media personnel shall communicate in any way with persons in the team area or coaching box."
Internet Credential Policy
EMU adheres to the MAC policies regarding representatives of websites. The official website of the home and visiting schools will be credentialed. Other websites will not be credentialed unless they meet specifications outlined below:
- Must be a legal corporate entity that has been in business for at least one full calendar year and has provided coverage of EMU or the visiting team for at least one year.
- Must provide regular coverage of EMU or the visiting team with its own staff of reporters, photographers and equipment.
No credentials will be issued to any website that is not deemed by the EMU Media Relations Office to have adequate editorial oversight.
SERVICES PROVIDED
Historical and current files
To keep organized, thorough files on all EMU varsity sports for use by media and others. Current season files are kept on each athlete and coach in the Media Relations Office, then added to the historical file room after the players and coaches end their EMU careers. Files may contain photos, media guides, releases, results and other pertinent information. The formulation of electronic computer files that will store press releases, stats, etc., will be implemented in the near future.
Publications
All publications are produced in a timely, top-quality manner and distributed to media. Media guides are provided for all EMU varsity sports. The size and number of each publication is determined by the history (records, tradition, etc...) and the media demand for that particular sport.
Administration and media coordination for numerous special events
A few examples: Plan and implement media and other services for NCAA and MAC events hosted by EMU; Assist in production of football "Kickoff" and various awards banquets; assist in production of basketball Midnight Madness; assist with Football Fan Picture Day; assist in honoring past football and basketball teams and individuals; coordinate Senior Days; coordinate end-of-seasons awards and jersey retirement; provide official statistics crew/scorer and other staff for MAC Tournament and NCAA Tournament games.
Team Travel
To provide adequate media relations services for varsity teams on the road, a media relations representative will travel to all games with football, men's basketball and women's basketball. A member of the media relations staff will travel with other teams on a need-only basis. (Otherwise, the media relations staff member will make arrangements with the host school to receive results for report to state and local media.)
Reporting Results
To report results of all varsity sporting events to local, state and when appropriate, national media, as well as the EMU website. A member of the media relations staff is assigned to each sport to ensure complete coverage.
Public Relations and Fans
The media relations office, in conjunction with the marketing and promotions office, responds to fans' requests for information, photos, etc., in a courteous and prompt manner.
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