By MARK FALLER, Arizona Republic
APSE’s most recent sweep of professional writers’ groups around North America was about 5 years ago. The rebooted APSE Writers Liaison Committee found that many of the same issues that faced those groups back then are still concerns today.
The overarching issue continues to be reduced access: to newsmakers certainly, but also to the very seats we need to do our jobs.
Some sticking points that APSE editors discovered in reconnecting with representatives from the groups:
— College football writers remain concerned about access issues; many major programs are restricting access at practices and after games.
— Pro football writers are growing weary of empty “open” locker room periods.
— Pro basketball writers fear the NBA may allow players and coaches to talk at shootaround or pre-game availability, but not both.
— Turf writers covering the Kentucky Derby and golf writers covering the PGA Tour continue to struggle to get proper media working conditions.
Another evolving issue is the increased competition from teams and leagues themselves. Pro hockey writers note the NHL’s move toward covering itself with team-paid writers; soccer writers report that “the powers that be … want their own sites to be the news sites for filtered news.”
Finally, some organizations are having trouble sustaining themselves due to the loss of newspaper reporting positions dedicated to the coverage of sports such as tennis and track and field.
The following capsules were compiled by the APSE Writers Liaison Committee and will be updated as needed.
APSE Writers Liaison Committee
— Chairman: Mark Faller, Arizona Republic
— Pro Basketball Writers Association: Nick Mathews, Houston Chronicle
— Baseball Writers Association of America: Kevin Smith, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
— Pro Football Writers Association: Garry D. Howard, Sporting News
— Pro Hockey Writers Association: Loren Nelson, Minnesota Hockey Hub
— U.S. (College) Basketball Writers Association: John Quinn, Philadelphia Inquirer
— (College) Football Writers Association of America: Bob Berghaus, Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times
— Golf Writers Association of America: Mark Bradley, Palm Beach Post
— U.S. Tennis Writers Association: Todd Harmonson, Orange County Register
— American Auto Racing Writers Association: Mary Byrne, USA Today
— National Turf Writers Association: Creig Ewing, Louisville Courier-Journal
— U.S. Boxing Writers Association: Todd Adams, UT San Diego
— Track and Field Writers of America: Scott Monserud, Denver Post
— North American Soccer Writers: Michael Rose, Newsday
WRITERS GROUP CAPSULES
PRO BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Nick Mathews, Houston Chronicle. (832) 509-9531; nick.mathews@chron.com
President: Mary Schmitt Boyer, Cleveland Plain Dealer. (216) 469-2845
Annual meetings: At the NBA All-Star Game and NBA Finals.
Membership: 131.
Dues: $20.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Concerns and issues: Main concern is access to athletes who are increasingly inaccessible. League is proposing that current 45-minute pre-game locker room access be reduced to 30 minutes, not including time with coach. Also under consideration is a proposal that would require athletes and/or coaches to talk at shootaround OR pre-game but not both. PBWA is willing to negotiate in exchange for some sort of guarantee that all athletes are available at some point, but less time and fewer athletes is unacceptable.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: Four major awards – J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, presented to a player, coach or trainer who has contributed significantly to the community; Magic Johnson Award, presented to a player who is also the best working with the media; Rudy Tomjanovich Award, presented to a coach for excellence in his profession and in dealing with the media, and Brian McIntyre Award, presented to the league's best PR director and staff.
PRO FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Garry D. Howard, Sporting News. O: (704) 973-1554; C: (414) 550-1828; ghoward@sportingnews.com
President: D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal Constitution. 404-805-6310; dledbetter@ajc.com
First Vice President: Jeff Legwold, Denver Post. (303) 881-9012; jlegwold@denverpost.com
Second Vice President: Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune. (847) 318-0951; tsnpompei@aol.com
Secretary: Howard Balzer, The Sports Xchange. (314) 799-5760; hbalzer@aol.com
Treasurer: Mike Sando, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. (253) 209-5403; mike.sando@thenewstribune.com
Annual meetings: Super Bowl week and at the NFL owners meetings in March.
Membership: More than 350 reporters, columnists and editors. No radio/TV members unless they also write.
Dues: $50 annually.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes, if they write for credible news organizations. Reporters for team-based web sites are not allowed.
Concerns and issues: Injury report announcement, internet policy, empty “open” locker room periods and surgical announcements.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: Writing contests for PFWA members, with small monetary prizes.
Awards: The organization hands out five awards: The Horrigan is for the person (not a player or team P.R. staffer) who helped the media best do its job last season; The Good Guy is for the player who best helped the media do its job; The Rozelle is for the P.R. staff that best helped the media do its job; The Halas is for the individual in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed last season; and the McCann Award honors a PFWA member for long and distinguished service to the profession.
Website: pfwa.org
BASEBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APSE liaison: Kevin Smith, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. (412) 320-7848; ksmith@tribweb.com
President: Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle. sslusser@sfchronicle.com
Annual meetings: At the World Series, winter meetings and All-Star Game.
Membership: approximately 700.
Dues: $100, includes local chapter dues.
Concerns and issues: An ongoing major concern has been seating for working press members at MLB stadiums, which increasingly is being moved from the traditional location behind home plate to various locations — including an attempt to place reporters in the outfield at Angel Stadium this season.
Activities: BBWAA members vote for four annual awards in each league: MVP, Cy Young, Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year. BBWAA members also vote for the Hall of Fame.
Website: bbwaa.com
PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Loren Nelson, Minnesota Hockey Hub. (952) 353-0800; loren.nelson@sportngin.com
President: Kevin Allen, USA Today. H: (734) 485-0622; C: (734) 787-2806; ka1@msn.com, kmallen@usatoday.com
Executive Vice Presidents: Mark Spector, sportsnet columnist, Spector@rci.rogers.com, spectormedia@hotmail.com; Craig Custance, ESPN.com, (404) 408-4358; ccustance@gmail.com,
Vice Presidents: Larry Brooks, New York Post, lawrence.brooks9@gmail.com; Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, hstjames@freepress.com; Erik Erlendsson, Tampa Bay Tribune, eerlendsson@tampatrib.com; Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, (213) 237-7145; helene.elliott@latimes.com; Mike Russo, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, mrusso612@aol.com; Lance Hornsby, Toronto Sun, O: (416) 947-2267, C: (416) 824-9019; lance.hornby@tor.sunpub.com
Secretary-Treasurer: Alan Adams, freelancer. (416) 465-1019; alan.g.adams@gmail.com
Annual meetings: Stanley Cup Final and NHL draft
Membership: 245; primarily reporters and some editors.
Dues: $25.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes, but each local chapter determines which Internet reporters should be allowed in. Web-only membership has increased significantly.
Concerns and issues: League moving toward covering itself with team-paid writers; injury information issues.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: None.
Writing contest: None
Web site: In discussion.
U.S. BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: John Quinn, Philadelphia Inquirer, (215) 854-2462; jquinn@phillynews.com
President: Kirk Wessler, Peoria Journal-Star, kwessler@pjstar.com
Membership: About 900, open to all accredited members of the media and members of schools and organizations directly affiliated with college basketball.
Dues: $50; $25 for students.
Concerns and issues: The biggest issue is media seating and access for NCAA men’s basketball tournament. For preliminary rounds before 2013, there were typically about 124 seats for the media. In 2013, that number was around 58 seats at each site. The number of print-media courtside seats at previous Final Fours was in the neighborhood of 220. This year, the number was around 70, so about two-thirds of courtside seating was lost. Also, determining which web sites deserve credentials.
Awards: Many, ranging from All-America teams and national player and coach of the year to the USBWA Hall of Fame.
Writing contest: Open to all active USBWA members. Generally, the contest includes five categories for stories written in the 12-month period between May 1 and April 30.
Website: http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/index.html
FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APSE liaison: Bob Berghaus, Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times
Executive Director: Steve Richardson, O: (972) 713-6198; C: (214) 870-6516; tiger@fwaa.com
Annual meetings: Annual meeting each year at the BCS 1-2 game; numerous conference calls, smaller meetings at various sites throughout the year.
Membership: About 1,200 members (print, internet, some broadcast, sports information directors and others from college football affiliated organizations such as bowls and awards groups).
Dues: $50 for regular members. $25 for student memberships, retirees exempt from dues, $25 optional
Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Concerns and issues: The FWAA remains concerned about access issues and the fact that many major-college programs are becoming more restrictive in nature in what they are allowing the media to cover in terms of practices and post-game. Press boxes sometimes seem to become places where alumni hang out. The FWAA works to foster better working relationships between writers and SIDs as stated in its charter of 1941. Other concerns: schools will eventually charge for press box seats (some already are charging for parking); some of the major schools have jumped into the news business, raising concerns everywhere and bringing into question their non-profit status if they are in competition with businesses whose primary area is news gathering.
Financial contracts: The FWAA, which has been the case for the last 20-25 years, has contracts with the Charlotte Touchdown Club (Bronko Nagurski Trophy), the Omaha Sports Committee and ESPN (Outland Trophy) for banquets and presentations.
Activities: All FWAA members vote on the Coach of the Year Award. All writers and SIDs can have input into nominations for the other awards, but an All-America board comprised of only writers picks the award winners (Nagurski and Outland) and All-America team. There also are a Freshman All-America team, the Merit Award and the Courage Award, as well as some internal awards given to members such as the Bert McGrane (Hall of Fame). FWAA has an annual Super 11, awarding the best SID operations on the FBS level. The FWAA works directly with the BCS and football programs over access and press-box issues as well as coverage of teams and monitors problems brought to it by either the SIDs or other journalists. The FWAA puts out an annual membership print directory, which for years has been hailed as the most complete in college sports.
Writing contests: Four categories. Plaques or personalized footballs to first-place winners, certificates to others. Cash prizes ranging from $150 to $50. The FWAA also selects a Beat Writer of the Year Award.
Website: http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa
U.S. TENNIS WRITERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Todd Harmonson, Orange County Register. (714) 796-2428; tharmonson@ocregister.com
President: Art Spander, freelancer. C (510) 693-4496, H: (510) 531-2509; typoes@aol.com
Vice president: Vacant
Board of directors: 6-7 members
Secretary/Treasurer: Vacant
Annual meeting: At the U.S. Open
Awards dinner: None currently
Membership: Currently about 100 members. Must cover multiple tennis events for a newspaper or recognized website to become a member.
Annual fee: $60 for all members.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: Annual tournaments for USTWA members at the Sony Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., in March and the U.S. Open in late August-early September.
Issues: Membership has dropped and active participation has plummeted because few American news organizations actively cover tennis, especially on a traveling basis. At the 2012 U.S. Open, two members of the USTWA showed up for the annual meeting. USTWA president Art Spander said the group is “in a state of flux” and is considering its options. Some within the organization want to try to continue as is, but others are pushing to merge with other writers groups. The International Tennis Writers Association, which has few American members, is one possibility. When some members were reached, they considered the group to be inactive.
Writing contest: Inactive.
GOLF WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APSE liaison: Mark Bradley, Palm Beach Post. (561) 820-4489; mbradley@pbpost.com
President: Ron Sirak, Golf World. O: (203) 761-5260, C: (917) 714-7295; ron.sirak@golfworld.com
First vice president: Jeff Babineau, Golfweek. O: (407) 563-7000, C: (407) 496-4956; jbabineau@golfweek.com
Second vice president: Gary Van Sickle, Sports Illustrated. O: (724) 940-5924, C: (412) 215-4737; gvansick@aol.com
Secretary/Treasurer: Melanie Hauser O/H: (713) 782-8141; C: (713) 201-8427; mhauser806@aol.com
Board of Directors: 12 members serving three-year terms. All past presidents are members of the board.
GWAA mailing address: 10210 Green Tree Rd., Houston, TX 77042. E-mail: golfwritersinc@aol.com
Annual meetings: Wednesday morning at The Masters and the U.S. Open.
Awards dinner: The Wednesday night of Masters week.
Membership: Currently about 850 in three categories: Regular (full-time golf writer/editor of recognized media that accept paid advertising), associate (freelance writer or press officer of a national golf organization), professional (public relations and marketing).
Annual fee: $80 for regular and associate. $200 for professional.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Financial contracts: The 2013 Awards Dinner had a title sponsor (Mercedes Benz) and various other sponsorship contracts (Aberdeen Asset Management, ISPS Handa) for a combined total of $100,500. There is also a GWAA championship golf outing. The 2013 event was held at Mid-Pines (NC). The cost for three rounds of golf and lodging was $395/495.
Activities: William D. Richardson Award presented by Mercedes-Benz (individual who consistently made outstanding contribution to golf); Ben Hogan Award presented by ISPS Handa (individual who continues to be active in golf despite physical handicap or illness); Charles Bartlett Award presented by Aberdeen Asset Management (playing pro for unselfish contributions to the betterment of society).; ASAPSports/Jim Murray Award (professional player for his cooperation, quotability and accommodation to the media, and for reflecting the most positive aspects of the working relationship between athlete and journalist); Player of the year: male, female and senior. Some GWAA members also vote in PGA World Golf Hall of Fame selections.
Issues: The GWAA's primary mission is to promote proper working press facilities and conditions. In the last few years, the organization has worked toward upgrading telecommunications (getting wireless Internet access in virtually every press room) and access (persuading the PGA Tour to rescind an old policy of not allowing tape recorders in the locker room).
Writing contest: Held annually.
Website: http://www.gwaa.com
NATIONAL TURF WRITERS AND BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION
APSE liaison: Creig Ewing, Louisville Courier-Journal. O: (502) 582-4043, C: (502) 724-8311; cewing@courier-journal.com.
President: Tom Pedulla, freelance. C: (646) 337-6955, O: (914) 332-6414; tpedulla23@gmail.com
Vice president: Tom Law, Saratoga Special & Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. tlawky@gmail.com
Secretary-Treasurer: Loren Hebel-Osborne, freelance. (502) 558-7801; lorenPR@aol.com
Board of Directors: Teresa Genaro, Brooklyn Backstretch; Ron Mitchell, The Blood-Horse; Greg Hall, Louisville Courier-Journal; Alicia Wincze-Hughes, Lexington Herald-Leader; Marty McGee, Daily Racing Form, Victor Zast, freelance.
Annual meetings: Twice a year at the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders Cup.
Membership: About 200.
Dues: $50 per year.
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Concerns and issues: Access and working conditions at Churchill Downs, especially during the Kentucky Derby.
Financial contracts: None.
Activities: Awards dinners during Breeders Cup week; one of three voting bodies on Eclipse Award; NTWA charitable foundation; also contributes to Jim Bolus Scholarship annually; ongoing oral history project.
Also, Churchill Downs no longer presents the Red Smith Award to honor outstanding writing related to the Kentucky Derby. Since the organization now includes broadcasters, it will honor broadcasting excellence with the Jim McKay Award at the annual Breeders' Cup dinner. Three nominees will be determined by a five-person panel comprised of members and then voted by general membership.
Writing contests: There are other organizations that have awards that are presented at the banquet. However, these are not sponsored or selected by the association.
Website: ntwab.org
BOXING WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APSE liaison: Todd M. Adams, U-T San Diego. (619) 293-1817; todd.adams@utsandiego.com
President: Jack Hirsch, Ring Sports Magazine. (215) 643-3087; ajhirsch5@aol.com
Vice Presidents: Ron Borges, Boston Herald; Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press; Don Steinberg, freelance.
Treasurer: Thomas Gerbasi, MaxBoxing.com.
Secretary: Denis Nolan, Ringside Sports.
Board of Directors: Gina Andriolo, Bernard Fernandez, Tom Donelson, Tim Graham, Tom Kenville, Wallace Matthews, Anthony Carter Paige, Santos Perez, Lance Pugmire, Michael Woods.
Meetings: Twice a year, once in winter and once in spring. Sites vary.
Approximate Membership: 130, but organization classifies full and auxiliary membership based on number of factors such as full-time or freelance.
Dues: $40
Internet members? Yes.
Issues: The bulk relate to credentialing and ringside seat assignments. Internally, it's objections over auxiliary membership when a member thinks he should be a full member. Full members get to vote for the International Boxing Hall of Fame's modern category and for annual awards such as fighter of the year and trainer of the year.
Writing contest: The Barney Awards (named after Barney Nagler) are conducted annually for the preceding calendar year.
Web site: bwaa.org
TRACK AND FIELD WRITERS OF AMERICA
APSE liaison: Scott Monserud, Denver Post. (303) 954-1318; smonserud@denverpost.com
Officers: Jack Pfeifer (president), Parker Morse (vice president), Don Kopriva (secretary), Tom Casacky (treasurer).
Annual meetings: Yes, and about 10 newsletters per year are produced.
Membership: about 250. Membership has greatly declined over years as track and field writer positions have all but been eliminated at U.S. newspapers. Most of the members from newspapers now are Olympics beat writers who also occasionally cover track and field. Membership can be split roughly into thirds, with one-third in print (mostly track and field and running magazines, some newspapers), one-third "new media" (bloggers, freelancers, videographers), and one-third related to statistical compilation of track and field news.
Dues: $20
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes
Concerns and issues: Access is the big one. As TV (particularly ESPN) gets more and more access, hosts and event organizers that used to cater to TAFWA now seem to look for ways to merely tolerate them. Also, credentialing and parking issues are a headache, sifting through legitimacy of all applying for access.
Website: www.tafwa.org
NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER REPORTERS
APSE liaison: Michael Rose, Newsday. (631) 843-4826; michael.rose@newsday.com
President: Steve Clare, Prost Amerika Soccer. (206) 331-8212; editor@prostamerika.com
First Vice President: Scott French, ESPN. (714) 325-3585; scottfrench@earthlink.net
Board of Directors: Steve Clare (president), Scott French (vice president), Dan Girard (treasurer), Dan Gaichas (secretary), Jose Romero (VP Spanish), Brian O’Connell (VP at large).
Secretary: Dan Gaichas, Windy City Soccer. (708) 33707701; dgaichas77@mac.com
Treasurer: Dan Girard, Toronto Star. dgirard@thestar.ca
NASR e-mail address: soccerreporters@gmail.com
Annual meetings: At MLS Cup Final
Awards dinner: None
Membership: 140
Annual fee: $25
Are Internet reporters allowed? Yes.
Financial contracts: None so far. Seeking a deal with MLS for services already provided and others.
Activities: MLS Player of the Week and Month awards.
Issues: Occasional fights over access; poor communication by communications staff of MLS and US Soccer (and some clubs); powers that be have no interest in strengthening independent journalism but want their own sites to be the news sites for filtered news (which is mostly PR); lack of finance for the organization; travel distances make coordination and getting to matches difficult.
Mission Statement: The North American Soccer Reporters is a unified group of journalists who cover soccer whether in print, online, television or radio. The North American Soccer Reporters is committed to honoring the highest standards of journalistic integrity.
Writing contest: None
Writing contests: Yes.
