Maybe it’s me, but it seems every season the sidelines along the fields of college football are getting more crowded with people who don’t need to be there. College football sidelines are for the working professionals and team creatives not boosters taking cell phone selfies. The best sports content is all about access, but a lot of people who aren’t there working don’t need to be along the college football sidelines.
If you’re a sports photographer, you already dread fighting for space along the sidelines. Now imagine you continually have to fight for space for people who don’t belong there and I’m not even talking about the people with iPhones and a photographer’s vest. Well not yet anyways.
College football sidelines shouldn’t be for anyone who is not working the game. Period and that is a hill I will die on.
Non-media Media
Is that even a thing? What I mean by non-media media are the people who have media credentials but are there just to hang out and take cool looking selfies in the endzone after a touchdown. I know some people get credentials because they know so and so, but they don’t belong out there. Especially if they’re not there in a media capacity.
You can identify these non-media members by their ability to track down mascots for their TikTok videos. I get a lot of people want to be considered some influential social media influencer, but take your dances and duck lips back to the stands. You’re going to get run over one day and get seriously hurt. Bonus points if that happens during an IG live because you really can get the reach you wanted then.
Boosters and Alumni
I’m all for boosters and alumni along the sidelines. As long as it’s with the recruits during pregame. These boosters and alumni stand so close to the field blocking the photographers and videographers doing their job. And the wives are there drinking on the sidelines, blocking space that creatives definitely need. It seems the bigger the game the bigger the booster and alumni crowd size. Bonus points if the team is winning and has a chance at the Conference Championship game or College Playoffs.
Again some of these guys are so old that they can’t move quick enough to get out of the way for some 20 year old kid weighing 250 pounds barreling down at them for a tackle on the sideline. They need to be up in the suites not on the sidelines.
I don’t care how much money they give to the program. Give the pre-game passes and tell them to move it along.
Coaches and Players
But isn’t that where they belong? Well yes and no. They have their designated spots from the 30 yard line to 30 yard line. The issue is when they come down to the 15 and 20 yard line blocking people working so they can see the “game better.”
There was an incident this season where a backup QB who gives the signals was blocking photographers on the 20 yard line and the photographers shouted at him to move. He responded by saying he was working. The photographer said they were working and he was a backup on the bench and he needs to go back to the bench.
I won’t lie my cold, dead heart melted a bit when I heard that. And it’s true. Too often players and coaches think they have free access down the sidelines and they don’t. The problem is the referees don’t penalize them for being outside their box.
Police Escorts
My favorite. There is an absolute need for police escorts making sure fans don’t hurt fans when they’re coming into a stadium or leaving, but during a game they don’t need to be on the sidelines. There is local police and security on the sidelines, these escorts can wait in the tunnel.
These past few years have been especially contentious for me with the police. I got into several shouting matches with these state troopers. They think because they have shiny shoes and a badge I’m going to keep quiet. I’m not the one. And I have no shame taking their photo of them watching cheerleaders and posting online and tagging their police agencies.
There was a Georgia trooper who was literally a foot away from the field and I asked if he could move back because he was blocking the view for everyone who was behind the designated lines and he said he didn’t have to move because he is police. I politely said, “Who are you policing if you’re watching the game?” and then we both had a spirited discussion where I lobbed a few F bombs at him.
There was another game where there were over 9 Florida State Troopers on the sidelines. Guess what they were doing, gossiping like school girls with each other. I again asked one to move back from the field and he said, “He could stand where he wants because he is the police.” I said, “I asked politely and wasn’t an asshole like you. We’re trying to work and make money and you’re here blocking us so you can say you were on the sidelines.” When he saw others looking at him he moved back and said, “I’ll do it this once. I’m here to do a job.” I said, “Your job is to protect and serve not cheer on the sideline.”
Do I go looking for trouble? No, but it finds me.
TV Crews
I have no lost love for the on-field TV crews that work games. The stationary camera people can get all the love. The crews on the field, not all, but a vast majority, had this complex where they think they’re the most important part of the game. They act with this fleeting scintilla of power because they’re TV they can do whatever, whenever.
Some examples. It is understood that TV moves up and down the sidelines. The problem is they don’t care if you’re already positioned there or not. You’ll yell at them that they’re blocking you and they’ll scream back, “TV,” like that justifies being a jerk. The problem is when you know they positions on the field they would normally stand at and you avoid it, but then they want to get a tight shot or try to be creative and block you even though you moved.
The people work help running the wires shouldn’t be blocking photographers either. There are always two running with the camera person and instead of standing back not to block people working, they’re right up on the camera person like a remora fish. Instead of trying to work around one guy, who has to be there, you now have to work around two others who can stay back, but choose not to. Why? Because they’re TV.
I’ll add the sideline reporters in this section as well with their entourage of security, LED light holder and roving camera person. There is no need for you and the entourage to be on the field blocking everyone else working. But then again, you know, they’re TV.
And not all TV reporters block people. I was just generalizing are more often than not they’re respectful of others working, it’s the ones with the Prima Donna complex and egos bigger than their actual ratings.
Ball Boys and Student Athletic Trainers
Ball boys and student athletic trainers are a vital part of the game. They; however, aren’t that vital that they need to be blocking people on the sidelines.
Ball boys give the refs the balls after each play or for kickoffs. They’re not running on the field to hand it to them every time. They can stand behind the creatives and still be able to toss the ball to the sideline ref who then tosses it to the back judge or whoever. It’s only a couple of feet difference.
Also ball boys shouldn’t be running down the sidelines during a play and then celebrating a touchdown with the players in the endzone.
Same with the student athletic trainers who give water to the refs during timeouts. You don’t need to be standing on the field blocking everyone. When the timeout is called you can run onto the field. Trust me with all these commercial breaks, there is more than enough time for you to run, do your job and run off again.
Student Creatives
There is nothing wrong with student creatives getting on the job training. I think it’s an amazing experience for them. The problem is when schools are too cheap to pay professionals and solely rely on these kids to capture all their content. Who is there to teach them how to act and be a professional on the sidelines? No one and that is huge problem.
They run into endzone for celebrations blocking everyone else’s shot because they’re in the middle of the celebration with their camera above their head. If a team runs onto the field, they’re standing in the middle of the field blocking the runout while the players run on either side of them making it look they’re parting the Red Sea.
It’s understood school staff and student creatives have a bit more liberty and perks with their credentials, but once everyone is on the sidelines, it should be an equal playing field where everyone abides by the same rules. Rules like not running in front of people shooting or running onto the field for a shot of a celebration. Or TikTok dances on the sidelines while you face time your frat brothers to show them.
Sports is a symbiotic relationship where everyone needs to work together so everyone has a chance to “get the shot.” Without a proper mentor and only a SID telling them they need to capture X, Y and Z and it needs to be uploaded 5 minutes ago, these student creatives are not displaying proper etiquette on the sidelines. They need mentoring on the rules and do’s and don’ts. Sure, some can learn on the fly, but schools should be hiring professionals and letting the student creatives learn under their mentorship. For the amount of money schools rake in worth sports and the amount of money they actually spend on the creative side, well that is a blog post for another day.
No workplace is without challenges. I get it. There is always going to be something to complain about right? For me the frustrating part is that a lot of things can be resolved with some common sense. Then again these days what is common sense?
Do I have faith that the college football sidelines will get cleaned up? Not really, but hey I’ve been wrong before. Just ask my wife!