Chicago Fire Soccer Club Media Policy The Chicago Fire Soccer Club Communications Department looks forward to working with you during the 2014 season at Toyota Park. Please review the following information regarding credentials, access to team functions, interview procedures, team publications and parking at Toyota Park. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT All media who have been issued credentials or who are granted access to the team are expected to follow the guidelines set forth in this document, as well as the instructions of the Chicago Fire staff, stadium employees and security, or risk limitation of access or revocation of credentials. Media access is issued with the purpose of providing access to interviews and written, audio and visual accounts of the team, as appropriate. No member of the media should use this access for autographs, personal photographs or commercial requests. Doing so will automatically result in the permanent revocation of credentials to cover the Chicago Fire. At all times, those granted media access must abide by the conditions set forth on the back of their MLS and/or Fire credentials. (That information is included at the end of this document as Appendix A) PLAYER AND STAFF INTERVIEWS All interviews for Fire players, coaches, executives and staff MUST be coordinated through the Communications Department. Contacting players directly including through social media platforms could result in the revocation of credentials and future access. Interview requests for Chicago Fire Soccer Club executives can be submitted to Doug Hicks at dhicks@chicagofire.com. Chicago Fire first team interview requests can be submitted to Eunice Kim at ekim@chicago-fire.com MEDIA ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY AT TRAINING SESSIONS The Fire conducts media access and media availability at every training session. Fire media availability occurs approximately 45 minutes prior to each training session. Training is open for the first 15 minutes to media for B-roll. Please refer to the team s Weekly Update that is released on Mondays as dates and times are subject to change. If possible, we ask that media members requesting specific players for interviews alert ekim@chicago-fire.com in advance to give the players sufficient notice. We ask that media members attending Fire first team training sessions refrain from reporting on specific strategies demonstrated at training, which includes specific lineup changes, formations or set pieces.
CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA DISTRIBUTION LISTS Request to be added to the Fire s media distribution lists should be emailed to firecommunications@chicagofire.com. MEDIA GUIDE The Chicago Fire will not be producing printed copies of the media guide in 2014. The Fire will post all of the team s historical information on www.chicago-fire.com. OFFICIAL WEB SITE The official website of the Fire is www.chicago-fire.com. The content posted on this site may be republished in its entirety by media outlets with proper credit. Please note that user-generated content, including user comments, photos and videos may not be republished without explicit consent from the club. VIDEO B-ROLL AND INTERVIEWS Video b-roll and interviews are available for download by request. Please email ekim@chicago-fire.com for access to these files. PHOTOS AND HEADSHOTS For access to photos of the current team, please visit www.storify.com/chicagofire. Please credit Chicago Fire Soccer Club when republishing these photos. Headshots for all members of the current roster, including coaches and staff, are available by emailing firecommunications@chicago-fire.com. GAMEDAY CREDENTIALS The Chicago Fire Soccer Club will be issuing season-long credentials for the 2014 season. One credential per outlet will be issued for each match to media outlets that have demonstrated ongoing and consistent coverage of the Fire. We will consider additional season-long passes at the same outlet, depending on the number of requests and as press box space permits. Requests for individual game credentials must be made at least 48 hours in advance on company letterhead and emailed to mediacredentials@chicago-fire.com. Any member of the media using media passes for unauthorized purposes or any manner deemed unsuitable by the Chicago Fire will have their credential revoked. All credentials are intended for the working media only and are nontransferable.
The following actions will result in the permanent seizure of the credential: Requesting autographs at any time Taking photographs with players/coaches Using credential for family or friends of a working media member Conducting unauthorized interviews Publishing content that is willfully false, as well as damaging, about the club and its staff, players and/or other Fire and/or Toyota Park employees and/or their family members Unprofessional behavior (Cheering in the press box, consumption of alcoholic beverages, failure to abide by posted rules, etc.) GAME DAY MEDIA GATE AND CHECK IN For the 2014 season, all media should enter through Gate A, located on the southwest side of Toyota Park. Media Will Call will open two hours prior to each match. Parking is provided to all working media in Lot S1 (off of 71st St.) on the southwest side of the stadium. GAME DAY MEDIA CENTER The Media Center is located on the West side of the stadium. Take the press elevator on the northwest side to Level 2. The Media Center will be on the left hand side. The press box is a working area. Only credentialed members of the media will be allowed in the press box. Cheering and loud noise of any kind will not be permitted in the press box. ACCESS AT GAMES AND OTHER TEAM FUNCTIONS Unless otherwise noted, media members will be granted access to all team-related functions, including team training sessions, press conferences, and Fire home games. Credentialed print, radio and internet reporters will have access to all the regular media areas (press box and locker room), with the exception of the field of play. TV crews are allowed access to all regular media areas, as well as on the field, however may not film from the press box. Crews are asked to shoot from behind the boards on the north and south end zones. The east side of the field is strictly off limits. Still photographers are allowed in all regular media areas, with the exception of the locker room. All still photographers and TV camera personnel must wear a colored vest provided at Media Will Call (Gate A) or located within the Toyota Park Photo Support Room (located on the east Side of the stadium). Photographers must wear the photo bib that is issued to them at Media Will Call. Bibs must be returned to the Photo Work Room or Press Box at the conclusion of each match. Locker rooms are off limits to still photographers at all times. Freelance photographers will not be issued credentials unless special approval is granted by the Communications Department.
WI-FI ACCESS/PHONE LINES The Media Center will have complimentary wireless internet access available for all Chicago Fire Soccer Club events. Dedicated phone and hi-speed internet lines are available for reporters in the Media Center. Please contact the Fire Communications Department at least two business days in advance for more details. A wireless internet/phone kiosk in the Media Center will also serve communication needs. Photographers will have access to wireless internet in the Toyota Park Photo Support Room, located just off the Media Press Conference Room on the stadium s east side. Dedicated phone and hi-speed internet lines are available for photographers in the Photo Support Room for a fee please contact the Fire Communications Department at least two business days in advance for more details. SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES The Fire do not allow credentialed media members to communicate with players on social platforms without prior arrangement or permission. Any credentialed member of the media who communicates or corresponds with Fire players via social media will have their credential status reviewed. Additionally, the Fire ask that credentialed media members DO NOT tag players usernames in social posts. Any credentialed member of the media who continues this practice will have his or her credential status reviewed. Please note that both of these policies are at the direct request of our coaches and players wishes as expressed to the Club.
APPENDIX A NOTICE OF CREDENTIAL USAGE AND CONDITIONS This credential is issued solely to provide stadium access to an individual with a legitimate working function at a game involving a member team of Major League Soccer, L.L.C. ("MLS"). The bearer must be on a specific assignment (as employee or agent for the organization to which this credential is issued). It is non-transferable. Any unauthorized use of this credential subjects bearer to ejection from the stadium and possible prosecution for criminal trespass. Resale or attempted resale is grounds for seizure and cancellation. The following actions may result in seizure of this credential and/or ejection of its wearer from the stadium: REQUESTING AUTOGRAPHS AT ANY TIME TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS WITH PLAYERS/COACHES USING CREDENTIAL FOR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OF A WORKING MEDIA MEMBER CONDUCTING UNAUTHORIZED INTERVIEWS PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT IS WILLFULLY FALSE, AS WELL AS DAMAGING, ABOUT THE CLUB AND ITS STAFF, PLAYERS AND/OR OTHER FIRE AND/OR TOYOTA PARK EMPLOYEES AND/OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR (Cheering in the press box, consumption of alcoholic beverages, failure to abide by posted rules, etc.) The use of any and all media of MLS events or excerpts thereof shall be limited to news coverage by the accredited organization unless expressly authorized in writing by MLS. Television and radio stations may use excerpts of MLS games only in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in MLS' Video and Audio Highlights Licenses, receipt of which is acknowledged by such stations. Any other use including, but not limited to, advertising, promotional contests and sweepstakes or other trade purposes requires the prior specific written approval from MLS. Permission to film or tape MLS games may be revoked at any time by MLS. All ownership copyright and property rights in MLS games, the telecast thereof and in the events and activities conducted in the stadium shall remain the sole property of MLS, and no such rights are conferred or to be conferred or created on behalf of any other person or entity by the issuance of this credential. The bearer of this credential and his or her employer assume all risk and danger of personal injury and all other hazards arising from or related in any way to this event and shall agree to indemnify and hold harmless MLS, its member teams, other agents and employees from and against all liability, loss, damages or expense resulting from or arising out of his or her presence at the stadium. The bearer grants permission to MLS to utilize the bearer's image, likeness or voice in connection with any broadcast, photograph or other reproduction of this event via any media and for any purpose. NO AUTOGRAPHS ALLOWED MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, L.L.C. MLS 2014. MLS TM. All rights reserved.