We were in for a surprise when we arrived at the Alamo Dome. The NCAA would not let us purchase (for under $1,000) Internet access. And we thought $30 a day in Detroit was bad.
Let me explain how important Internet is to our operations. We need it to post to tv.ku.edu, upload to our ftp, upload our blogs, and check email to communicate with the newsroom. It's like telling the visiting baseball team they can't play with bats.
Thankfully the hotel has wireless, slow wireless, but at least it's Internet.
Basically the NCAA is telling television stations and other high bandwidth users to work without a business necessity, unless they cough up some serious cash. That's cash a student-run, university affiliated television station doesn't have to drop. When pressed, the NCAA representatives couldn't produce the rule in writing.
All hail the blue orb!
"If you want, I can write it down for you," said one official. How unprofessional is that? After no problems in Omaha or Detroit, suddenly we might try to leak the signal live online and rob the NCAA of their precious money, sorry, I mean bandwidth. Come on, why watch in stunning HiDef when you can watch a jumpy Internet feed...? It's asinine and greedy.
We as students are held to the same standards as every other journalist at these events, yet we are denied the proper tools to work.
We still get treated like we have no idea what's going on... Despite other "media" wearing team colors, "media" cheering, "media" crowding us out, "media" breaking the rules, somehow it's the student's fault. Oh, yeah. Our "fellow professionals" unplugged our equipment twice on Saturday, thanks WRAL. It's not everybody at these things, the majority are well-behaved.
Here are my solutions.
1. We're not going to stream video. You can stand over our shoulders and watch us work. We're journalists, we're not exactly in the business of hiding what we do for a living.
2. Throw out the hacks. These guys are like the annoying kid in elementary school who cheers for the Yankees and his only justification is, "We've won it 26 times, you're stupid." And as far as touching my equipment goes... That's as low as it gets, I know UNC is losing, but don't take it out on me. I've got nothing to do with the game. I already know you're upset because you're cheering, childish.
3. Stop handing out freebies to the media. Yes, the leather folder is nice. But you're not changing the way I report how you treated us. As a matter of fact, I'm here to cover a game, the less the NCAA is involved in that the better. Wait, SHINY! It's a Final Four Pin! I take it all back...
4. Put it in writing. If you're going to have rules, have them posted somewhere and be able to produce them on demand. It's like a professor dropping a 20 page paper on her students that wasn't in the syllabus. You think the coast is clear for finals, then BAM! Surprise! Consistent enforcement is step two here.
5. Tacos are awesome on game day. They're almost as awesome as gigantic meatball subs. I can't think of two better ways to ruin a shirt. "Hey, anyone got a Tide pen? I'm going live in five minutes!"
For all the complaints contained here I think I owe an honest compliment. Thanks Kansas Athletics Department, you've done a standout job this year dealing with the increased media attention. Just keep the Cold Stone ice cream cake coming during half time.
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