Pro photography is now a no-no for fans
Craig Peterson arrived to his seat to watch Tuesday night’s USU volleyball team armed with just a popcorn and a soda.
Without knowing any better, he would have appeared to be just an ordinary guy out to enjoy watching some volleyball – and Tuesday that is exactly what Peterson was.
To those that know better, Tuesday night was out of the ordinary for Peterson due to the fact that he was without a camera that has seemed to never leave his side at Aggie athletic events over the last five years.
Peterson’s camera was absent Tuesday as a result of his compliance with a new policy implemented by the athletic department earlier this month that restricts fans from using professional photography equipment at athletic events.
For Peterson, that meant he could no longer bring the equipment to games which allowed him to provide the service that he was spent during half a decade providing to Aggie fans.
Peterson runs a Web site called TrueAggies.com, which is host to thousands of free photographs that document the last five years of Utah State athletics in pictures, as well as hundreds of other pictures unrelated to USU.
The Web site is now facing the end of its road for featuring photos of Aggie athletics because of both the new camera policy as well as Peterson’s requests for media credentials being continually denied.
“I’ve requested media credentials every year since I’ve been in existence,” Peterson said. “I’ve only requested access as media, which they don’t agree that I’m media at this point, because in their view I’m competing with their site.”
The competition Peterson referred to was the photo galleries available on the official Web site of Utah State Athletics (www.utahstateaggies.com) for every event hosted by the university.
Doug Hoffman, athletic media relations director for USU, said he does not view TrueAggies.com as a competitor with the USU athletics site.
“Not in my mind,” Hoffman said. “Herald Journal does photo galleries of a lot of events that we host. We have a link to the Herald Journal Web site right on our Web site, so obviously we don’t view the Herald Journal as competition. They are an accredited news agency. TrueAggies.com is not a news agency, bottom line. It’s a photo gallery.”
Hoffman also added concern that if the athletic department were to credential an independent outlet such as TrueAggies.com, it would be obligated to credential any other independent online media outlets.
Whether or not competition exists, Hoffman said his main concern with the new policy was the protection of the student athletes who are being photographed.
“If we as an athletic department have knowledge that someone is not in compliance with the NCAA in terms of student athlete photos and we don’t act accordingly, the student athletes could lose eligibility,” Hoffman said.
Peterson defended his position with a posting on the front page of his Web site that references the exact text of a policy from the NCAA Division I manual.
The text states: “If a student-athlete’s name or picture appears on commercial items (e.g., T-shirts, sweatshirts, serving trays, playing cards, posters) or is used to promote a commercial product sold by an individual or agency without the student-athlete’s knowledge or permission, the student-athlete (or the institution acting on behalf of the student-athlete) is required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain his or her eligibility for intercollegiate athletics. Such steps are not required in cases in which a student-athlete’s photograph is sold by an individual or agency (e.g., private photographer, news agency) for private use.”
Despite photo galleries being available through both the USU athletics Web site and the Herald Journal’s Web site, there are plenty of individuals upset by the new policy and what effect it will have on TrueAggies.com.
“I cannot believe they would tell him to leave his camera at home,” said Ryan Cowley, 2003 USU graduate. “This is a time when we need anyone and everyone who is willing to buy a ticket at the games and make them feel welcome and not alienated.”
Klay Reeder is another alumnus who frequented TrueAggies.com when he relocated from Cache Valley after graduating in 2003.
“This was a dream for a die-hard [fan] living away,” Reeder said. “He captured the magic of the Spectrum and the beauty of Romney.”
Those kind of testimonials are the very reason Peterson said he has operated the site for the last five years.
What keeps him motivated to invest so much time and money into his site?
“Just being an Aggie,” Peterson said. “Trying to make sure everyone else has an ability to see the Aggies and to be able to experience game days, signs and students in the crowds and stuff like that.”
Despite the apparent end of the USU athletic photos on TrueAggies.com, Peterson said he hopes there is a light at the end of the tunnel for his site.
“I hope that eventually they’re able to see a little bit broader and recognize new technology and not view it simply as competition,” Peterson said. “Basically, it’s free publicity for them.”
–matt.sonn@aggiemail.usu.edu