IHSA News Media Center

Last updated: October 18, 2007

TO:                         Sports Editor/Sports Director Addressed

FROM:                  Anthony Holman, Assistant Executive Director

DATE:                   August, 2007

RE:                        Media Mailing/Media Updates

Greetings from the IHSA!  We hope your summer was enjoyable and you are as excited about the 2007-08 school year as we are.  On behalf of the association’s member schools, we appreciate the outstanding coverage you provide on the students that participate in IHSA activities across our state. 

Enclosed you will find the following:

• General Media Pass(es):  This credential allows the bearer access to the facility hosting a respective 2007-08 IHSA State Final Tournament/Meet EXCLUDING BOYS BASKETBALL.  It does not provide for press box/row and/or photo shooting locations. 

•  General Media Parking Pass(es):  Parking pass(es) are good for all State Final tournaments where press/VIP parking is available, except the Boys State Basketball tournament in Peoria.

• Wall Calendar

• IHSA Handbook: (sent to daily newspapers only).  Please take time to review the media policies and any others that are relative to your organization.  If you don’t receive a handbook, it can be accessed on the IHSA website.

We will continue to make a concentrated effort to utilize the Internet to communicate with you and your co-workers.  Please make sure that someone on your staff is responsible for checking the IHSA web site on a daily basis.  We post information in the Announcement Section and on the sport/activity pages. 

For media information, go to the IHSA Media Center.  The media can refer to this web site for any updates or information throughout the school term. 

The following items will not be mailed; they will only be available online:

• Facts about and all-time members of the News Media Advisory Committee
• Football Pairings Plan
• Credential Procedures/Press Procedures/Instructions:  Outlines procedures for athletic state final events where IHSA publishes press procedures.  How to order phone lines, location of Press Will Call and press parking, photographer shooting locations, etc. . . .for each event where applicable.  This information can be found on the sport specific pages of the IHSA website.
• News Media Directory:  When there are changes to your company’s web site listing, please contact Stacey Lambert (slambert@ihsa.org) at the IHSA Office and she will update your information.  Information is updated upon receipt of changes submitted to the IHSA Office.
• Football Master Schedule:  Conference schedules, school schedules, week-by-week schedules, alphabetical listing of football schools, numerical listing of football schools, data about determining “at large” teams, determine home teams and starting times, and how the teams will be paired.
• State Final Team Information: You and your staff may obtain information about the teams competing in IHSA State Final events from the IHSA website.  If you want comments from competing coaches or players, you will need to contact the schools individually.  Standard information regarding each team on the IHSA website includes roster, starting lineups (where available), game-by-game scores, up-to-date statistics (where available), and past state series participation history in the sport.
• Member School Directory:  The directory gives only the pertinent data for each member school.  The complete listing (updated weekly) of personnel and other information about each member school is on the IHSA Web Site.

Additional Information

For the 2007-08 school year, the following staff members will be working with the media in the areas listed below:

Ordering 2008 Boys Basketball Press Passes Online:  Each spots editor/sports director on the IHSA mailing list will be able to request credentials to the 2008 Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and/or 4A Boys State Final Basketball Tournament on-line.  Complete instructions will be posted on the Boys Basketball page of the IHSA website approximately February 1, 2008.

State Final Results/Programs:  If you and/or a staff member cover the respective state finals you’ll receive all the material you’ll need.  Otherwise, results are available on the IHSA Web Site, and programs may be purchased from the IHSA Office.

Duplicate Season General Media/Season Parking Passes:  General Media/Parking Passes are provided to media outlets on the IHSA Mailing list according to the IHSA Media Policy.  The quantity of passes issued has been determined sufficient for each respective outlet.  Lost or stolen General Media pass(es) can be replaced for a cost of $5.00 each.  Please contact Stacey Lambert at the IHSA Office if this situation occurs.  We do not sell press passes.   Requests will only be considered to those companies who were issued passes initially this school term.

IHSA Official Logos/Marks:  If you use the IHSA Official logos and/or other marks in connection with any event merchandise you create for any state series, your company must be a vendor licensed by IHSA and must adhere to the IHSA Royalty Policy.

Phone Lines at IHSA State Final events:  There will be a $75 charge for the use of IHSA phone lines for radio originators at the IHSA State Final events.  Media outlets may choose to order their own phone lines at some IHSA State Final events.

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