Thank you Pete for taking the time to reply, I'll just give you a little of the background on this:
We turned out for Paris to be greeted by a hand written notice taped on to a table in the press tent requiring all on-field photographers & videographers to wear hi-vis vests on field. I, however, like many others hadn't made a visit to the tent and, despite having already spoken to Lars, Wendy, Dougie and members of the MS board before obtaining my pass for the season and wristband for the event, wasn't informed of this. It was only by word of mouth, from another photographer looking for a vest, that I was aware of this new requirement. Fortunately, I had enough in my car for myself and those around me that needed one. Others were not so fortunate, the reply given to some who asked where they could obtain one was to take it from their hire cars (a requirement in French law to carry one) although those who had flown in and had no hire car didn't have this option. Hence the rule was not strictly enforced!
However, that is history. Various informal discussions were held with MS staff and board members and our concerns about the use of hi-vis were voiced. This included the effect of bright yellow and orange on the visual impact of final images as well as the effect on both metering and focusing systems. Personally, I have no qualms with the MS identifying the media crew, wristbands and passes aside, many, indeed most, sports organisers do so, amongst other things, this prevents 'chancers' from making it on field by just having a camera in hand.
The choice of the canary yellow as the major colour of the shirts is something that concerns me, it would appear that the MS haven't taken on board the concerns raised, of have decided that bright yellow has a different effect than that of fluorescent yellow/orange. Other sports that have this requirement don't insist on such an obtrusive hue, even in motor sport, identifying bibs/vests yes, but not hi-vis.
I would have thought you might have been consulted on this, seeing as the shirt design carries the EPBF logo, a body I believe you have some involvement in.
As for the cost to photographers/videographers of covering Millennium events, there is no charge, but accreditation is required. Its true, the MS did try to impose a charge, but there was a marked fall off in attendance, especially as the charge coincided with the squeeze on the media and the folding of various titles, that it was dropped after one season.
Pete,
this is the deal mate, as I see it anyway; the MS are on thin ice, they have been for a loooong time and whenever something like this comes out, they are always gonna be susceptible to claims of money grabbing.
And so, the last thing they need [you'd think] is another opportunity for people to accuse them on butt-fuhking even more of the people that have done soo much for the Millennium in the past [press & media].
If you are gonna introduce this measure on the basis of players getting confused with cameramen being thought of as players then the one thing you MUST ensure is the jersey you are making people pay for. looks NOTHING like a playing jersey.
..because if it does ... it immediately means it has nothing to do with player confusion and EVERYTHING to do with creating another income stream albeit a minimal one.
Now, after Dave Youngblood's threat to come over to Europe this year and run 3 events had the Millennium guys running around like headless chickens for a few months, you'd think the MS guys would be somewhat tentative in introducing new measures that cost people money .. but oh no... oh no, they carry on their old ways regardless and is it any wonder that people get pissed off.
But for the purposes of a balanced take on things, let's make a somewhat outlandish assumption in thinking this new levy on the press is in fact legitimate .. [hard to grasp I know but please run with it for a minute] - this being the case, you'd think there is no way they would want to create a perception that people were being shafted ... they really don't need another case of this to contend with because it not only pis$es the people off directly concerned wit the new charge [media] it pis$es everybody else off because all it does is cement in other people's minds, the MS are just money grabbing bastaids who care not for anybody but their pockets ....
They have failed everybody not least themselves in introducing this new charge on the press ... it's not been thought through properly and certainly not presented professionally .. it's a knee-jerk reaction to a problem that's seemingly been *******ised to perform an active income stream.
If anybody makes a serious attempt to come over to Europe, then I fear for the MS, I really do, they cannot ever claw back enough respect, fast enough, to facilitate a reasonable defence of their customer base ... the new series will mop up and there isn't anything the MS could do
I have quite a lot of contact with the MS guys and some of them are mates of mine but it seems when they get together, something happens to them and decisions come out of that bunch that I don't think would come out of any one of them individually.
I don't want foreigners coming over and running our event series, I really don't and I've always wanted the MS to tidy up their act and give the teams and vendors true value for money but it seems they are hell-bent on making things difficult for themselves if and when somebody makes a move to invade Europe .. and by then, it's far too late to do anything I'm afraid.
