Media Credential Policy:

Introduction:
North Central College is committed to providing access to media while ensuring a safe, professional, and equitable environment for student-athletes, coaches, and event operations. This policy exists to ensure the safety of North Central College’s student-athletes, coaches, and spectators, as well as all media representatives.

Issuance of Credentials:
Media credentials may be issued to working members of the media representing outlets (as determined by the College’s Athletics Communication staff based on editorial standards, audience reach, and relevance to the event) whose primary function is news gathering or sports reporting. Eligible outlets include newspapers, websites, magazines, television, and radio. Credentials will not be issued to outlets primarily engaged in self-promotion, commercial activity, or content creation that does not demonstrate a journalistic or editorial purpose.

Freelance reporters or photographers will not be credentialed unless they are working under a specific assignment from a recognized media outlet. Credential applications must be submitted by the sports editor, sports director/producer, photo editor or participating institution representative.

Past credentialing does not guarantee future approval

Media members must request a new credential for each game, as credentials do not carry over from one event to the next. North Central College Athletics Communication has sole discretion to approve, deny, or revoke media credentials at any time. All credential requests must be submitted to the Office of Athletics Communication (sportsinfo@noctrl.edu) at least 48 hours before the competition. Any media representative that does not meet this deadline will be directed to spectator seating for the duration of the event.

Media credentials will not be issued to middle school or high school students to ensure compliance with institutional safety, liability, and media standards. The competing institutions, CCIW and NCAA, receive priority for credentials, press box seating, and access to student-athletes/coaches following competition.

Photography/Videography/Sideline Policy:
In addition to the credential policy above, individuals seeking sideline access must adhere to the following rules. Anyone not obeying these rules may have their sideline access immediately revoked and/or credentials withdrawn at the discretion of Athletics Communication, Athletics, and/or Campus Safety.

• Media representatives, including photographers, videographers and journalists, must not have any contact with student-athletes, coaches or game representatives from the start of warmups until the designated postgame media availability period, as determined and managed by Athletics Communication. Any planned interactions such as a one-on-one interview with a student-athlete or coach must be set up ahead of time with Athletics Communication.
• Per NCAA policy, credentials issued do not grant access to team bench areas. Click HERE for sport-specific guidelines on where credentialed personnel can/cannot be.
• Please remain 10 yards away from the benches and/or midfield substitution areas at all times to not interfere with the operation of the contest. Media must remain a safe distance from the field/court boundaries so as to not interfere with players, referees, chain gang, ball runners, timers, or other event staff.
• Any media that disrupts play will be removed immediately