a.)   These regulations apply to both regular-season and OHSAA tournament contests. They also apply to all photographers approved for credentials, including those representing the participating schools. See Section 5-I for regulations specific to student media/photographers.

b.)   These regulations shall be administered by contest managers (hereinafter referred to as “contest managers”) for regular-season or OHSAA tournament contests prior to the state tournament or the OHSAA office or designated contest or media managers (hereinafter referred to as “the OHSAA”) for state tournaments.

c.)    Authorized news media representatives, who have been approved for credentials by contest managers or the OHSAA, shall be permitted to use electronic lighting equipment throughout the course of a given activity in all sports except gymnastics and diving, as well as volleyball tournament matches. In regular-season volleyball matches, flash photography is allowed, but not when a student-athlete is serving. Such electronic lighting can be: strobe lights mounted to fixed positions and/or electronic attachments (flash) mounted to a camera. Procedures are posted on the OHSAA web site.

1.     Requests to use strobe lights mounted to fixed positions shall be made well in advance of the contest.

2.     Requests to use strobe lights mounted to fixed positions shall be honored:

2.1    as facility space permits

2.2    on a priority system based on:

                                                    2.21        an official photographer so designated by the OHSAA (OHSAA tournament contests only)

                                                    2.22        newspapers that cover their hometown competing teams (daily newspapers with larger circulations, followed by weekly newspapers)

                                                    2.23        newspapers that cover the site of the host facility (daily newspapers with larger circulations, followed by weekly newspapers)

                                                    2.24        media which is national, regional or statewide (wire services) in scope

                                                    2.25        all other media (internet sites, specialty publications, etc.)

d.)    Photographers approved to use strobe lights mounted to fixed positions shall ensure contest managers or the OHSAA that such lights are mounted and secured safely.

1.     To ensure safety, photographers shall meet with contest managers or the OHSAA no less than 45 minutes before game time.

2.     As a courtesy, contest managers or the OHSAA shall inform participating coaches and contest officials that photographers have been approved to use strobe lights in fixed positions.

3.     Photographers are expected to use good judgment when placing strobe lights in fixed position so that such lights do not interfere with a participant’s execution of a play. In the sport of basketball, for example, strobe lights shall not be mounted directly behind a basket so as not to interfere with a player’s direct line of sight to the basket.

e.)    In the sport of basketball, photographers are prohibited to position themselves along the baseline within the lane area of the court. 

1.     The first violation of this policy shall result in a warning from contest managers or the OHSAA, and the second violation of this policy shall result in the removal of the photographer from the contest facility by contest managers or the OHSAA.

2.     Photographers may position themselves along the baseline outside the lane area of the court and are permitted to use electronic attachments (flash) mounted to a camera as specified above.

3.     The use of remote-operated cameras behind a basket is permitted so long as the guidelines listed above are followed.

f.)     Photographers for other sports shall be placed in positions in accordance with National Federation of State High School Associations National Rules. In the sport of football, for example, photographers shall be positioned behind the restraining line, which is two or more yards from the sidelines and end zones. In addition, photographers shall not be positioned in the team boxes between the 25-yard lines. Also, in the sports of baseball and softball, photographers are prohibited from being in live ball areas. If a designated media area is used, it shall be established before the game begins, shall be a lined area and shall be considered a dead ball area. The umpire has the authority to remove any member of the media for not staying in or keeping their equipment in the designated dead ball area.