Please contact Tim Stried (
[email protected] or 614-267-2502, ext. 124) at the OHSAA office should you have additional questions. Previews and additional information will be posted on the OHSAA web site.
YOUR HOSTS: OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute is the OHSAA’s administrator for basketball. Tim Stried, the OHSAA’s director of media relations, will be available to assist the media with credentials, seating assignments, interview requests, statistics, photographer placement, etc.
DIVISIONAL ROTATION AND SCHEDULE: The divisional rotation for the state tournaments in 2024 is IV, III, II and I. The Division IV semifinal sessions are Friday at 10:45 AM and 2 PM. The Division III semifinal sessions are Friday at 5:15 PM and 8:30 PM. The Division II and semifinal sessions are Saturday at 10:45 AM and 2 PM. The Division I semifinal sessions are Saturday at 5:15 PM and 8:30 PM. The championship games are Sunday at 10:45 a.m., 2 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
CREDENTIALS: Scan and email the credential application form to Tim Stried at the OHSAA office at
[email protected], or fax to 614-267-1677. The deadline to submit requests is noon on Tuesday, March 19.
CREDENTIAL CONFIRMATION: The OHSAA will send a confirmation email to media applicants and also post a list on OHSAA.org of those media members who have been approved for credentials. Denied requests will be notified via email.
PARKING: Media parking information will be explained in the media application confirmation memo.
CREDENTIAL PICKUP/MEDIA ENTRANCE: Credential pick up information and location will be explained in the media application confirmation memo. Media are requested to show photo identification at credential pick up. Those who do not provide photo ID may be denied entrance.
PRESS ROW: A separate seating chart will be created for each session. In most cases, media who are only covering one game will not have their seat until the preceding game has finished.
MEDIA WORKSPACE: Reporters covering all 12 games of the tournament (or the last game of the day) may continue working at their seats at press row. Otherwise, please use the arena’s media work room, which is located at mid-level beside the media interview room.
BROADCAST CONNECTIONS: Broadcast media outlets needing an internet connection should indicate that on the credential application. Internet lines are $50 and the amount can be included on the rights fee check, made payable to OHSAA.
PREGAME TIMING INFORMATION: A separate timing information document will be provided to broadcast media so they are aware of the timing of such items as the National Anthem, pregame introductions and the exact tip time. The National Anthem is played before every session.
INTERVIEWS: No media members, including photographers, are permitted in the locker rooms at any time. A post-game news conference will take place in the Media Interview Room. Following a brief cooling off period, the head coach and key players will attend. An OHSAA media escort will coordinate media members obtaining quick sound bites from one team if they are waiting near the interview room for the other team to finish its news conference. However, all radio and television post-game interviews must take place after the news conference. Once the first team finishes its news conference, all one-on-one interviews must stop and the second team is required to enter the news conference. For the championship games, interviews for quick sound bites are permitted on the court immediately following the conclusion of BOTH awards ceremony. News conferences will also take place in the Media Interview Room. Additional one-on-one interviews, besides the quick sound bites, will take place after the news conference.
POST-GAME PHOTOS: For the semifinals and finals, photographers and TV cameras are permitted on the court briefly for celebration and emotion types of photos (but no interviews). Photographers must then leave the court area and stand in a designated area so that fans can view the awards ceremonies. At that point, only the OHSAA’s official photographer, a Spectrum TV camera and a UD Arena TV camera are permitted on the court.
TELEVISION INTERVIEWS: Interviews with coaches and players are not permitted on the court after contests unless approved by Tim Stried or Bob Goldring from the OHSAA. TV reporters may enter the court to do a stand-ups, but as previously mentioned, they must wait to conduct one-on-one interviews with any coaches or players. Keep in mind that for the semifinals, a media escort will assist you with quick interviews if one team is waiting for the other team to wrap up its press conference. Following the championship games, the media escort will also help media conduct courtside interviews, but they must take place after BOTH awards ceremonies. No media members are permitted in team locker rooms.
NOTE ON TV REPORTS: Lights on cameras are not permitted when shooting a game or when shooting a reporter doing a report while using the basketball court for a background while a contest is in progress. Shots from spectator seating areas are not permitted without prior permission from the OHSAA.
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