Indiana High School Athletic Association
9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650
Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org
Blake Ress, Commissioner
_____________________________________________________________________________
MEDIA ADVISORY
November 19, 2000Contact: Jim Russell, Sports Information Director
E-Mail: jrussell@ihsaa.org
2000 FOOTBALL STATE FINALS
RCA Dome, Indianapolis
Tickets: $10 each day, available at participating schools and RCA Dome.
Friday, November 24
Class A
3:30 p.m.
Adams Central (11-3) vs. Attica (14-0).
Class 2A
7 p.m.
Fort Wayne Luers (14-0) vs. Evansville Mater Dei (14-0).
Saturday, November 25
Class 3A
Noon
Zionsville (11-3) vs. Heritage Hills (14-0).
Class 4A
3:30 p.m.
East Noble (13-1) vs. Plainfield (14-0).
Class 5A
7 p.m.
Penn (13-1) vs. Center Grove (13-1).
CREDENTIAL REQUEST DEADLINE IS MONDAY
Outlets who have yet to make a media credential request are reminded that 4 p.m. Monday is the deadline. Requests made after that time will be considered only as space allows. No credentials will be mailed after 4 p.m. Monday; any requests honored would be available Tuesday (Nov. 21) and Wednesday (Nov. 22) at the IHSAA office or on game days at Gate 2-A of the RCA Dome.
FOOTBALL STATE FINALS MEDIA INFORMATION
PRE-GAME INFORMATION PACKETS -- Will be distributed Monday (Nov. 20) at the 10 a.m. state finals organizational meeting and press conference at the IHSAA office. This information also will be placed on the IHSAA website by 5 p.m. Monday. For outlets who do not attend the press conference or who do not have access to the Internet, this information can be faxed upon request. Information for each team will include the following: Season results, rosters, probable starting lineups, team statistics and individual statistics.
SEAT ASSIGNMENTS -- The credentials issued by the IHSAA office do not contain seat numbers. Seating assignments will be posted in the RCA Dome elevator, at the press box entrance and throughout the press box.
BROADCAST PHONE LINES -- Radio stations should arrange to have their phone line installed at the RCA Dome through Ameritech at 888-976-2427. Booth locations will be assigned by the IHSAA on Monday (Nov. 20). Those assignments will be forwarded to Mike Fox/L.J. Wright in the RCA Dome operations office, and they will act as the liaison with Ameritech in installing the lines.
POOL TELEPHONES -- Pool phones for filing purposes will be available in the press box. Only credit card and 800 number calls can be made from those phones. Outlets needing an exclusive line for transmission of stories or photos should contact Ameritech at 888-976-2427.
ENTRANCE -- Entrance to the dome for credentialed media is at Gate 2-A on the south side of the building adjacent to the media parking area at South and Missouri Streets.
PRESS BOX LOCATION -- For those who have not covered a game at the RCA Dome since 1998, please note significant changes have been made in the seating area for non-radio media. The press box has been moved to the dome's upper level. It is accessible via elevator; exit at the Press Box Level.
RADIO LEVEL -- The working area for radio broadcasters was not moved in the recent renovation. It remains two levels above the field and one level above the main concourse. To access, exit the elevator at the Suite Level and follow the signage to the broadcast booths.
FIELD LEVEL -- All credentialed media will have access to the field level. However, we solicit cooperation in keeping the sidelines as clean as possible during the games.
HOSPITALITY -- The IHSAA will provide a hospitality area with food and drinks on Friday and Saturday adjacent to the main media area on the Press Box level. Note: All credentialed media will have access to this level.
GAME DAY WEBSITE UPDATES -- Quarter scores will be updated during each game on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org. Final team and individual statistics will be available approximately 60 minutes after the conclusion of each championship game. To locate this information, go to the Football section. The statistics and summary of each championship game will be listed individually.
TELEVISION COVERAGE –WHMB (Channel 40) of Indianapolis will serve as the flagship station for the IHSAA Network. For the Class 3A, 4A and 5A championship games, veteran sportscaster Jerry Baker will handle the play-by-play, with Bob Nagle as analyst and Chris Denari as the sideline reporter. For the Class A and Class 2A championship games, Howard Kellman will provide the play-by-play with John Fox as the analyst.
RCA DOME PARKING FOR TELEVISION SATELLITE TRUCKS -- Contact Mike Fox or L.J. Wright at the RCA Dome, 317-262-3400.
LIVE TELEVISION CUT-INS -- Spot news reports showing live game action are prohibited. Stand-up reports for newscasts are permitted from inside the dome provided that no live action is shown.
FIELD RESTRICTIONS -- During the games, all media personnel must observe the field markings at the RCA Dome and work behind the white-painted area that is approximately two yards wide around the perimeter of the field on the sides and in the end zones. Photographers may work from the end zone to the 30-yard-line at each end of the field from either sideline. The defined team bench area between the 30-yard lines is a restricted area. Your cooperation is appreciated for the safety and working conditions of players, coaches, officials and other media professionals.
POST-GAME AWARDS COURTESY -- Print and electronic reporters, and electronic camera personnel are asked to refrain from conducting on-the-field interviews with coaches and players until that school has been through the post-game awards ceremony. This allows the players a cooling off opportunity and for the awards ceremony to be conducted as quickly as possible with decorum. Order of awards will be: 1) Eskew Mental Attitude Award; 2) Runner-up team medals and trophy; 3) Championship team medals and trophy. Once the runner-up school has received its medals and trophy, on-the-field interviews will be permitted with players and coaches from that school. The same procedure will be followed with the championship team. We solicit your cooperation with this policy in order to continue on-the-field post-game access in the future. The alternative is restricting all interviews to the interview room.
POST-GAME INTERVIEWS -- Coaches and key players will be brought to the interview room at the playing field level of the dome following the conclusion of the post-game awards ceremonies of each game. Players will be available at the discretion of that school’s coach. Locker room access is at the discretion of each school.
INTERVIEW ROOM -- After each game, the coach and selected players from each school will be brought to the interview room adjacent to Locker Room 1 on the field level of the RCA Dome. Upon exiting the elevator, turn left and proceed to the second locker room complex towards the west end of the corridor.
INTERVIEW ORDER -- The runner-up coach and team will go first, followed by the championship coach and team.
SPECTATOR VIDEOTAPING -- Spectators are permitted to videotape at the IHSAA Football State Finals. However, they are restricted to working on battery power, and in a manner that does not obstruct the view of other spectators. Extension cords and tripods are not permitted. Your assistance in communicating this policy is appreciated.