New NFL attire

[rick_helmke]

I understand the NFL has a new dress code for accredited photographers.

Apparently everyone will be required to wear a red vest with Canon and Adidas

logos on them. Even the Nikon shooters. Nothing a Sharpie won't fix I suppose.

Hell I thought NASCAR was bad, and it is. Can we say 'bought and paid for'??

 

Rick H.

[Matt Laur]

Well, it's not like the NFL was founded by Mother Theresa. It's a business with absolutely nothing to sell except image and excitement... so, putting a piece of that image up for sale isn't exactly shocking. It's how (and why) they exist as a big organization. Even so, this is why I stick to sports where the color you have to wear (blaze orange) isn't to advertise anybody's wares - it's so you don't catch a face full of birdshot!

[timzeipekis]

Unless your on an outing with the Vice President!

[carl_auer2]

I think it is actually Canon and Rebok...rebock... They are not suppose to be big logos.

The problem is they are red and you will stand out more than the past photo vests made

you stand out. Before, the less photogs were seen the better, so photo vests were very

similar to the surounding area, green or blue and blended in with the turf or the padded

walls of the arena so when TV swung around you would just dissapear into the

suroundings. Now, you will stick out and be very noticable.

 

The problem is, we need photo vests. I do not know how many times my credential tag

has gotten tangled up a camera strap or flipped over or hidden by my jacket that I would

have to readjust to move around. Wearing a vest, while not a great fashion statement, is a

great idea. Problem is, while teams have money, it is much cheaper to have regular

credentials printed than to have vests done for each game. By out sourcing the costs to

Nike, Rebock, Canon, Nikon, etc, it saves the league money, so for the league it is a good

idea. Look at the photowells at some of the stadiums. On the outside they may have a

logo for a company sponsor or something. If newspapers or photographers have a

problem with it, they do not have to cover the games and that opens the field for more

wireservices and freelancers who could care less.

 

Now, that all changes if you are in position to take a shot and a NFL guy comes over and

says, "If you are going to shoot from here, can you turn more this way so we can see the

vest logos in our camera?"

[chris_smith20]

If anyone has a big enough complaint about the vest that they want to have me wear it for them, please feel free to send the vest and credential to me. :-). I'd love to dodge footballs and NFL officials on the sidelines some Sunday.

[wilsontsoi]

<a href="http://www.sportsshooter.com/news_story.html?id=1807">Here's</a> some feedback from few others.

[ajpn]

It is Rebok and the vests are safety orange. Not red.

 

This is rumored to be part of the deal that allows Nolan and that other coach to wear Rebok suits at home games.