Media/photography accreditation 2020: guidance notes
WRITTEN AND BROADCAST MEDIA
There are two types of accreditation for written and broadcast media.
Category 1: Betfred Super League, Championship, League 1 and Women’s Super League fixtures
• Journalists, broadcasters and television reporters (typically permanent or temporary employees, contractors etc) working for media with nationwide or regional geographical reach (e.g. Sky Sports, BBC local radio, RL trade press, online publications with a national audience) • Local newspaper journalists and independent local radio broadcasters
Category 2: Betfred Championship, League 1 and Women’s Super League fixtures only, including Coral Challenge Cup games involving Championship and League 1 clubs
• Journalists, reporters and broadcasters working specifically on Championship, League 1 or Women’s Super League games for local media or RL trade publications.
Applications must also be supported by evidence of credentials. For example:
• membership of the Rugby League Writers Association; • cuttings of, or hyperlinks to, three bylined articles of work published by a recognised media outlet in 2019; • a commission for 2020 from a recognised media outlet; • a remittance note from a recognised media outlet paid work published in 2019.
We are unable to offer media accreditation to bloggers or people running fans’ websites.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
There are three accreditation categories.
Category 1: All competitions and fixtures including Betfred Super League, Coral Challenge Cup, Betfred Championship, Betfred League 1 and Betfred Women’s Super League
• Staff photographers on national, regional or local newspaper titles • Established agency/freelance photographers (i.e. who have previously received payment for images from Super League/international competition published in recognised media outlets in 2018.
Category 2: Betfred Championship, League 1 and Women’s Super League fixtures only, including relevant Coral Challenge Cup fixtures
• Staff photographers on national, regional or local newspaper titles; • Freelance photographers whose images are used on a paid-for basis by trade press and local newspapers
Category 3: Official club photographers accredited only to fixtures involving their respective clubs
All applications must also be supported the following evidence of credentials.
• A valid certificate of Public Liability Insurance to a minimum cover of £2million. • Proof of publication of images (for example International RL, Super League, Championship, League 1, Women’s Super League, other professional sports) in a recognised media outlet during 2019 OR a copy of an invoice for paid work during 2019. • A commission for 2020 from a recognised media outlet. • Evidence, where appropriate, that a photographer has taken all reasonable steps to protect the intellectual property of their subject on online databases e.g. password protecting, watermarking. • A commission from a senior club official (club photographers only).
IMPORTANT
Annual accreditation is at the discretion of the Rugby Football League in conjunction with RFL member clubs. Terms and conditions will be sent to all successful applicants, along with passes.
Accreditation does not guarantee entry to any game. Matchday access is at the host club’s discretion.
Persons running community or hospital radio stations should approach media managers at the relevant clubs for permission for access and broadcast permissions.
We are unable to offer media accreditation to photographers, videographers or podcasters from fans’ websites or similar.
Club videographers will have the same access rights as photographers, provided that they are covered by their club’s own public liability insurance. Videographers not employed by clubs must provide evidence of a minimum public liability insurance of £2million.
Separate accreditation arrangements will apply for events such as the Challenge Cup Final, Super League Grand Final, Magic Weekend, Summer Bash and international fixtures.
RFL accreditation is not required for community game fixtures.