NCAA Football Photography

[fusionmedia]

Hi everyone!

My name is Charles - this is my first post here. I'm a working professional photographer located in Pensacola, FL. I primarily shoot weddings, portraits, and the occasional corporate assignment for local advertising agencies. I found your forum while searching for information on sports photography. It seems that there are a number of very talented photographers here that might be able to lend me a hand.

I was able to procure a season of press credentials for the upcoming 2010 Florida State University college football season. I'm beyond stoked, as I've been a lifelong fan of the FSU Seminoles, and getting to be on the sideline during a game is going to be a dream come true! If I'm being completely honest, this idea started out as a method for procuring access to the games. But seeing as I am a professional working photographer, and since I've been given this tremendous opportunity, I'd like to make the most of it.

I shoot weddings year round, so I'm familiar with the professional decorum required to BE a professional photographer - stay out of the way, don't make a scene, be respectful, observe more than your interfere, etc. But I guess I'm coming to this forum in hopes that someone can shed some light on the path of DOING something with the images I will be capturing. Some questions:

1) What are the legal ramifications of photographing NCAA athletics?
2) Am I permitted to use these images myself for marketing (on my blog/website)?
3) Do I own the images that I take?
4) What does it mean to have a press pass?
5) Does this imply some sort of acceptance of a usage agreement?
6) How do photographers in this sport market their images?
7) Should I ever expect to sell an image, or do photographers only get paid by the assignment - not the image?

I feel completely overwhelmed by the idea of actually understanding an industry I know nothing about. I'll add that my current plan is to do absolutely NOTHING with these images until I fully understand exactly what I'm doing.

Any insight you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
~ Charles

[DHMN69]

Charles.. NCAA schools have people specifically hired to answer your questions, called compliance officers, that can tell you exactly what you can and cannot do. I blog, and post D1 (women's only for now) college hockey and was told I can sell them (prints) but didn't last year (I will this year) but boosters/parents etc must be charged the same as you would sell photos to anyone else and offer no deals, as that would be one NCAA violation.

A big NCAA football school like FSU might be a lot more strict on their logos/trademarks and you selling the pictures.. though you own the photos you take, they could revoke your sideline pass..so definitely ask THEM questions 1 and 4 for sure. I'm pretty sure there's no 'usage agreement' that would allow THEM to use your photos without your permission, seeing how you hold the rights.

As for #7 It really wouldn't be an 'assignment' per say would it if you are there to shoot your own photos? Thus you would be paid for an image you sold.

It would be interesting to hear what they say to answer your questions so keep the board informed maybe.