Websites, internets, and bloggers -- oh my! NBA, Warriors grapple with credentialing new media

September 19, 1:46 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Doesn't work at many NBA arenas 

Fewer than 15 years ago, five Bay Area newspapers had a traveling beat writer covering the Golden State Warriors: the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune, and San Jose Mercury News.

A sixth paper, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, traveled some of the time. The Marin Independent Journal was a fixture at home games.

Now, there are two papers that have traveling beat writers: the Chronicle and the Times. Further, those writers are sometimes “pulled off the road,” around midseason during less-than-successful seasons as a way to save money.

We’re talking about the Warriors and Bay Area newspapers, but this is a league-wide trend. Fact is, there has been a momentous decline in Warriors information -- again, every team for that matter -- in papers.

That doesn't sit well with the NBA or its teams, which have lost big-time coverage in recent years. Or real fans, of course.

The logical progression, and solution, however, has been a monumental headache.

What to do with those (us?) bloggers?

Suffice it to say, the league is finding it challenging to put in place the most effective way to credential -- or not credential -- bloggers and others who have their own websites. Ditto for the Warriors, who constantly weigh how to -- or whether to -- credential various representatives from fan-related sites.

Some are turned down, others invited to a practice for an interview, still others may get a game credential without locker-room access. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution type of thing.

On the one hand, the league doesn’t want to discount a viable media with millions of existing and potential eyeballs.

Then again, they don’t want any dubious Tom, Dick or Harriett sitting in his/her parent’s basement to be able to come on out to a game, grab a meal, sit real close to the action (most of the time) and get to go inside a real-live NBA locker room.

Depending how far the NBA opens its doors to internet types, however, they could make up for the newspaper coverage gap and then some -- not to mention put itself in a position to be seen by non-hard-core NBA fans.

From everything I can gather, teams and the  league are trying to separate the contenders from the pretenders, if you will, when it comes to access.

In the past, it was easy.

The Warriors’ PR department issued season credentials to the beat writers, the columnists, a few general assignment reporters, photographers and the radio and television people.

If you didn’t fit into that group, you could ask about a game-day credential.

Now, it’s tough to figure out what to do.

Consider that no fewer than three recently laid-off Bay Area sportswriters who are starting their own websites/blogs inquired about acquiring Warriors’ season credentials.

On the one hand, of course those should be granted.

On the other, what about pudgy-little Luke from down the street who just started his own site at www.warriorsaremyfavoriteteamofalltime.com?

There are actually security issues that revolve around all of this, I’m told.

It’s all a work in progress and requests, inquiries, complaints, suggestions, applications, etc. are being dealt with on an individual basis. As of now, there is no policy in place. Not even any real guidelines.

In the meantime, just two Warriors beat writers will be covering the team, and they’ll be withdrawn at the first sign of trouble. There may be times that because of travel logistics, one or both of those papers won't have a writer at some practices altogether.

The space crunch in newspapers allows for cursory coverage these days, at best.

The NBA, Warriors and every team in the league are trying to figure out the best way to fill that void.