Media Guides

Media Guides: Cost-Saving Measures

  • Organizations are continuously looking for ways to save costs when producing media guides.

  • In the early 2000s, there was a notable trend where organizations began producing digital copies of media guides in addition to traditional hard copies.

  • The College Sports Information Directors of America (Cosida) conducted a survey directed at sport media professionals to assess their preferences regarding the format of media guides:

    • The media responded that they preferred hard copies over digital formats.

Digital vs. Hard Copies

Digital Copies:

  • Benefit: Digital copies provide easy access on smartphones, facilitating quick information retrieval during games.

Hard Copies:

  • Benefit: Hard copies are more convenient for broadcasters who work in edit bays that lack cellular reception due to soundproofing walls. This allows broadcasters to easily access roster information while editing highlights.

  • Due to media preference, Cosida has continued to produce both hard copies and electronic versions of media guides.

  • The speaker expresses a belief that there will eventually be a shift towards all-digital access in the future.

Primary Purpose of Media Guides

  • Main Objective: The primary purpose is to serve the media by providing essential information that helps them cover events effectively. This information includes:

    • Historical matchups

    • Conference standings

    • Season outlooks

  • Other Purposes:

    • Recruiting Tool: Coaches utilize media guides as a means to showcase their programs to prospective athletes.

    • NCAA Compliance: NCAA maintains compliance regulations regarding media guides to ensure fairness in recruiting situations. The concern is that wealthier private universities might produce more elaborate guides, potentially giving them an unfair recruiting advantage over public schools.

Factors Contributing to the Cost of Media Guides

The cost of producing media guides is influenced by three critical factors:

  1. Size of the Guide: The overall dimensions of the media guide can affect production costs.

  2. Number of Pages: The total number of pages in a guide significantly impacts its price.

  3. Use of Color: Color printing can be more expensive than black and white, limiting color usage may reduce costs.

Media Guide Length Comparison

  • Example: A Portland football job guide has 27 pages, whereas a Syracuse University guide boasts a total of 337 pages.

  • Variability: The number of pages in media guides can differ considerably among schools.

NCAA Rule on Color Usage

  • The NCAA stipulates that color can only be used on specific parts of the media guide:

    • Cover

    • Back cover

    • Inside front cover

    • Inside back cover

  • All internal pages are mandated to be black and white to avert any potential advantages in recruiting.

Fundraising Efforts via Media Guides

  • Media guides are often used during booster meetings and fundraising events.

  • Distributing media guides to potential donors creates a sense of exclusivity and belonging, enhancing the likelihood of larger donations.

Importance of Content vs. Design in Media Guides

  • The most important reason for creating media guides is to serve the media.

  • Media guides also act as tools for recruitment and fundraising efforts.

  • Content Driven: The content inside the media guides is considered crucial, outweighing aesthetic factors in importance.

    • 75/25 Rule: It is quantified that 75% of the importance relates to the content while 25% pertains to design.

Accessibility of Information

  • Accessibility is vital: Information that is frequently used should be designed to be easily located.

  • The speaker highlights that he refers to the schedule found in media guides daily to plan events.

  • Optimal Placement: The back cover is identified as the best location for the schedule within the guide.

Rules for Designing a Media Guide

There are three key principles to consider when designing a media guide:

  1. Consistency: Ensure a harmonious graphics package and theme is used throughout the entire guide.

Examples of Softball Media Guides

  • Wichita State University: Utilized a racing theme with visuals of checkered flags and NASCAR cockpit imagery.

  • Tennessee Tech Softball Team: Employed a patriotic theme displaying the American flag and an eagle, featuring the phrase "Let's roll" at the bottom, which symbolizes a reference to the events of 9/11.

    • The speaker recounts the historical context of the phrase "let's roll," linking it to the incident on 9/11 where it became a motivational phrase for the military.

  • Arizona State Softball Team: Adopted a Western Outlaw theme using wanted posters.

  • Another Example: A school showcased a boxing theme with the slogan "Coming out swinging."

Critique of UMKC Media Guide

  • The speaker expresses discontent with the UMKC media guide for using the acronym "UMKC" instead of the full university name on the front cover, stating that:

    • "If you are UMKC, don't use the acronym. Don't use the letters."

    • The speaker emphasizes that individuals unfamiliar with the locality may not recognize what the acronym represents.

Design Rule: Simplicity

  • Organizations sometimes attempt to cut costs by minimizing the guide's size, reducing the number of pages, or limiting the color palette.

  • This practice can lead to guides that are difficult to read, with small fonts and an overwhelming amount of information crammed into constrained areas.

  • Example Critique: The Ithaca Bombers media guide is specifically criticized for being too small, hard to read, and poorly designed. This guide contains details related to opponent information, championships, and accomplishments.