Access to sports

[BullcreekBob]

G'day

I was hoping to take my camera down to the cricket @ the WACA and try getting a few *action* shots, not that much action really takes place in cricket .

At the gate the nice guys gave me a choice
1) have my camera confiscated or
2) Go away

I suppose option 2 was the only viable one so I took it. Waste of all that planning. I remember going to the cricket back in the 70's and getting some *great* shots of the West Indies beating us. When I was in England, I regularly used to take my gear to county matches.

The guys at the gate said cameras owned by the public had never been allowed, I know they were wrong even though it was a long while ago. Does anyone know when this restriction was introduced? and why? Do they really think that I'm going to put the real pro's out of work? It might be nice to think about but it won't happen !!

Does this camera restriction apply to other professional or top grade sports? Apart from down the local park, where can I go and try my eye?

[Raskill]

I took mine into the SCG for the second one day final last year. No problems, although come to think of it, it was a lowepro backpak with the seperate compartment on the bottom, so maybe they didn't notice. I haven't heard of 'no cameras' before, but if you have a 600mm lens on the front, then maybe they won't let you!!

The less professional your equipment looks the better you'll fair.

[sheepie]

There is nothing precluding taking a camera into a Cricket Australia event in their conditions of entry:
http://www.cricket.com.au/_content/document/conditions_of_entry0405.pdf

It does allow the Ground Manager to add certain conditions.

The WACA site includes the following link which further sets out conditions of entry:
http://www.waca.com.au/events/tickets-conditions.htm

Again, no mention of a ban on cameras.

HOWEVER:

Tucked away under "General Events Info" is the following - http://www.waca.com.au/events/eventsinfo.htm

PROHIBITED ITEMS:
...Cameras, videos and recording devices

I, for one, would not be attending an event at this ground on principle. I also guarantee they didn't stop a single Point and Shoot Camera. This is a pet hate of mine, and I'm sick of it

[MCWB]

Maybr bring this to the attention of the WACA management? Not that it'll do you much good now, but might be worth seeing what they say about it. I'd have thought they would want to optimise their poor crowds at any chance...

[BBJ]

I too was worried about my trip to Phillip Island as in the faq's stated no lens longer than 200m, so i asked at the gate and he had no problems if i took a 300m so i did. Suday i entered through a differant gate and was questioned by the Indian security fellow and as the 300 is not much longer than the 70-200 with its lens shade reversed but larger in diamater had me a bit worried but he said he had people coming in with 600m so i think i was lucky. Sux though.

[ozczecho]

Why are Australian authorities so ret@rded? I have just returned from Belgium F1 as well as Shanghai F1 and I saw spectators with lenses longer then my arm. My lowepro bag got searched in China, but not for size of zoom but weapons. In Belgium, straight through, no problems.

Are we the only country in the world where this over policing happens?

Are we denying paid photogs of a living? I dont think so. We still have to contend with a dodgy position, fences, crowds, people pushing and lack of space. grrr.

[MCWB]

What was Shanghai like to shoot ozecho? I loved Belgium, some of my pics are here and here. Looking forward to seeing your Shanghai shots, hope you got one of the Grate wall of China.

[redline]

I too was worried about my trip to Phillip Island as in the faq's stated no lens longer than 200m, so i asked at the gate and he had no problems if i took a 300m so i did. Suday i entered through a differant gate and was questioned by the Indian security fellow and as the 300 is not much longer than the 70-200 with its lens shade reversed but larger in diamater had me a bit worried but he said he had people coming in with 600m so i think i was lucky. Sux though.

So how much did it cost to go to moto gp John?
i guess most events don't want people tryin to sell pics or use their images without their consent. I mean if your really want to follow a certain sport why not try your local clubs and work your way up. i mean honesty i wouldn't want to photograph a cricket/golf match image a cricket/golf ball hitting your gear.

[ozczecho]

MCWB, I saw you posted some piccies from Spa - will check them out tonight

As for Shanghai, its a modern circuit, so its built with the spectator in mind. We sat on the end of the straight (ie corner 1) and you can see the from the end of the pits, whole corner (270 degrees) and then the exit. Its a great spectator track. I took heaps of pics and will post once I get through it. Didnt get a chance to really take pictures of anything but cars (it was a purposely F1 weekend )

As for racing the Spa race was much more exciting and also the track is a classic that cannot be reproduced.

[maca]

I was lucky enough to get in a private box on sunday for the supertest in
Sydney . No bag search , got in 300mm 2.8 , camera and monopod.
but I'm sure if it was through a normal gate there may have been an issue. In saying that I did go to Pura cup game at the SCG and had now problems .

[sheepie]

...I did go to Pura cup game at the SCG and had now problems .

There is no mention of such a draconian policy on the scg or footy stadium's website. I know I've taken my 70-300G into the NRL, but that's not really a pro-looking piece of kit!

[maca]

Sorry just noticed typo
I meant to say I had no problem getting gear into a Pura cup game at SCG

[BBJ]

Thai for the hole weekend it cost me $250. That includes my accomodation,food trip etc... even a hat i brought cos Sete Gibernau and Marco Melandri was walking the streets thursday and in the same shop i was so got a hat off the rack and got them to sighn it, then went and paid for the hat, but my photos of Capirossi's crash will more than pay for my weekend away.