What the Hell?
FTVLive's favorite Buffalo Bills has sent out their 2016 media policy on Reporters covering the team.
It basically tells Reporters that they can't report about anything that they have seen on the practice field.
Say what?
Here is some of the highlights of the new Reporter rules:
--- Reports (which also include radio reports, tweets, podcasts and blogs) pertaining to strategic and tactical information are strictly prohibited. This includes:
--- Referencing plays run or game strategy, including trick plays or unusual formations.
--- Reporting on personnel groupings, sub-packages, players who are practicing with individual units (first-team, second team, goal line, offense, nickel defense, etc.), special plays, who is rushing the passer, dropped passes, interceptions, QB completion percentage, etc.
--- Only Bills personnel are permitted on the grass.
--- Members of the media are encouraged to speak to the players during the media availability sessions, but are not permitted to speak with players, coaches or staff members during practice.
--- Still photographers and TV photographers will be permitted to shoot only during the designated portion of individual drills and team stretch during closed practices. All photographers must shoot only from the designated areas. In Training Camp that is on the track around the field, even in the endzones. During the closed practices inside the ADPRO Sports Training Center this includes the gray rubberized area on the north side of the field house. Photographers must stay back at least 10 yards from practice drills that may take place close to the edge of the field. For practices on the grass fields outside the ADPRO Sports Training Center, photographers and all media are permitted on the orange rubberized area next to the field.
--- Media are not allowed to stream any part of practice and the use of live stream applications such as Meerkat and Periscope are not permitted.
--- Reporting, recording or filming of private team conversations or comments which are intended solely for the team and not intended to be made public is strictly prohibited. This includes any conversations between practice personnel (players, coaches, team executives and staff). Examples include post-practice team huddle, communication occurring during practice and private team communication occurring post-practice.
So in other words, don't bother showing up, because there is nothing to see....or report....here.
I love you Bills, but this is F'd up.