Illinois school association bans press photogs from games
As reported by the
Associated Press, the Illinois High School Association banned photographers from
The (Bloomington) Pantagraph, the (Springfield)
State-Register, The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald, and the (Crystal Lake)
Northwest Herald from taking pictures onfield during the state championships. The photographers were banished to the press box because their organizations refused to sign over the rights to the pictures they would take on the field. The IHSA has signed an agreement with a company for exclusive rights to take pictures at games, and insists that press photographers have to relinquish rights to using the pictures beyond game coverage to the IHSA. The Illinois Press Association had filed suit, but both sides were working on a settlement when this took place. The IHSA even had the nerve to brag about this violation of First Amendment rights on its
Web site.