How close to bounds marker in football or basketball?

How close to the sidelines, end line, out-of-bounds lines are we photographers allowed to be? Are there official regulations for football or basketball or is it up to the local field "owner" to set the distance?

I haven't seen anything in the rules, but around here (Perth, Australia) it varies by event and stadium.

Basketball we typically sit on the floor in the 1.5m wide strip between the baseline and the first row of seats
normally leaning back on the barrier fence.

AFL and Rugby - with your back to the fence - basically as far back as possible

Soccer and netball - behind the signs that sit round the pitch/court

If you don't know, ask the Media Liason person (if there isn't one, check with the umpires/scorers/organi​ser)

Are you talking about kids/teens playing in school or college/pro?

I do high school football and rugby for the local paper and I get as close as possible to the sideline, sometimes even a little over, but never in the way, to get the shot. Even shooting CIS University soccer in town, I still get amazing access and other than the refs needing right not he sideline, I go where I want.

Thanks for the replies.

I'm talking about High School sports here. In the past I've gotten as close as I needed to get the shot, but always backing away some when the action approached.

I'm in a new area and the school athletic director said "stay behind the orange line" which at this school is about 8 feet away from the sidelines. If I stay there I have players, coaches, ball-boys, refs, medical support folks and statisticians getting in the way of my shots. I ended up ignoring the AD's rules and reverting to my normal practices.

I recall a few years ago reading that the NCAA had rules at the college level but I can't find them now.

Oh, for high school, I just go where I want. I have yet to be asked to move and am well aware of the risks of getting run over. I'm usually about 20 yards up the sideline from the line of scrimmage so I am not in the way of anything.

n1as wrote in post #17752244
I ended up ignoring the AD's rules and reverting to my normal practices.

Do that in my area and you wouldn't be shooting at their school again, inside or out.

We're usually back 5 or 6-ft at my high schools and it isn't an issue working around the others unless the athlete is skirting the sideline. I did have one video guy who kept moving to the edge of the field on each play and he was a pain to shoot around. I ended up going to the other side of the field and dealt with the chain gang obstruction as at least I knew where they'd be.

And be mindful of the lines for the different sports. I drifted onto the field one time for field hockey not realizing I crossed their line as I was looking at the football line. Fortunately, the action was no where near me and the ref gave me a quick shout to move back, which I did with a red face

It also depends on your location too. In Canada, I find that our high school sports is not taken nearly as seriously as it is in the USA and I could probably get away with a lot more than I could down there.

pat.kane wrote in post #17752636
Do that in my area and you wouldn't be shooting at their school again, inside or out.

Full story is I don't recall exactly what the AD said, but I believe it was "when the action is close stay behind the red line". If the rule is really "stay behind the red line at all times" then there are number of other people who would need to be kicked out as well. Unless of course AD wants to enforce the rules in a somewhat arbitrary manner.

Unfortunately the local newspaper photog was not there so I wasn't able to see where they stood.

Some schools are more strict than others, even in my area. One requires a field pass for all football games, even the media. Another only requires a pass for the big games. Most don't require a pass at all, but make some attempt to mind who is on the sideline. Personally, I'd be in favor of getting credentials for every game. At least people would have to explain why they needed access, and no, I wouldn't have an issue with team photographers (parent or not) having access.

At the game I shot on Friday night, I looked up to find a mom standing ON THE FIELD OF PLAY in the corner of the end zone during a close-in field goal attempt. I was stunned. I don't think anyone else noticed and she was a good 5-yards onto the field. Good thing they didn't fake the field goal and send a pass her way.

pat.kane wrote in post #17754030
At the game I shot on Friday night, I looked up to find a mom standing ON THE FIELD OF PLAY in the corner of the end zone during a close-in field goal attempt. I was stunned. I don't think anyone else noticed and she was a good 5-yards onto the field. Good thing they didn't fake the field goal and send a pass her way.

Oh. My. Word. That is crazy. I'm guessing she didn't have enough lens to get a close-up of her kid so she did the foot-zoom thing. By why in the end zone? Strange angle for a field goal attempt photo.

In football stay away from the side line at least 3 to 4 feet. A lot of people don't noticed this. If a play is coming the down field the sideline referee will be running down and looking at the play and won't notice you. I was at a game and a rookie photographer got close and the ref ran into him. Ref told the coach and almost had all the photographers thrown of the field.
Also try to stay out of the players area. mostly 30 yard line to 30 yard line. This is their "house". They get in your way and you get in their way.

In basketball if you're shooting on the baseline. (sitting) at least 4 feet or so.

The number one thing is safety for yourself . The players in the game a lot of the time won't notice you're there and might run into you.

This is what I do. Some people will do differently.

In our stadium there is a dashed yellow line 5 yards off the field all the away around the field except for between the 25's which is the team box. Everybody is "supposed" to be behind this line. People will cheat until one of the refs or security moves them back. You are supposed to stay out of the team box for shooting but you can go around the back of it to change ends of the field.

If you stop the video at the link below at the 10-11 second mark, you can see the dashed yellow lines.

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=UCTowr4z1_Y

Doc

McNeese72 wrote in post #17892019
In our stadium there is a dashed yellow line 5 yards off the field all the away around the field except for between the 25's which is the team box. Everybody is "supposed" to be behind this line. People will cheat until one of the refs or security moves them back. You are supposed to stay out of the team box for shooting but you can go around the back of it to change ends of the field.


Doc

In our stadiums in Kansas, we have the same dashed line roughly 3-5 yards off the field. If everyone obeys the rule to stay behind the dashed line it works out well for everyone. When one person has to push it closer, then all the other shooters face the choice of also moving closer or being blocked by the offender as he/she obstructs the vision of others along the sideline. It is a pet peeve of mine and I've seen other working photogs call out those who simply must move an extra 2-3 yards closer when shooting players who are 25 yards away. My advice is to stay back behind the dashed line or whatever line the local authorities specify. It's safer and thoughtful to your photographing colleagues. None of us want a photog to become part of the story by interfering with a game. That's bad for everyone.


Phil

Zivnuska wrote in post #17893002
In our stadiums in Kansas, we have the same dashed line roughly 3-5 yards off the field. If everyone obeys the rule to stay behind the dashed line it works out well for everyone. When one person has to push it closer, then all the other shooters face the choice of also moving closer or being blocked by the offender as he/she obstructs the vision of others along the sideline. It is a pet peeve of mine and I've seen other working photogs call out those who simply must move an extra 2-3 yards closer when shooting players who are 25 yards away. My advice is to stay back behind the dashed line or whatever line the local authorities specify. It's safer and thoughtful to your photographing colleagues. None of us want a photog to become part of the story by interfering with a game. That's bad for everyone.

Phil

It seems like the biggest offenders here are the local TV guys shooting video for the sports news.

Doc

McNeese72 wrote in post #17894191
It seems like the biggest offenders here are the local TV guys shooting video for the sports news.

Doc

You are right about that!