The Media Accreditation process has opened according to an update I noticed for the first time on Monday morning (June 11, 2018) on the Global T20 Canada website (https://www.gt20.ca/). The invitation to apply for media accreditation may have been in place for a few days but I possibly have not checked anything on the official tournament website since last Thursday or Friday.
A note on the home page includes the message “Media Accreditation Process is Open” followed by the word “Apply” in a box. Hitting the enter key took me to the notice about the application process.
One matter that the organizers ought to re-consider or re-phrase, in my opinion, is in the passage that currently reads: “Due to extremely limited tribune seating at the venue, organisatons are entitled to only one accreditation, except in the case of TV, in which both a reporter and cameraperson will receive credentials.”
This tournament is due to take place from June 28, 2018 thru to July 15, 2018 (with July 16 as the reserve date for the final) and two games are scheduled on six of those days. It may be more appropriate to restrict certain organizations to one accredited person per day as an editor or enterprise may need to use different journalists/reporters on different days during the overall event. Indeed there may be a need to change reporters between games on days when more than one game is being played at Maple Leaf Cricket Club.
At present the only exception to the “one accreditation” per outlet rule applies “in the case of TV, in which both a reporter and cameraperson will receive credentials.”
The media registration deadline is set for “Midnight, June 22, 2018, North America Eastern Standard Time (EST).” Although in Toronto I think EST currently incorporates the “Eastern Summer Time” of EST rather than the “standard” version, which differs by one hour during the summer, notwithstanding the interests of those based closer to Canada’s Pacific Coast.
Having spent the last two days at some cricket grounds around the Greater Toronto Area this Media Accreditation notice reminds me I need to book transport and accommodation if I am to be in Fredericton, New Brunswick during the weekend of June 23-24, 2018. I have already taken a look outside, seen the scope of clean-up outside the house that needs attention and have done a few simple clean-up tasks. There seemed to be a range of clean-up tasks needed around the Maple Leaf grounds based on my Sunday afternoon visit.
My sympathies are with those who work and maintain those grounds. Significant changes in weather during the last few months has certainly been challenging for those looking after parks, sports grounds and gardens in the Greater Toronto Area. Some grasses have grown tall and some weeds have thrived in the last few days around my house while my time has been spent on other things, including some weekend cricket trips.
Some of the damage to the ground and drains near the fences on the southern part of the ground seemed to stem from the use of the grounds for car parking during the 2008 Canadian Thanksgiving Tournament. It seems to have taken some time to get around to addressing concerns about the drainage. Some of the areas around the drainage repairs seem to need time to properly recover from work that may only recently have been completed. Various weeds seem to have thrived in some places and it will take time to recover such areas to the pretty, well cut grass one would wish to see in a cricket outfield.
Perhaps someone on the Toronto and District Cricket Association’s Board might be able to work out a sponsorship deal for the grounds with a company such as Maple Leaf Foods or Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment? But that’s a matter that likely requires consideration and approval by the Maple Leaf CC Board and by the Trustees of the Maple Leaf Cricket Club.
Sponsorship funds might then be used to acquire some video cameras to record SuperElite and Elite games played on the grounds at Maple Leaf CC. A basic setup of one camera at each end of the ground looking down the line of the wicket would be a start.
Footage could be used to support promotion of the league, coaching and review from both playing and umpiring perspectives as well as to consider, when necessary, player or spectator conduct. The available cameras might be pooled to provide the ability for decision reviews during “big games” played at Maple Leaf Cricket Club.
“The World” might be able to tune in to live streaming of games from Maple Leaf CC, or at least that portion of “The World” that has access to a relatively open internet, free from some censorship activities that could leave many people unable to see what happens on an ongoing basis at the home of the Toronto and District Cricket Association.
Now there would be some setup costs and the need for training of people to work cameras and editing processes but various sponsors of participating clubs might gain some rewards via publicity and may seek to increase their involvement in the cricket scene in and around the Greater Toronto Area.
Imagine. Just imagine. Then think it out. Then take some action!
Eddie Norfolk