“You’re never coming in the building, regardless of who you’re working for,” I was vengefully told in 2022 after “the boss”, Canucks PR lead Craig MacEwen decided he didn’t like the way I wrote a story. That decision also served the two or three close buddies he actually has in the local media; those most threatened by my remarkably successful efforts covering the team the season before.
I have to admit, he’s true to his word, moving beyond simple lying to impose a ridiculous set of ambiguous restrictions found nowhere else in the National Hockey League.
The latest nonsense unfolded this September 26th when myself and reporter Glenn Dreyfuss, season-long Seattle media credential holders for five and six seasons respectively, were denied access to cover the Kraken game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver because we didn’t meet “minimum media access standards”.
If anyone has a clue what that means, please pass it along. “CMac”, as MacEwen is known to some, interrupted his lying at one point in 2022 to suggest something along the lines of “you’re not owned by a media conglomerate or company.”
If implemented league-wide, the impact of this “rule” would wipe out a quarter to a half of press boxes.
By the way, we followed protocol. We submitted our names to Kraken PR, who submitted their list to Vancouver for the game. Seattle PR informed us of the decision.
I guess 75 years of NHL coverage between the two of us, daily coverage every day of every year, including in the summer, and access to the other 31 teams, falls short of “minimum media access standards.” I’ve been season credentialed for the last 25 years by either the Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs again. That’s from most recent going backwards.
This will be the fifth season I’ve been barred by visiting one team.
A serious felony with prison time? I could see a lifetime ban. Assault on staff, reporter, fans? Definitely multiple years. Swearing, shouting, unsavoury behaviour in the press box. I could see the remainder of a season or a handful of games.
Four years and counting for what again? That would be nothing …. and nothing.
Incredibly, up until now, the two heads of the Pro Hockey Writers Association, Stephen Whyno and Mike Russo, have played along with this charade.
In this instance, after I reported the incident, they said they turned the information over to the league. That was on September 30th. They haven’t reported back yet. Nor have they responded to an inquiry as to whether my mysterious PHWA membership ban would continue.
Like myself, the reading public, and prominent media around the NHL, the Seattle PHWA chapter chief has no idea as to why I haven’t been offered a membership renewal.
Meanwhile, as of a few years ago, MacEwen drew up the most complex and ridiculous litany of rules for media access for the Canucks, found nowhere else in the league. I’m flattered he went to such trouble.
A number of PR directors around the NHL responded with a tenth of the regulations, very straightforward limits, when I asked them to provide guidelines. Most simply involved getting your single-game credential requests in 24 to 48 hours before a match.
“The Simpson rules”:
– “Only credential requests from accredited working media on specific assignment for a recognized news organization, sports publication, and multimedia outlet will be reviewed.” (This needs to add a sentence, pointing out that whatever this means applies to all visiting media as well, regardless or not if they’re season credential holders with their respective clubs.)
— We’re recognized in Seattle and by 30 other NHL teams. We should be able to cover the Kraken — utterly standard procedure league-wide — when the club is playing a rival, or any team for that matter, on the road. We get 1,500 to 9,000 readers a day and had close to 200,000 views on our social media links last month. In fact, we’re “accredited working media”, so by barring us, the boss just broke his own rule.
– Space in the Press Box is limited and demand for credentials is high, therefore, each media outlet and assigned journalist(s) requesting access will be considered on a case-by-case basis with consideration to their level of Canucks/NHL coverage, reach/audience size, journalistic professionalism, and other factors set forth by the hockey club.”
— The worse team in the league left a row of empty seats open in the press box for the Kraken-Canucks game. I’ve had media associates as far back as 2023 smuggle out game-night seating charts revealing lots of empty space. Ongoing lies. And I can’t recall the last time I saw credentialed media acting unprofessionally in a press box. Probably never.
– All interview requests, both in-season and during the offseason, should go through the Vancouver Canucks Communications Department. We respectfully ask the media to not call/text/contact players, team personnel, coaches, and management individually and to instead submit all requests to the Communications Department.
— Oops. Me again, sorry. Proven during the season I covered the Canucks, I have more contacts in the NHL with assistant coaches, head coaches, GM’s, etc. etc., than anyone else in the market. Apparently that didn’t go over so well with the competition. I often call friends and former cohorts to be guests during the off-season in particular.
I did a phone interview with Mike Yeo, then a Vancouver assistant coach, right before a season started. And Bruce Boudreau, as head coach, would do on-cams with me at the drop of a hat. He and I ended up doing a dozen podcasts together after he was fired.
– Reporters or photographers using an audio recorder, still camera or mini-cam for audio or video recording purposes must inform the person being interviewed (as well as Canucks Communications staff), prior to making any recording, if that recording will or may be posted on the internet.
— Whoops. Me again. I recorded the original “Simpson you’re banned” conversation with “the boss”. He made very little sense, lied numerous times (I’ve told the story more than once), while his assistant didn’t.
– Please note that ignorance will not be an acceptable answer when not following policy and procedures. The Vancouver Canucks have a zero-tolerance policy regarding the aforementioned guidelines. Failure to follow and adhere to the Vancouver Canucks Media Policy and procedures will result in the suspension or loss of credentials and access by an individual or media outlet.
— Wow. Just wow. Yeah, so pay attention you ignoramuses!!
– The Vancouver Canucks reserve the right to change the team Media Policy and procedures at any time without prior notice.
— 😂 😂 😂 That’s the perfect capper.
You’re welcome.
PWHA:
Mission Statement: The Professional Hockey Writers Association is dedicated to preserving the rights and improving the access for members of the North American-based media who cover hockey. The PHWA is comprised of approximately 300 dues-paying members in NHL markets who write about the sport for newspapers, magazines and online media. PHWA members vote on the following seven end-of-season NHL Awards: Hart Trophy, Calder Trophy, Selke Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, Norris Trophy, Masterton Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, in addition to NHL All-Star and All-Rookie teams.
Earlier Canucks:
— Hurricanes 7, Canucks 2; The Top Meets The Bottom
