Chivas USA sent out a release on Wednesday inviting media out there for the club's Media Day. I think it's a good idea but it's about two weeks too late for me. I would have enjoyed this day had it been a couple of weeks ago when I had season previews for MLSnet.com and the Press-Enterprise to write but I can't go out there today especially when there is a game tonight. I'm not going to spend the entire day out there.
One of the things the release touted was the club's training session and invited media to take in the training session before the team was made available for interviews.
Anyway, a reporter friend called me to fill me in on the morning. Seems like Preki closed the practice, so there are apparently 10-20 reporters out there unable to watch the practice they were told they could watch. Nice.
I hope the rest of the event goes better than that.
UPDATE: Apparently the rest of the day went off without a hitch. The scribes were let down to the field to watch the last portion of training and the players and coaches were available at length from what I understand.
The timing may not have worked out for me but oh well. I would have liked to have gone but it's difficult to go out to Carson twice in one day. I'll catch the guys on Saturday.
Want some cheese with that wine, Luis?
ReplyDelete-ELAC
Ah, the genius that is Chivas USA's marketing department.
ReplyDeleteWell, in an odd way, I feel better. I was wishing I could be at this media event (job conflict). Now I'm glad I missed it.
ReplyDeleteI don't anyone will miss you, Andrea. Unless they feel liike losing an argument.
ReplyDelete-ELAC
ELAC, that's one hell of a way to draw sympathy/support for your team.
ReplyDeleteI doubt the pillars of Chivas USA will come down because of my comments. Besides, I'm not the one with the lame Nintendo Avatar. You can keep that kind of attention.
ReplyDeleteBesides, it called sarcasm. Look it up.
You know, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be stationed, I don't know, in Seattle, perhaps, blogging from a coffee shop in my free time from other work. I wonder if the fans of the new MLS team there would appreciate detailed coverage of their team or would they be as snarky and disgruntled as supporters of both LA teams can behave here? Would they take our Sideline Views objectively, or develop a persecution complex about every negative tidbit of info we post?
ReplyDeleteAs much as Luis and I love soccer, and like working together on our blog, sometimes I wonder what the point is. We like to think we're appreciated for our efforts, and that even if we don't get paid, that appreciation matters to us. But apparently, a lot of people don't want extra info and our opinions. They want us to agree with what they think, to pick sides and reveal just the good stuff about the team they support. It's discouraging, really.
AC, it's a known fact that pessimists/antagonists are much more likely to post comments online. Like in offline life, people are more likely to criticize than compliment. This website is great, and I think other known soccer blogs do a good job of pointing that out. Plus you both get to find an outlet to editorialize your published pieces.
ReplyDeleteHey I read you guys all the time. I am not from LA (thank god)and I'm not Mexican so these things just arent as personal to me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have family through marriage in Monterrey NL, and a sister-in-law living in Minnesota with us illegally so these heated debates pique my intetest. Why don't i post on these blogs? Because I can't stand the "snarky" posters like ELAC. I dont see the point of responding to assholes like that.
Just Another One of You is right, if you read the comments section on any blog its the haters who fill up the space.
Snarky? That's a new one.
ReplyDeleteLets see,
Sideline Views checklist:
1-Provoke Chivas USA fans for their team's poor marketing and branding strategies.
CHECK!
2-Antagonize Chivas USA fans for poor attendance.
CHECK!
3-Blog about all things glorious in Beckhamland.
CHECK!
4-Moan about getting shut out of Chivas USA practice.
CHECK!
5-Accuse Chivas USA fans of being over-zealous.
CHECK!.
Honestly, I said it before this a great website and many of us Chivas fans do appreciate all the hard work that comes out this blog (i.e. Jesus Padilla-story/CUSA coverage), but you can't have it both ways. Piss off one set of fans (CUSA) and look for sympathy from another set of fans (GALAXY) will only make SV a battleground for the two factions.
I hope you don't move to Seattle, AC. You and Luis really are really excellent journalists. That's not sarcasm. That's my opinion despite your constant, subtle disdain for the goats.
Let me defend Chivas USA's media day, l.b.:
ReplyDelete1. A coach has a right to close any or all of his practices to reporters.
2. I got to the HDC at 11:15 a.m. and saw reporters milling around the sidelines. Chivas USA media relations personnel were quick to help with interviews.
Now to two things that Chivas USA did and that the Galaxy should emulate:
1. None -- repeat, none -- of Chivas USA's media relations people lurked when reporters conducted their interviews. Only Keegan Pierce stood close by Maykel Galindo, and then only to act as translator for an English-speaking reporter. One Mexican TV crew interviewed Francisco Mendoza for a long stretch without any media liasons present. By contrast, the Galaxy liasons are more like minders; they're always lurking for practically every newspaper and TV interview. When I go to Galaxy training, I'm not sure if I'm at a soccer practice or in Iraq under Saddam.
2. After training, Chivas USA invited reporters to an informal luncheon (when was the last time the Galaxy did that before the season?). All the members of the media relations department introduced themselves and said they were there to help and serve the reporters (when was the last time the Galaxy said that?); the reporters also briefly introduced themselves. In addition, the club served the reporters real food (a buffet of cold cuts and salad, not box lunches or snacks, the latter being the case with Beckham's hard-core introduction).
Galaxy media people (and we know you're reading this), take a lesson from Chivas USA. Act with class. Respect reporters' legitimate concerns. Stop trying to control everything, let alone intimidate the press (right, Justin?). If you get orders from Leiweke or Lalas to do otherwise, tell them to go to Hell and resign, thereby saving what little self-respect you have.