The TP "Official" guide to sports stadiums

Completely forgot Kieran...

Parking
No probs with parking provided you get there early enough. The carpark is a large park and ride place behind the family stand (next to the road going into the city centre from the A38/Derriford junction). Plenty of spaces, for free.

Facilities
You need to sign in and pick up your pass from the club reception at the other end of a gravel car park then head back to the turnstiles in the corner between main and family stands. Go through there and the press "room" is on your left.

Photographers are in the wardrobe sized room between the press room and the interview suite (i'm being very creative with my descriptions there). If it's your first time, you'll get some gentle abuse from Tony, Phil and the guy who runs the place whose name I never remember. It's good humoured but cramped.

Pies (Ginsters - shirt sponsor), sarnies, biscuits and drinks are next door in the journo's room.

You'll get a bib from the photographers wardrobe too.

Wi-Fi is there, but it's so slow I'd be better off using a carrier pidgeon. Orange is on 3G (not 3G+), same with Vodafone. You're in the sticks here, so it's not going to be as fast...bear that in mind with an evening KO. I'd be sending almost immediately after kick-off.

Shooting Locations
Make your way out to the pitch by heading straight out of the wire room and accross to the main stand...down the steps to pitchside.

You're OK to shoot from whererever you like, but the floodlights on the main stand side are more powerful (and have a yellowish cast) so you'll get some major shadows.

Lighting
Shooting was (i think - only done half a game with floodlights) ISO1600@1/640 and f/2.8 and that was a touch underexposed...Probably more like ISO2000 (but I only had the mkII then so didnt have that option). There's no LED boards, but like I said, the white balance will need to be checked (take some white paper - the team sheet's printed on both sides)
 
Last edited:
Does anyone have a guide to the SWALEC in Cardiff in terms of media room, parking etc?
 
kensutz said:
Does anyone have a guide to the SWALEC in Cardiff in terms of media room, parking etc?
Click to expand...

I've not been to the new SWALEC (though I think Kieran McManus has) but I know if you're a County Season Pass-holder you can email their press contact and request a parking space...that should solve 1 problem.

The media suite (as I understand it) is a similar affair to Lord's. ie. You'll be in a tiny room while everyone else has a seat with a view.
 
Thanks James, I'm not taking the car with me after all so it will be handier to get a taxi from there to CCS for the rugby in the evening.
 
ive just started photographing football and find most stadiums great for facilities, however dont like the way stewards or other officials treat people when wanting help.
 
Yeah thats the one, sorry was a long long day yesterday 14hr shift and half of that baby sitting an idiot who is meant to be my supervisor on shift.

Sooooooooo anyone been to Lincoln City's ground :D
 
Since it's pre-season time again, and we'll all be off to some weird and wonderful grounds...I thought I'd make a request:

Yeovil Town - Huish Park.

Anyone?
 
jamesb84 said:
Since it's pre-season time again, and we'll all be off to some weird and wonderful grounds...I thought I'd make a request:

Yeovil Town - Huish Park.

Anyone?
Click to expand...

I know there supporter, I'll ask him :lol:
 
:whistling::rules:



kieranmcmanus said:
Parking
Parking available in the stadium car park within a minutes walk of the ground.

Lighting
Pretty poor, but to be expected at a lower league ground which was non league until a few years ago. Last time I was there (2 years ago) I was at ISO 3200 f2.8 1/400

Facilities
Sign in at main reception to collect press pass. Head to press room which is tiny but rarely full. Sandwiches and drinks provided, staff always friendly. Not sure about WIFI (always used 3G).

Location
Last time I went you could go all around the perimeter.
Click to expand...
;)
 
Emirates Update 21/8/10

Wifi was available all round the pitch today with the codes given out in the press room. They seemed to have a couple of new access points ARSENAL and ARSENAL1 or something similar as it wasn't the same access point at each end.

Unlike last season where you could just about get it in the corner you come out at.

Food is still good ;)
 
Parking
Lots of parking available in the stadium car park within a minutes walk of the main entrance

Lighting
Shot during a day game so cant comment on the lighting, however its was a sunny day and sun cast shadows across half of the pitch.

Facilities
Go throught the main Entrance of Hotel/Casino and go to the VIP ticket collection point on the RHS, they will give you your pass and direct you to the press room, which is about 30 meters further up on your right.
Press room is in the basement, so no 3G signal but club offers free wifi and also has network points at all the workstations (although didnt test these). Go down the stiars and sign in at the desk and you will be given your bib. Large press room with sky tv, toilets and plenty of individual workstations
Lots of free tea/coffee/squash and help yourself to bacon rolls while i was there.
Worth taking note that the press room is a long way from pitchside.

Shooting Location
Anywhere along the goal line behind the advertising boards at both ends
 
Last edited:
kieranmcmanus said:
Due to a late change I am at non league Newport County (not Rodney Parade) tomorrow - anyone ever been there?
Click to expand...

HE'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!

I've done a couple there.

I'll do you a quickie...

Parking is plentiful, loads of space there and free. Go to the main reception bit (just to the right of the middle of the stand as you look at it) and sign-in.

You can then walk out through the tunnel.

No programmes, or press facilities as far as I know. Sit where you like and don't forget...there's a LOT of space between the stands and pitch.

You there for the Holdsworth twins are you?
 
Hi, has anyone done Rotherham United?. Kind regards Graham
OOps forgot the play at the Don Valley now:bang: Thanks anyway:):)
 
Last edited:
Rovers_Andy said:
Whats the story at Rotherham Vs Macclesfield then? i was asked to do that on commission :D
Click to expand...

It's Chesterfield.. localish derby and decides who sits in 3rd spot in league two :lol: Doing it for my new favourite newspaper ;)
 
purpleclouds said:
You visiting soon? I'll be there on Saturday instead of Liverpool :D
Click to expand...
Hi Phil, I was suppose to be there on Saturday but unfortunate events mean i'll miss it now:shake:. Kind regards Graham.
 
Anyone been to Whaddon Road/Abbey Business Stadium? It's the home of Cheltenham Town.

I'm there on Saturday and particularly interested in whether there's parking there.

Ta very much!
 
Crystal Palace - Selhurst Park

Getting There/Parking
Bit of a nightmare by road. Getting into that part of London from just about anywhere is a nightmare. I come in from the M25 up the A23, into Croydon and out the other side along Whitehorse Road/Lane. It's very congested on match days. I've done the trip on a motorbike 3 times and without it I'd have been well late. It's also horrendous trying to get away again. Parking nearby in a car is very tricky so best avoided - park a bit away and walk in. For motorbikes, youget waved in past Sainsburys and can park on the cobbled pavement opposite Sainsburys about 10 feet from the ground :D.

Collecting your accreditation
Go down past Sainsburys on your left. Go through the gates. There's a couple of portacabins stacked up past the little club shop portacabin. There's a press/media window there to collect your ticket.

Getting into the ground - go to the corner of the ground that you'd see on the right if you were looking at the ground from the portacabin where you just collected your pass. A steward should let you in there between the two stands.

You can sit anywhere along the far touchline - nowhere else - not at the ends or anything. No bibs issued.

Connectivity

I saw a BT Openzone hotspot but was unable to get onto it. Vodafone is excellent with 3G+ reception at about half strength. O2 was EDGE only so pretty slow.

Lighting

Bit patchy at the ends. From memory last season I was up at ISO2500 to get 1/640th at f/2.8. Better in the middle of the pitch.
 
There is Club wifi, but not accessible pitch side. You can get it in their little press room under the press box area and they give you the pass word in there.

O2 connection was slow to begin with but was pretty speedy by final whistle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top