A story that has been generating quite a bit of buzz lately is how Strikeforce’s press credential policies have changed now that Zuffa is running the show.The most talked about issue seems to be the fact that ESPN.com’s Josh Gross and Loretta Hunt, representing CBSsports.com, both got denied credentials to the most recent Strikeforce event.
In an interview with USAToday.com’s Sergio Non, UFC President Dana White explains this does not mean they can not cover Strikeforce:
“Why can’t they [cover Strikeforce]? Nobody said they couldn’t. …*They could buy a ticket. Listen — and credentials? I don’t have to credential anybody. Credentials aren’t mandatory. Credentials are at our discretion on who we want to credential.â€
“It doesn’t stop them from covering the event at all. She could have absolutely flown out, got a ticket to the fight and covered the event, and then gone back to the host hotel and interviewed every fighter on Earth. There’s no way that she couldn’t have covered it. And same thing with Josh or whoever else who’s part of that thing.â€
It may sound a little nuts, but there are websites out there right now who cover events this way. In the past though, it was primarily done for UFC events, not for Strikeforce, who have traditionally had fairly lax credentialing policies.“It doesn’t stop them from covering the event at all. She could have absolutely flown out, got a ticket to the fight and covered the event, and then gone back to the host hotel and interviewed every fighter on Earth. There’s no way that she couldn’t have covered it. And same thing with Josh or whoever else who’s part of that thing.â€
It is no secret White has had long-standing issues with both Hunt and Gross and insists it goes back to the early days. White said they both have done stuff that was “dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty – and very unprofessional.†He also says neither will ever be credentialed in a company that he runs, period.
Non counters White’s comments by saying if ZUFFA wants mainstream acceptance then doesn’t it make sense they should let mainstream outlets determine who covers their events.*White vehemently disagrees:
“Believe me, if I really sit down — and maybe I’ll do it with somebody on camera sometime — and explain where these people came from, and how this beef really started, it’s actually pretty sickening. And a lot of people — if not everybody, including all the journalists — I think would absolutely 100% agree with me and take my side.â€
“I don’t give a (crap). I don’t give a (crap) what anybody thinks. I don’t care. I can decide who gets a credential and who doesn’t. ESPN should be more careful about who they hire.â€
What do you think guys, does White have a point, is it his right to decide who he grants free media access to or should it be completely up to the media outlets?“I don’t give a (crap). I don’t give a (crap) what anybody thinks. I don’t care. I can decide who gets a credential and who doesn’t. ESPN should be more careful about who they hire.â€
It is unknown whether or not CBSsports.com new about White’s infamous video blog rant about Hunt when they assigned her to cover Strikeforce, but let’s just say there were no Christmas cards being exchanged between these two long before this.
Read Sergio Non’s full interview with UFC President Dana White at USAToday.com.
Filed Under: Strikeforce
Tags: Dana White, featured, Josh Gross, Loretta Hunt, media credentials, press credentials, Sergio Non, Strikeforce, UFC, Zuffa
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