When sports leagues barred locker room access to the media during the pandemic, there was a justifiable concern that temporary would become permanent. Thankfully, that didn’t happen when normalcy returned. However, if the NFL Players Association officials have their way, that ban could return.
Late last week, Mark Maske of The Washington Post reported that NFLPA officials want the league’s media access policies “adjusted to have reporters interview players in a different setting following games and during practice weeks.” Lloyd Howell, the NFLPA’s executive director, told Washington Post reporters and editors that players “do not want to be interviewed when they’re naked. [And] to open the door for doing some solutioning of what could be more effective.”
This is nonsense from Howell. No one is being interviewed naked in a locker room. Shirtless occasionally, but certainly not nude. Often, the media—at the player’s request—will wait for players to be fully dressed before asking questions.
This misguided attempt by the NFLPA to limit media access doesn’t serve the league, the fans, or the players. The NFL controls media access, and while it has given no indication changes are imminent, this suggestion by Howell is troublesome. Reporters are in locker rooms to do their job, not violate anyone’s privacy. Any reputable person with a journalism background will tell you that.
To the general public, most will wonder: ‘What’s the big deal? Can’t reporters do the same job in designated areas outside the locker room?’ Yes and no. The key difference would be the quality of stories fans might read or see about their favorite NFL players and teams. The details matter and details usually aren’t revealed during traditional press settings. In those rigid environments, reporters might be limited by time constraints. Athletes might be reluctant to share information or speak freely.
Locker room access is vital because it’s informal. As any reporter knows, the most interesting quotes always come from the locker room. One of the best soundbites from last season was Ja’Marr Chase saying: “I’m always f****** open.” As you can see, a frustrated (and clothed) Chase was comfortable enough to share his true feelings. That moment might not have happened in an antiseptic setting. He might have answered with a stream of clichés.
There is also another reason keeping that door open is essential.
The media strives for accuracy. One of the ways they do so is by building trust with sources. That often happens with casual conversations in places where athletes feel the most comfortable. Sometimes, it might be in their favorite restaurants. Perhaps, if you’re lucky, near or in their homes. But most frequently, this occurs in the locker room. Not every interaction is fodder for a news story. Sometimes it’s just chit-chat. But mundane talks can lead to more nuanced discussions and a good working relationship with an athlete.
Those relationships are the building blocks of in-depth profiles. Athletes, like the rest, love to talk about themselves. Sure, they can rely on league-run platforms or assemble their own. However, the best enterprise stories are written or filmed by people from newspapers, television stations, and online publications with journalistic skills.
This all starts by talking to athletes in the locker room.
If all that isn’t even to sway Howell, he might consider looking at the bigger picture. Most of his constituents have short careers. The average length is roughly 3 years. Many retired players will attempt to stay close to the game with a career in media. How do they land those jobs? It’s the connections they make with those same media members in the locker room. Keeping journalists out might have a ripple effect on those opportunities for those NFL players who aren’t superstar quarterbacks.
Ultimately, Howell’s complaint likely has nothing to do with nudity or privacy. Many players simply believe the locker room should be off-limits to outsiders. Understandable, but it’s not asking too much to let the media in on a limited basis. They are there to tell the stories of America’s most popular sport and its players.
Being in the locker room ensures that those stories are well told.
