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How to get Football Accreditation
Original Article June 2008. Updated Jan 2010
Lower Leagues
In the north of England there is no accreditation system for the North West counties league or the Unibond league. A few years ago I had a Unibond Media pass but they stopped issuing them around 2002 maybe. For these leagues I just email the club and ask for permission to photograph. I never turn up unannounced. The clubs are usually more than glad to see you.
Conference Leagues. Premier, North and South
These leagues require a licence that can be obtained from the confernce league. You will need to use the contact details from the league website. However communication isn't always forthcoming. The criteria seems to be 2m Public Liability cover and a good reason for them to issue a licence.
You can also apply to an individual club for a licence number. The league issue all clubs with a licence. the club can then issue numbers to whoever they see fit. For example my Accrington Stanley licence was ASFC001 as issued by the club, My name and this number was given to the league who then circulated it to all clubs. Our local newpapers where issued numbers by the club as was anyone else they saw fit. Some conference clubs are known to have handed out 10-20 numbers while others none. You can use the licence to get into any confernce ground by sending a FAX. So long as your name and number is on the list supplied by the league then you will normally be given accreditation.
Football/Championsip/Premier Leagues(The holy grail of accreditation)
The easy way to photograph football league is to become a club photographer or work for an agency. I know that isn't easy but it is easier than getting an independant licence, Read on.
As a club photographer you photograph under the club licence and as such the photographs belong to the club. You can not use these pictures as your own. You can only photograph matches that involve your team.
You can join an agency. You will photograph a wider range of games but the same rule applies. The pictures will belong to the licence holder ie the agency and can not be used as your own.
To apply for your own league licence you must have the appropriate public liability cover. Then in the 12 months prior to applying you must have had 15 (30 for premiership) football action photographs published in either regional or national printed media. These must have been paid for at the going rate. You will need to show news cuttings of the 15 pictures accredited to you along with invoices and proof of payment. Free or cheap will not be accepted.
If you are a club photographer or work for an agency you can not use any of those pictures towards your licence because they are not yours.
It's a catch 22 situation. How do you get pictures for the licence without a licence. Well the 15 football action shots can be from any league. Not many newpapers or magazines will pay for non league pictures.
Important For up to date information on league accreditation why not go direct to source and email the man who can.. Derek Johnston.. e-mail: djohnston@premierleague.com
Public Liability Insurance
Cover is required for a licence at any level. However you should have cover when photographing at non league grounds. You will be pitchside and a player could crash into you and your equipment. Having no cover is like driving without insurance. You need it so get it. Be safe :)
UK Press Pass
In order to get a UK Press Pass you need to show that the majority of your earnings come from Press photography. The Pass will not get you into league football. However it can be used by licence holders as ID. The current league system requires you to have either a league ID card or a press pass.
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