Posted on: Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Interviews affect fan interaction
| • | Warriors' Bender has sore shoulder |
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Under rules announced yesterday, only University of Hawai'i men's volleyball players who are not requested for interviews will remain on the court after home matches to interact with fans.
The others will be ushered to secluded interview rooms to meet with reporters.
The UH athletic department's new policy attempts to preserve one of the volleyball program's most beloved traditions of post-match mingling between players and fans.
After matches ended in past seasons, the UH players would meet with coach Mike Wilton on the court and then go to the stands to receive lei, sign autographs and thank fans for attending.
But during last month's exhibition match, it was announced that immediately following a home match, the Warriors would go to the locker room for a 10-minute "cooling-off period" and then to the interview rooms to meet with reporters.
Wilton opposed that policy in an e-mail to UH officials last week.
Wilton yesterday met with John McNamara, UH's associate athletic director for external affairs, and the new policy was announced.
"I'm sure that backdrop factors in," Wilton said of the sponsors' banner that will hang behind the podium in the television interview room.
But McNamara, who communicates to reporters via the media relations department, said through a spokesperson "the backdrop is not really a factor." Asked why interviews can't be conducted on the court, the response was: "We don't want (players) signing autographs and talking to (reporters) at the same time."
Asked why not, UH's response was: "No, we just don't want that. We want them to know when they're being interviewed. ... We want them to be in an interview setting when they're being interviewed."
Wilton said he is satisfied as long as his players "get to maintain the deal with the fans."
UH setter Brian Beckwith said the post-match interaction with fans is "very unique with Hawai'i. We have that strong connection with our fans. ... Having that 10 minutes after the game to just connect and say 'hi' to our fans is definitely helpful and beneficial to our team."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
