Photo / TV / Video Policy

In accordance with the rights of USA Gymnastics championship events, the following guidelines/restrictions must be adhered to by all photographers/videographers.

All photographers must receive the consent and approval of USA Gymnastics. Photography will be permissible only in the designated areas, provided that such photography does not interfere with USA Gymnastics and NBC rights, personnel, and the conduct of the event. Photojournalists must be working on assignment for news coverage from an approved media organization. Photography taken for anything other than news usage must receive prior written approval from USA Gymnastics and may require athlete approval for commercial use.

Flash photography, audio, or video or digital video recording of any kind is not permitted.

Photographers are requested to wear dark clothing. Camera bags are not permitted on the arena floor. Monopods are permitted; no tripods. Photographers may file from press row or the media workroom but not from the field of play.

NBC Sports and USA Gymnastics maintain the exclusive right to broadcast and/or stream USA Gymnastics championship events. All individuals or authorized representatives for an organization who have been accepted for accreditation for any 2023 USA Gymnastics event or production must both agree and adhere to the conditions for telecast or Internet purposes outlined below, as well as USA Gymnastics’ Media Accreditation Policy, in order to receive their official accreditation.

USA Gymnastics owns the exclusive right to all competition footage appearing on the telecast or webcast (the “Footage”); accommodations will be made, as indicated below, for third party, news-based TV coverage by accredited media only and/or other groups at the sole discretion of USA Gymnastics. For the avoidance of doubt, unless previously authorized by USAG, Footage may be used only in regularly scheduled television news programs of which the actual news elements constitute the main feature, and use of Footage specifically excludes announcer descriptions, any other audio elements, and feature material and interviews appearing in NBC Universal or USA Gymnastics’ coverage, none of which may be used. Any violation of these requirements will result in revocation of the individual’s or authorized representative’s accreditation.

The terms of access are as follows:

1. Accredited media are at no time permitted to use coverage for any purpose other than what is stated in the application for accreditation and the accompanying terms and conditions.
2. NBC, or applicable NBC Universal channel or digital platform, and USA Gymnastics or applicable USAG channel or digital platform (including but not limited to FlipNow.tv and USA Gymnastics’ YouTube channel) are the broadcasters or webcasters of all USA Gymnastics events, and as such, are the only organizations allowed to record video from the infield of each event of competition.
3. Accredited media are not permitted to broadcast, transmit, live stream, distribute, or permit others to broadcast, transmit, live stream or distribute an entire event on a live or tape delayed basis.
4. Third-party outlets have no right to distribute or license clips and/or highlights of any event via any means or media now known or later developed.
5. Third-party outlets may record athlete interviews taking place outside the field of play – in the mixed zone, Zoom interviews, or other designated press areas.
6. Accredited media are prohibited from interacting with athletes during warm-up, competition, and post-competition while inside the facility unless otherwise authorized or accompanied by a designated USA Gymnastics representative.
7. No third-party outlet is permitted to show any competition footage until after the telecast or webcast has aired on the network hosting the event. No routine may be shown in its entirety, regardless of length.
8. Footage used for re-broadcast from any single event may not exceed ten (10) seconds in length and may not include a full routine; total footage used may not exceed a combined one minute (1:00) in any single newscast. Footage may appear in a maximum of three (3) eligible news programs per day and no Footage may be aired outside of a 48-hour period following the time that the use of such Footage is first permitted under these guidelines.
9. Accredited media may not use unauthorized technologies for the recording of events.
10. Accredited media may not record any portion of the event from undesignated areas.
11. No full routines may be recorded for any event, and/or any event that is part of the USA Gymnastics broadcast or webcast. This may include Youth, State, Region and Development events as applicable.
12. Accredited media are not permitted to display on the Internet or any other media any live video portions of any competition.
13. Accredited media are at no time permitted to provide the competition footage to any third-party person for any use inconsistent with the foregoing.
14. The following video credit must be displayed over any Footage for the duration of the clip: “Courtesy of USA Gymnastics”.

For Internet distribution, the following additional rules apply:

1. Interviews with event participants (e.g., athletes, coaches, officials) may be posted online without limitation on duration. Internet Material must be captured in designated media interview areas and/or mixed zones, provided that these locations are away from the field of play.
2. Unless previously authorized by USAG, no field of play material (e.g., competition or training) may be transmitted or distributed via the Internet. For the avoidance of doubt, it is prohibited to record, transmit, or distribute any portion of NBC, or applicable NBC Universal channel or digital platform, or USA Gymnastics coverage “off-air” and distribute such coverage via the Internet.
3. USAG may, at its discretion, grant the authorization for a media outlet to shoot or use footage from training (e.g., pre-event podium training) for the purposes of event coverage or the creation of athlete feature stories. Authorized footage will adhere to the limitations as denoted above in “Television/Video”, with emphasis on the following:
   1. No routine, including routines during training, may be shown in its entirety, regardless of length.
   2. Footage may not exceed ten (10) seconds in length and may not include a full routine; total footage used may not exceed a combined one minute (1:00) in any single outlet or website.
   3. Training footage may be used without limitation to how long it may remain posted (i.e., it need not be removed within 48 hours of the conclusion of the competition).
4. Internet Material may not be transmitted or distributed live, including, without limitation, via technologies such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms.
5. Although there is no specific limitation with respect to the length and volume of permissible Internet Material, any such distribution should conform to the spirit of these guidelines generally.
6. Internet Material must be accompanied by a link to USA Gymnastics’ YouTube or www.flipnow.tv, dependent upon where the footage appears online.

To obtain footage for news or other non-commercial usage, contact communications@usagym.org.

For any USA Gymnastics Event footage licensing requests and/or inquiries, please contact Kelly Fielke at kfielke@usagym.org.

By applying for a credential, you are agreeing to the above policy. Application for credentials does not guarantee approval.