USATF Broadcast Restrictions

2024 USATF Events and Productions

All individuals or authorized representatives for an organization who have been accepted for accreditation for any 2024 USA Track & Field (“USATF”) event or production must both agree and adhere to the conditions for telecast or Internet purposes outlined below, as well as USATF’s Credential Policy, in order to receive their official accreditation. USATF 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. For the avoidance of doubt, 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 USATF.TV’s coverage, none of which may be used under any circumstances. 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 USATF are the broadcasters or webcasters of all USATF events, and as such, are the only organizations allowed to record video of competition.
3. Accredited media are not permitted to broadcast, transmit, live stream, distribute, or permit others to broadcast, transmit, livestream 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 in the mixed zone or other designated press areas only. Any interviews that take place outside of the track, course, or field of play must be arranged by the USATF Communications team – to arrange an interview, please reach out to communications@usatf.org
6. 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. Please check www.usatf.org for all broadcast times and dates. No race may be shown in its entirety, regardless of length, and race finishes are never to be shown.
7. Footage used for rebroadcasting from any single event may not exceed six (6) seconds in length; total footage used may not exceed a combined one minute thirty seconds 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.
8. Accredited media may not use unauthorized technologies for the recording or photographing of events. For the sake of clarity, any aerial capturing devices (e.g. drones or other similar technologies) are strictly prohibited.
9. Accredited media may not record any portion of the event without prior written authorization.
10. No finish-line footage may be recorded for any event, and/or any event that is part of the USATF broadcast or webcast. This may include youth and masters events.
11. Accredited media are not permitted to display on the Internet or any other media, including social media, any live video portions of any competition.
12. Accredited media are at no time permitted to provide the competition footage to any third-party person for any use inconsistent with the foregoing.
13. The following video credit must be displayed over any Footage provided by USATF for the duration of the clip: “Courtesy of USATF.TV”.

For Internet and social media distribution, the following rules apply:

1. The only type of Footage that may be distributed via the Internet and social media is interviews with participants (e.g., athletes, coaches, officials) (the “Internet Material”). 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. Internet Material captured in the mixed zone must be captured in front of the backdrop provided.
2. Under no circumstances may any field of play material (e.g., competition, training, or warmup/cooldown spaces) be distributed via the Internet, including social channels. For the avoidance of doubt, it is prohibited to tape any portion of NBC, or applicable NBC Universal channel or digital platform, or USATF.TV’s coverage and distribute such coverage via the Internet.
3. Internet Material may not be distributed live, including, without limitation, via technologies such as YouTube, Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other social media platforms.
4. Under no circumstances can anything that resembles or approximates “coverage” (e.g., race calls and other real-time descriptions and accounts of competition) be distributed via the Internet.
5. Posting of a series of images edited together to create a time lapse, gif, or similar video content that similarly mimics the nature of live video is strictly prohibited.
6. 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.
7. Internet Material that includes footage of competition or any Internet Material provided by USATF must be accompanied by a link to www.usatf.tv.

For local broadcasts, the following rules apply in addition to those outlined in the terms of access above:

1. No third-party outlet or local broadcaster is permitted to show any competition footage until after the telecast or webcast has aired on the network hosting the event. Please check www.usatf.org for all broadcast times and dates.
2. No race may be shown in its entirety, regardless of length, and race finishes are never to be shown.
3. Footage shown from any single event may not exceed six (6) seconds in length; total footage used may not exceed a combined one minute thirty seconds 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.
4. Local broadcasters are not permitted to cover the event live, whether on a broadcast or internet- based platform, including the outlet’s website or social media platforms.
5. 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. Please check usatf.org for all broadcast times and dates. No race may be shown in its entirety, regardless of length, and race finishes are never to be shown.

For any USATF footage licensing requests and/or inquiries, please contact broadcasting@usatf.org or click here to fill out the USATF Video Usage Request form.