RIDE-CT – Classic Cars Celebrating Classic Cars in Connecticut
MERIDEN, CT – It’s never happened before in my 50 years in journalism, but it happened today…
Departed home this morning planning to attend the Silver City Showdown featuring hot rods and customs in Meriden. I figured there might be some unusual or noteworthy models to share with RIDE-CT’s readers and viewers. Or perhaps there would be car candidates to write up in the “My Ride” column in the Hearst’s daily newspapers across the state, including the “Waterbury Republican,” “Meriden Record-Journal,” “Middletown Press,” “New Haven Register,” “Connecticut Post” in Bridgeport and more.
Upon on getting there and introducing myself, though, I was told that I have to pay the $10 admission fee for spectators, both for myself and my “sherpa” friend Robin who lugs around and keeps an eye on the expensive photo gear as I take photos and shoot video.
An appeal to a higher up to be allowed in, and an explanation that I worked for RIDE-CT and also provided content for the Hearst chain, carried no weight. The response was the same – pay up or piss off.
The only option was to leave (although I did snap a few photos at the gate). Here’s the reason why. Professional news organizations do not pay for access to legitimate news events (or accept remuneration to write stories). It’s unethical. That rule covers many areas, such sporting events, concerts, exhibitions, governmental meetings, etc.
After all, pre-game publicity (such as a listing in a calendar, which RIDE-CT provided the Silver City Showdown) and post-event stories serve to promote awareness of the event and help boost traffic and revenue in the longterm.
So, after being told to fork over $20, we headed to the inaugural Farmingbury’s Woman’s Club of Wolcott Car Show instead. The participants there proved to be friendly and the organizers welcoming, as is usually the case.
After being perturbed by what happened in Meriden, I am chuckling tonight. I’ve probably covered 400 car shows in the past nine years of writing about classic cars all across the state, and this was the only time access was denied. Most shows are thrilled to get the attention.
What’s making me laugh now is that over the years I’ve had press credentials for the Super Bowl in Phoenix (Tempe, actually), the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the Country Music Awards in Nashville, the PGA Championship in Ohio (Firestone Country Club in Akron); to innumerable MLB, MBA and NHL games; and to hundreds of concerts from The Rolling Stones to U2 and Fleetwood Mac to Garth Brooks with nary an issue.
Yet I couldn’t talk my way inside the front gate to cover a smallish, inconsequential car gathering so close to home. Now that’s funny. And ludicrous. And stupid on the part of those running the Silver City Shakedown, er, Showdown.
Perhaps “Shakedown” is a more accurate description. A majority of car shows in Connecticut charge $10 for the actual show entrants and let spectators come in for free. With some many shows doing this, why would anyone ever pay to merely spectate. The Meriden show, however, asked an extortionate $10 for spectators. That’s a recipe to kill the gate.
A gatekeeper today whined that they had to pay the facility; that’s why everyone had to pay. So be it. The sign at the entrance did say “We reserve the right of refusal.”
It was certainly was a pleasure attending the Farmingbury Woman’s Club of Wolcott Car Show. Lest you think me to be a “Karen” for writing up what transpired today, it’s hardly the case. It’s merely done to illustrate an amateurish operation. With 300 or so shows across the state from spring to fall, there are more than enough shows elsewhere to cover. I prefer to think of what happened today being a case of no good deed (attempted) going unpunished.
Tomorrow will be here shortly. I know the folks at the massive Falls Village Car & Motorcycle Show will be pleased to see RIDE-CT in attendance.
