“Match TV” and the RFU are making a show out of the Cup, but there is a problem – “Spartak” does not let you into the locker room

A sudden topic of the quarterfinal confrontation between Spartak and Lokomotiv in the Russian Cup, which is not related to the game.

The Cup of Russia is a testing ground for RFU experiments, according to the idea, they want to turn the matches into a show of the North American level with the maximum approximation to the teams, but there are already the first serious obstacles. Spartak refused to let cameras into the locker room (even if they won) and thwarted Match TV’s plans.

Before the Cup game, Match TV turned to Spartak and Lokomotiv with a request for media activities during the match – placement of microphones on the benches, interviews with substitutes during the match and cameras in the locker room in case of victory. But from Spartak he was refused with reference to the regulations.

“The situation, in fact, is normal, working. Colleagues sent a request, we answered it. If someone is interested in making news out of this – for God’s sake. This once again speaks of the uniqueness of our club, ”said Dmitry Zelenov, head of the club’s press service, to Sport-Express.

The regulations really do not have such an obligation to let the cameras into the locker room

The RFU has conceived a media revolution in the Cup, but so far has not reflected this in the documents. Therefore, refusals of Match TV requests may become the norm.

So far, the regulations spell out such rights and obligations of clubs and journalists.

• Players and coaches can be interviewed in the mixed zone. There is nothing about talking at the benches.

• The main broadcaster (“Match TV”) has NOT access to every room of the stadium – not to the VIP box, business box, referee and inspector rooms, doping control rooms. It is possible to enter the locker rooms, but only “in agreement with the inspector and representatives of the clubs.”

• There is also such an interesting point. On the one hand, obliging “to provide the greatest possible assistance in organized access”, but at the same time allowing the club itself to decide on admission.

Formally, Spartak does not violate anything. There is no public response from Lokomotiv at the time of publication.

Can you tell us more about the media reset of the Cup? The RFU was inspired by the Wings of the Soviets for it!

Kirill Tereshin, director of the RFU for events, activations and special projects, explained: “New formats of broadcasts, strapping, flash interviews, internoise, behind-the-scenes content – all this should also become the norm. Part not so much of the sports regulations, but of the deal with the broadcaster, sponsors.

And he gave an example: “A few years ago, the Wings once launched a camera into the locker room during a break and displayed the coach’s motivational speech on the stadium scoreboard. They say that for the sick it was a gap, the degree of emotions increased, the sense of involvement intensified.

Of the specific plans – a competition among the divisions of the participating clubs for the best promotion of the tournament and their teams. As conceived by the RFU, this will motivate clubs to create bright content. The winner will be determined by an expert jury, and the prize fund will be 10 million rubles. It turns out that Spartak, if it participates at the beginning of the competition, is partially.

For the sake of the show, the RFU even introduced a new position – a media manager.

“The media manager pays attention to the little things that the press service of the hosts in a stressful moment can miss – the time the teams enter the field to coincide with the broadcast, flash interviews of the players after the game, the timeliness of the coach’s press conference and other media activities,” said the general producer of “Match TV” Alexander Taschin in the telegram.

Zarema vs!

Taschin said that the idea was highly appreciated in the media world: “My colleagues, who have experience in various football clubs, speak very positively about the advisability of introducing such a specialist at games – he is the link between the media, including the main broadcaster, and the clubs.”

But Zarema Salikhova, the wife of the former owner of Spartak, Leonid Fedun, did not exactly appreciate it: “Let the refereeing become transparent first, before journalists break into the locker rooms. The locker room is the holy of holies. In addition, it is a commercial asset, on a par with the club’s CRM.

If someone is allowed in, then only for a documentary film masterpiece in the style of All or Nothing, and journalists and bloggers have nothing to do there. If the club wants to, it will show itself what was in the locker room after the game, on its resources,” she said in an interview with Metaratings.ru.

Recall, All or Nothing is a documentary series from Amazon about football clubs. Journalists get access to the locker room and to team meetings, focusing on life off the field. There have already been seasons about Man City, Tottenham, last summer they talked about Arsenal.

Locker room “Spartak” – when were journalists there?

At least two memorable moments. In the championship locker room, almost six years ago, many were celebrating.

“I can remind you that after our victory in the Russian Cup in 2022, everyone was in our locker room,” Zelenov said. This is true:

But access to the winner’s locker room is just spelled out in the regulations. But now the trophy is still far away.

According to RB Sport, Spartak did not agree on any of the activities, because it interferes with the coaches. Quote from journalist Sergei Yegorov: “The club considers it inappropriate to visit the locker room only at this stage of the tournament – ​​probably, the club is ready to take this step in the future.”