ATTENTION KARTERS ATTENDING THE QLD STATE TITLES- AN APOLOGY FROM COOPERS
Unfortunately we will not be attending the Qld State titles this year. The Bundaberg Club president Robin Peterson has informed us that they have a contract with his family member, Terry Peterson.
AKA media Lee Hanatschek has told us the rights where sold to the photographer. So no other photographer can sell photographs at the race meeting including us.
We purchased the AKA accreditation for 12 months to enable us take photos at AKA events and sell them. That is our Business.
At the AKA Queensland State titles event this accreditation is irrelevant and it is up to the club to decide who is and isn't allowed to take photo's. The AKA media have no say in the matter and neither do you, The Karter. We have tried to reason with many AKA officials who have told us there is nothing they can do, however do agree it is unjust.
My Questions are:
-How can the club sell the rights to a AKA event?
-Shouldn't all AKA accredited photographers be able to photograph major events and sell their photos?
-Is it in the sports best interest to allow one photographer to have sole rights to a event, limiting the exposure the sport receives. Shouldn't the AKA Media Lee Hanatschek appose such a thing instead of supporting it, what is his invested interest?
Comments12
Very unfair, Shame on you Bundy club. The more media there the better for karting
On a footnote isn't the meeting once drivers brief starts actually run by the AKA and its officals ?
This is an absolute disgrace . . .
How much did the club get for this "contract" - I thought the clubs only "hosted" the event - they didn't "run" the event. Is the track private property?
Remember that competition brings out the best (and sometimes the worst) in everybody - this is true to every endeavour in life . . . Coopers are an excellent ambassdor and supporter of karting in Australia - along with a few other photographers that "do the rounds" - it's such a shame that this has happened.
It's funny that all the NSW AKA supp regs carry this clause;
Photographic Material
Photographic material taken for purpose of promotion of the sport at this event becomes the property of Karting NSW and is usable for promotion and advertising programs.
I always thought it was an AKA thing, but it must only be an AKA NSW thing.
So every state have there own Regs HMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm+
so wot does AKA stand for.?
I think the Col is heading up there for the weekend isn't here, Interesting if he gets the camera and mic out ?
2 sides to every story ?
I hope this was sorted before Coopers started the trek from Sydney!!! We spoke to them at Coffs over 40s and they were going to be in Bundy today (Tuesday) to set the Coffee van up and also have a little family holiday!!!! We had them at the QLD Titles in Gladstone last year and they donated a portion of the Coffee sales back to the club. Real shame they won't be at the Titles this year!!!
I'll be right behind you Peter!!!!
Peter Edgar said:If I find out that someone has made Sarah Cooper cry Im going to tweet them a new ****hole... I love that lady.
Hahaha Gold Mal, absolute Gold!!
What - Something else being blown out of proportion !!!
Sounds like a bit of humble pie for the whingers !!!
RegardsDave
Thxs for clearing it up Ash
Peter
Isn't Canberra in a bother over the treatment of rival kart business'?
Is it correct that Coopers and others pay the AKA a fee to take photos?? could be argued they are NOT getting what they are paying for? even if its in the end ok, its NOT a GOOD look at as you say open to shady dealings not just in photography area. Some one one day may just test the practice in a coyrt of law, and the AKA haven't a good record when it comes to the courts.
There must be some BIG dollars in photograhy???Peter Edgar said:
So are you telling us Ash that you agree that its OK for clubs to be able to allow only one photographer to sell photos on the day at the track ? So if one company is in favour (or out of favour ) with a club then they will/wont get the job if the club decides so ? If a certain photographer offers the club more money for the rights than other photographers then he may be able to "buy " the rights to make money at a karting event.. whilst others are excluded ?
So people like the Coopers will have to lobby clubs to be able to sell their product at the track ? Will photographers who have " connections " to the AKA be given favour by clubs over other companies ? Why do Coopers have to pay the AKA good money for the rights to sell pictures at AKA events when the clubs can shut them out to the highest bidder if they see fit to do so ?
Sounds to me like the AKA and some clubs will collude to have some pic companies locked out of the action.. in favour of companies that they wish to promote and grant a gauranteed job...
I knew as soon as Havacheque joined KartX that we would soon see some sort of bullshit enter what was a peaceful agreement available to all who wish to have a go.
Does this mean that clubs could also decide who sells karting parts at the track and who doesnt ?
Sounds like bullshit to me and that their is more to this than Ashs simple explanation ?
How do we know that the Dubbo meeting where rights were given to one company wasnt another effort to lock Coopers out ? There is some funny business going on here and we will soon find out what is really going onAsh Budd said:
OK, At the request of Peter Edgar ill try clear this up for everyone. It will be my one and only post on the matter as I have other things to do before heading to Bundaberg.I replied to the Coopers Photography post on Facebook but they have since deleted it .... Im wondering why?The Bundaberg Kart club has given the "event sales rights" to a local photographer for this meeting and they are well within there rights to do so.Originally the event sales rights were offered to a different AKA photographer from QLD - Ian Ward / Trans Action Sports.Ian, who frequents the clubs events regrettably had to knock the club back because of some long standing family travel arrangements which begin in the Sunday of the event.The local photographer that now holds the rights to event sales is Kerry Petersen I believe.Now event sales rights are not uncommon in Motorsport and many other sports and business ventures.Take the V8 supercar for example, there are 100's of accredited photographers who frequent V8 rounds across the country. Only 1 ... yes 1 person hold the rights to sell V8 supercar photos to the public and any accredited photographer caught breaking these rules is stripped of all media access and banned from events and its the same with the Targa Rally championship we cover each year.
The Coopers are somewhat wrong in creating this "hype" by saying"At the AKA Queensland State titles event this accreditation is irrelevant and it is up to the club to decide who is and isn't allowed to take photo's. The AKA media have no say in the matter and neither do you"With the agreement in placeEVERY AKA Photographer is allowed to take photos at the event and no one will be stopped from doing so.EVERY AKA Photographer is allowed to sell photos taken at this event.
They are also wrong in involving Lee in this decision.Lee had as much to do with the decision as the Coopers did, or as I did - absolutely none.
In no way will/should it affect the exposure for the event or Karting itself, there will be 6 AKA accredited photographers (myself included) that I know of in attendance at the event who will all be supping images to various media outlets that require them. We simply cant sell to competitors at the track under the agreement in place and its not the first time this has been the case.
For example, last years Rotax Nationals in Dubbo sales rights were in place and held by Bill Bryant of Fletcher Photography in a similar agreement to Bundaberg, all photographers attending - Including Coopers myself and Gavin Wiladsen/Quick Pixels were advised of the agreement.It was also bought to my attention today by another AKA Photographer that Coopers Photography were offered / held the event sales rights to the Closed State Title at Bundaberg earlier this year in the lead up to the Open States and that the club was very disappointed when they didn't show up for the event without contact.In my response on the Coopers facebook page I asked about this agreement and if that information was correct which they deleted without reply. If that information is infact correct ( which currently I have no reason to believe otherwise) then they have no reason to make a song and dance about this decision now as no one complained when they held that position.
The photography business Bundaberg Kart Club has chosen for this weekend has nothing to do with KARTX Magazine, they dont supply photos to us and I've never met them. After the the recent devastating floods that affected the area, the Bundaberg club is supporting ALOT of LOCAL business with the running of the event, from local pies/pasties and other goods in the canteen to this local photoragphy business and I / we support that decision ... can they take good karting photos? I don't know.Are they new to the sport? I dont know, I can only presume so but lets not turn them away by boycotting them on face value because of this post. The sport needs all the media exposure it can get and another photographer on the scene is a good thing for everyone.Someone said the club should have put it out for tender .... If you were getting your bathroom renovated are you required to tender every accredited builder in the country? No. You have the ability to chose who you want to do the job and the Bundaberg Kart Club has the right to do the same at their venue .... if they decided to completely restrict AKA Photographer access to the circuit for the purpose of photographing an AKA event in favour of one person then that would be probably be a different story but thats NOT whats happening here, No one is banned from taking photos.Yes the AKA are holding the event, Bundberg is hosting it at there premis and they "the club" have appointed a person who has AKA media accreditation - no problem.Would I like to sell photos at the event ?... Yes of course, We all would.But I dont have an issue with the Bundaberg Kart Clubs decision to support local business with this "event sales" agreement. I will be there taking photos for AFimages ( www.afimages.com.au ) KARTX Magazine and Auto Action Magazine Some of the responses directed toward the Bundaberg Club and the AKA on the Coopers Photography page are disappointing but people have clearly been given the wrong information here.This from AKA Accredited photographer Bill BryantThis reply from AKA accredited photographer Ian Ward.It would appear as though the only AKA accredited photographer with their nose slightly out of joint about this weekend is the team at Coopers Photography, perhaps they didnt understand the information they were given?Im an AKA accredited photographer the same as they are and my response answering their questions with the information I have just given you here was deleted from their facebook page shortly after I posted it ... oh well.To those heading to Bundy for the titles, we'll see you there !
There will be plenty of photographers to capture the action.