According to an article in the Guardian Southampton FC have banned reporters from talking to fans outside the stadium. This is just another step taken in the battle between the press and Southampton. Some think the football club is harassing the media.
Reporters are not allowed to interview fans near the stadium. On Monday when Southampton played Everton, reporters were asked to leave St. Mary's stadium for health and safety reasons. The club has been in a constant battle with city's paper, the Southern Daily Echo, for about three years.
The Echo's editor-in-chief, Ian Murray, said "We spoke to lots of fans outside the club's zone of influence. It's all very silly really as you can't prevent fans from having a say and trying to do so just makes you look intolerant of other viewpoints."
The Guardian went on to report that the club has banned the use of any pictures in newspapers. They also requested to be known as the "Opposition" or "South Coast Team." The Echo's sports editor Neil Meldrum said "Mr Cortese clearly thinks his club will make a buck or two by syndicating pictures taken by their own man. I've got news for you, Nicola: You won't."
"If newspapers hate one thing, it is the greed of people like you and we press people tend to stick together in defiance of arrogance," said Meldrum. "Yes, the Echo has let its readers down today by not printing pictures of last night's match. But we will not be held to ransom by the likes of Nicola Cortese."
I think it is ridiculous that the press is not allowed to attend games or even report about the matches. The team pays a lot of money for advertising and they are refusing free press. If the paper was printing negative stories it is one thing, but to ban the use of any pictures and the use of the teams name is just childish.