When you are a member of the most elite, independent, force of New Media in the state of Michigan having your presence “respectfully requested” for global events such as the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix or Rocket Mortgage Classic is par for the course.

With a professional calendar that is filled with exciting, historic, outings it can become a bit of a burden just to keep up. But, then, I so rarely get opportunity to sport a soft pair of summer argyle on the links of the very private, very prestigious, Detroit Golf Club …

And, that, dear reader, is where today’s Field Notes are from.

Detroit Golf Club | 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic

 

Life as a Media mogul is not always what the world makes it out to be. Sure, there are often Learjets and limousines. Sometimes, there are meals prepared by Michelin Chefs and endless bottles of Champagne. And, of course, there is the issue of being constantly adored by the world’s most beautiful supermodels. But, that is just most of the time – the rest of the time Media is serious business.

I thought it might be fun to share with our readers some of the action that goes on behind the scenes at events of this magnitude.

Take the Featured Image at the head of this piece, for example. Here we see a common occurence at big events: people engaged in selfies, members of the family shooting pictures of each other in front of corporate logos (to prove they were there, I suppose), and members of Media – identified by the credential badges worn around the neck – fast at work texting and tweeting out the latest data to an information hungry public while in full stride.

 

 

Inside the Media facility (affectionately known as MF1 by some of the more seasoned professionals) we see the very latest in High Tech communications. In the upper left image we see a combination of what looks to be a “journalist” desperately trying to convince a gatekeeper for the Rocket Mortgage Classic media team that she is indeed working with a legit organization, as well as another example of a journalist “live” texting sensitive data to either his editor or snapchat followers.

Next, we see a three-person media unit working from a Reserved media station provided by the event sponsor. Enormous, Hi Def, monitors, flanked by the latest in LED scoreboard technology, offer outlets from around the globe the ability to transmit information to Home Base(s), which will in turn be shared with teams of crack editors, copywriters, images editors, and quite possibly a galaxy of lawyers, before being aired, streamed, uploaded, and shared across the spectrum of Social Media.

In fact, Detroit’s own 910am Superstation was crushing a live broadcast while at the same time recording itself for website, youtube, and other possible uses not available for discussion at this time. Do not quote me on this, but I believe 910am was the only station granted permission to live stream inside MF1 throughout the tournament?

Hats off to the Producer of that show …

Now, I know what you’re thinking: All of this hard work must make journalists and reporters and photographers very hungry. And, you are right. For this reason, high-end events like these provide Media with the very best in the culinary arts.

Why?

Because, World Class sponsors know that in order to get World Class coverage for World Class events it is vital that members of media operate at full capacity.

“An Army marches on its stomach” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte 

And, as you can see by the final two images, the sponsors of the Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA Tour did just that by providing Media breakfast, lunch, snacks, bottled water, sodas, and endless cups of locally sourced coffee.

In the image posted on its side (for artistic effect) we see a stunning buffet including, corn and flour tortillas, stewed chicken, rice, and an assortment of taco toppings. There was also Kind Bars.

The final image depicts my personal plate (which, I enjoyed in the Rocket Mortgage social media team tent alongside one member of the Rocket Mortgage “Offensive” team, one member of the Rocket Mortgage “Defensive” team, and one Rocket Mortgage photographer): two steamed chicken tacos, rice, and side salad (with cup of coffee).

Delicious.

Except that, while in line, I didn’t think the hot peppers and hot sauce were going to be all that hot. You know how things are when expected to please the palette of everyone – we usually give way to the least bold and seasoned product in hopes of offending the fewest amount of people. So, I piled on a few extra peppers, and I poured a few more drops of hot sauce, only to bite into what was the hottest portion of taco, and was immediately hit with burning tongue and hiccups.

Anyway, time for me to move on. Plenty of Green out there and it is a lovely day for Champagne and golf.

Four.