Media Information
John Hancock and the B.A.A. have designed the 2012 Boston Marathon Media Guide to assist you in covering the race. If you require additional information, please contact the Boston Athletic Association at 617-375-9800 from April 11–16. Marathon Press Headquarters during race week and race day (April 11–16) is at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, 138 St. James Avenue in Copley Square. The telephone number for the race week press room where credentials will be distributed is 617-375-9800. Various media conferences will take place throughout race week in the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. A full schedule of media events will be available in the Press Credentials Office.
Public Relations Contacts
| John Hancock Financial Services | Boston Athletic Association | |
| Brian Carmichael [email protected] Telephone: 617-663-4748 Fax: 617-663-4790 |
Jack Fleming [email protected] Telephone: 617-236-1652 ext. 2627 |
Marc Davis [email protected] Telephone: 617-236-1652 ext. 2633 |
Press Room
| Boston Athletic Association | |
| Marc Davis [email protected] Telephone: 617-236-1652 ext. 2633 |
|
For information regarding credentials, contact:
Chris Conley, Press Credentials
617-778-1629 (until April 11)
617-375-9800 (April 11–16)
Credentials Room Fax
617-375-9802 (April 11–16)
Press Credential Distribution
| Location | Dates | Time |
| Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel State Suite (Lower Level) 138 St. James Ave. Boston, MA 02116 |
Wednesday, April 11 Thursday, April 12 Friday, April 13 Saturday, April 14 Sunday, April 15 Monday, April 16 |
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p. m. 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 6:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. |
Members of the media will be asked to furnish valid press identification and sign a liability waiver before credentials are distributed in the State Suite. There will be no exceptions. There are eight credentials press areas: General access, photo start area, men's press truck, men's TV truck, women's press truck, women's TV truck, course, and photo bridge. Media personnel receiving credentials for the press trucks, photo start area, or photo bridge also will be allowed admittance to the press room and press conferences. PRESS CREDENTIALS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR ADMITTANCE TO THE PRESS ROOM AND THE POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE STAGED IN THE GRAND BALLROOM. The B.A.A. reserves the right to grant or revoke any press credentials. Media representatives will be required to sign a B.A.A. waiver and release upon receipt of their credentials. Media personnel who are assigned photo bridge credentials will also be required to provide their social security number (or foreign equivalent) prior to taking receipt of the credentials. Also, access to certain other areas may require media to provide additional information other than what is needed on the credential application (online and hard copy).
Press Rooms
On race day, the Press Rooms are located in the Fairmont Copley Plaza's Oval and Venetian Rooms. These large rooms are equipped with tables, telephone lines, the marathon tracking board, and television monitors. Any media outlet requiring the use of an exclusive phone line must make arrangements directly with Verizon. Please call Verizon Temporary Services (1-800-941-9900), and then inform the B.A.A. of your plans in order for your line to be designated within the room. The Venetian Room serves as an overflow area, containing various services including refreshments, race results, fax machines, Internet kiosks, and additional television monitors. A buffet luncheon will be served.
Press Room hours are 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 16.
Media Transportation to the Start
Transportation to the start will be provided for media members who:
- have been issued the appropriate credentials for either the men's or women's press trucks or photo start area;
- wish to view the start and return to Boston.
The media buses will depart for Hopkinton at 6:45 a.m. from St. James Avenue in front of the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. The men's press truck will depart Hopkinton ahead of the men's leaders and precede the competitors along the entire race route. Those holding proper press credentials will board the men's press truck by 9:15 a.m. in Hopkinton, on Route 135 near the starting line. Those members of the media receiving credentials for the women's press truck will need to be aboard the vehicle in Hopkinton by 9:00 a.m. For members of the media who are returning immediately to Boston, the buses will depart Hopkinton 10 minutes following the start of the first wave of the race. The bus will not return to Boston in time to view the finishes of the wheelchair or women's elite races. Please request a bus ticket when you pick up your credentials. (Note: Seating is limited in the finish line press area. Members of the media who view the race start and later return for the finish cannot be guaranteed seating and should not plan to see the finish from the designated press seating area in the bleachers.)
Media Agreement, Waiver, and Acknowledgement
In consideration of accepting any credentials, you hereby for yourself, your heirs, executors and administrators waive and release any and all rights and claims for damage you may have against the Boston Athletic Association, its employees and vendors, USA Track and Field, the Sponsors (including, but not limited to John Hancock Financial Services, Inc.), the volunteers, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the Cities and Towns in which the race is contested, their representatives, successors and assigns for any and all injuries suffered by you with respect to the Boston Marathon.
Additionally, you and the outlet to which you belong agree to adhere to the B.A.A. Internet and News Access Guidelines (available during Race Week in the State Suite Room, Fairmont Copley Hotel). WBZ-TV and Universal Sports are the local and domestic rights holders. An agreement to these guidelines is necessary for distribution of credentials.
Boston Marathon Internet Access
Members of the media can retrieve select Boston Marathon competitor entry lists through the Official Boston Marathon website. Following the race on April 16, results will be posted.
The address is: http://www.baa.org/news-and-press.aspx
username: press
password: 116media