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2020-2018 World Masters Athletics (WMA) Toronto, Media Operations Plan

Source: My personal notes from WMA 2020 originally retrieved from https://wmatoronto2020.com/about-us/ and notes on planning of Press and Media Operations for the event.

About

Section titled “About”

The World Masters Athletics Toronto 2020 (WMATO2020), scheduled to take place from July 20 – August 1, 2020, is a world championship caliber event for the sport of athletics (track and field) for male and female athletes aged 35 years and over. Athletes from over 80 countries will compete in stadia and non-stadia events in various age categories, with winners and medalists, in all age groups. Eleven days of competition in a 13-day program is open to all athletes, with no qualification standards, with the exception that athletes must be members of their respective regional organizations. In addition to sport competition, the WMATO2020 will feature an Opening and Closing Ceremony, an Athlete’s Party, and community engagement events, in addition to two days reserved for regional and world-wide meetings of delegates. The WMATO2020 will offer a total of 550 individual sport competition events within the City of Toronto. The event is expected to attract between 7,000-9,000 athletes, and approximately 4,000 accompanying friends and family, over the 13-day event.

In March 24, 2020, the event management cancelled the event due to COVID-19 pandemic “given the global uncertainty and with the health and safety of our staff, athletes, officials, volunteers and partners as our first priority, it is necessary for us to cancel at this time”.

Volunteer Training

Section titled “Volunteer Training”

Modules

  1. Introduction to World Masters Athletics
  2. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA)
  3. Health and Safety Training
  4. Policies
  5. Venues
  6. Responsible Sports
  7. Welcome Volunteers to WMATO2020

Job-specific Training will occur on-site, in June and July. You will be able to choose a date that best fits your schedule.

2019 to 2020-02 WMA Press and Media Operations Planning

Section titled “2019 to 2020-02 WMA Press and Media Operations Planning”

Media Operations team prepared plans for each site for the event. Plan involved execution of:

  • Visits of venues in winter 2019-2020
    • On site visits: designate photo positions, media centre location ideas
    • Check on previous WMA’s, Athletics Canada reports / numbers of media
    • Varsity - media centre locations, portable air conditioning
    • Clarify:
      • Which venues used for which dates/events
      • Media transportation
      • Medal ceremonies plan
      • With accreditation, should media accreditation have names?
      • WMA language requirements? E.g. media guide, signage
  • Reuse press operations, communications, and media guide materials from previous Toronto events like Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games and Invictus Games 2017

Logistics (LOG) - What we need

Section titled “Logistics (LOG) - What we need”

  • Plan what press operations needs so it can be bought/delivered. Delivery will likely by PRS leads/volunteers

  • Need:

    • 100 photo bibs
    • Signage to each media centre/check in at each venue
    • At each venue:
      • 1 x media backdrop
      • 1 x branded table cloth for each media check in desk
      • #? x banners
    • Refreshments - water, coffee, tea
    • Fan for TTFC media centre
    • Portable WIFI per venue for media only
    • Printing of media guide (#?)
    • Printing of media materials (undertaking, info sheets, photo positions)

Workforce (WKF)

Section titled “Workforce (WKF)”
  • Volunteers: Figure out #’s and for how long, then request from Event Services
  • Prepare functional area training for volunteers for PRS

Accreditation (ACR)

Section titled “Accreditation (ACR)”
  • Plan for Spring 2020, Send accreditation information to WMA - March -May 2019
    • Then send media ACR, media guidelines
    • Written press, journalists, photographers, non-rights holders, broadcast ACR
  • 2 separate categories?
    • Field of Play (FOP)
    • Non-field of play
    • +additions
      • Photographer bibs

Communications & Marketing (CMM)

Section titled “Communications & Marketing (CMM)”
  • Media event, Launch event
    • Briefing for press
    • News content
  • Press releases
  • Interviews

Venue Operations (VOP)

Section titled “Venue Operations (VOP)”
  • Media Centre? At TTFC - 2nd floor room, TTFC indoor track level
  • Media spaces per venue? Tour spaces
  • Needs:
    • High speed WIFI internet
    • Electrical outlet (220V, local voltage)
    • Refreshments (water, coffee, tea)
    • Lockers (if possible)

Sport (SPT)

Section titled “Sport (SPT)”
  • Ceremonies
    • locations in venue?
    • PRS will organize media for ceremonies
  • For results, media instructed to see online results or printed meet results at venues

Media Operations Goals

Section titled “Media Operations Goals”
  • Media information (guides, etc.)
  • Venues (to be confirmed): Varsity, Terry Fox Stadium (Brampton), Centennial Park, York University - Toronto Track & Field Centre, Downsview Park
  • Reach out to media contacts (media, NCC, Athletics Ontario, Athletics Canada, regional sports organizations)
  • WMA Toronto - July 20 - August 1, 2020, expecting more media, multiple venues with competitions at same time. Opening ceremony July 19.
  • In 2019 - mainly local media, freelance, and local organizational committee (LOC), NCC photographers
  • Looking for venue media managers
  • University of Toronto - Varsity Stadium is the “main venue”. Will be used for media briefing and a main media centre.

Plan

Section titled “Plan”
  • Media briefing on same day as opening ceremony July 19, 2020. Could do second date.
  • Media Guide
  • Photo positions on FOP - designate on venue CAD diagrams and include in media guide or on site.
  • Media stands - tribunes
  • Transportation - no transport for media, media should use public transit,
  • Mixed zone
    • Close to ceremonies locations at venues
    • Backdrops, banners
  • Media centres:
    • tents, nearby buildings
  • Varsity
    • Media centre: South building, Space overlooking stadium, printer
    • Elevator signage
  • TTFC
    • Media centre: Corner of indoor track, outdoors close to finish line

Reference: Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix – Volunteer Info Sheet

Section titled “Reference: Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix – Volunteer Info Sheet”

The Event

From August 10 - 12, Toronto will welcome nearly 550 athletes and coaches. Athletes will be competing in 42 track and field events and your role in the Championships will unfold as followed:

  • July 26 & 28: Volunteer Training @ Varsity Stadium
  • August 7 & 8: Set-up Days @ Varsity Stadium
  • August 10 - 12: Championship Days @ Varsity Stadium

The Venue

For the third ever NACAC Championships, the ‘Toronto 2018: Track & Field in the 6ix’ event will be held at Varsity Stadium. The address is as follows:

299 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1W2

There are two main entrances available at Varsity Stadium, located on the North and South of the stadium.