What is allowed?
Professional tournaments need strong content. They also need clear rules.
At the RTA Pickleball Tour, we welcome event coverage, storytelling, player visibility, and high-quality media work. But we also need a framework that protects players, partners, event operations, court access, and the professional presentation of the tour.
That is why RTA works with an official media pass and accreditation system.
What a media pass actually means
A media pass is an accreditation granted by RTA for a specific tournament or, where expressly agreed, for the full tour season. It allows the Accredited Person limited access for the purpose of creating photo, video, and digital content about the event and, where expressly permitted, for the Named Players listed in the agreement.
This means one important thing straight away: access is not automatic. Bringing a camera, working for a player, or attending as a guest does not by itself create media rights.
Media access depends on the tournament category
RTA currently distinguishes between tournament categories when it comes to media handling.
At RTA1000 and RTA2000 events, media access is managed directly by RTA and subject to formal accreditation. This allows RTA to define the scope of access, player-specific permissions, branding rules, and commercial limitations in a clear and enforceable way.
At RTA500 events, there is currently no official RTA media pass issued by RTA. On-site media access at these events is generally handled by the local organiser or venue.
However, this does not mean unrestricted use is allowed. Even at RTA500 events, any commercial use, any use of RTA branding, event names, or official titles, and any representation as official RTA media or partner remains subject to RTA approval.
What accredited media are allowed to do
Accredited media may create general event coverage, including photos, videos, reels, stories, atmosphere content, match impressions, and overall tournament coverage. They may also conduct winner interviews in front of the media wall, always subject to staff instructions, scheduling, and operational restrictions.
They may also create player photos or videos for their own reports, recaps, or editorial use, provided this is not offered or delivered as a general player service.
In addition, general non-commercial behind-the-scenes impressions on the creator’s own channels are allowed, as long as they do not misrepresent any relationship with RTA.
Where the limits are very clear
Not everything is open access.
The Accredited Person may not step onto any playing court or field of play. Court access is reserved exclusively for the official RTA photographer and any person expressly authorised in writing by RTA.
The Accredited Person may also not create player highlights, portrait sessions, or player picture packages for players in general. Player-specific content may only be created for the Named Players listed in the agreement.
That rule matters. It keeps the scope of the accreditation precise and prevents a tournament from turning into an uncontrolled commercial production space.
What players are allowed to do
Players may use content created for their own channels, including collaborative social media posts with their personal sponsors. For those posts, @rtapickleballtour must be clearly tagged, and the collaboration must be initiated and published by the player.
At the same time, the Accredited Person may not deliver, license, or provide that content directly to any sponsor or other third party. The line is clear: player use on player channels is one thing, direct sponsor use is another.
What companies and sponsors need to know
If content is created for sponsors, brands, or third parties, or delivered to them directly, it is considered commercial use and requires prior written approval from RTA.
The same applies to the use of RTA logos, branding, event names, or official titles. These may not be used without prior approval. And accreditation does not allow anyone to present themselves as an official RTA photographer or partner unless expressly contracted.
In plain language: visibility is welcome, commercial use must be approved.
Why this matters
RTA is building a professional tour environment. That means player rights must be respected. Sponsor rights must be protected. Event workflows must stay smooth. Official media work must remain manageable. And the tournament must still feel like a sport event, not a crowded production set.
A clear accreditation framework helps everyone:
- players know what is allowed
- creators know their scope
- sponsors know when approval is needed
- RTA can protect the event and its partners
The bottom line
We want great content from our tournaments. We want stories, emotion, highlights, winners, crowd moments, and real tour energy.
But we want it done within a clear and professional framework.
That is exactly what the RTA media pass is for.
If you want to create content at an RTA event, whether as a photographer, videographer, creator, player representative, sponsor, or brand, please contact us in advance. We are happy to review requests, define the right scope, and make sure everyone knows what is allowed before the tournament begins.