Two of the nation’s most prominent and respected female sports reporters have been banned from covering Saturday night’s fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. The reporters, ESPN’s Michelle Beadle and CNN’s Rachel Nichols broke the news of Twitter:
No fight for me or @MichelleDBeadle. Mayweather's team told my producer the camp was blocking my credential. https://t.co/JTjjXadPp8
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 2, 2015
I, along with @Rachel__Nichols, have been banned from the MGM Grand Arena for the fight tonight by the Mayweather camp. #TheFightGame
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
Both Nichols and Beadle have been critical of Mayweather’s documented history of domestic abuse in previous coverage. Last September Nichols sharply questioned Mayweather on the topic in an interview, suggesting people might want to boycott his fights:
Beadle has been recently been critical of Mayweather on Twitter (and subject to harassment by his defenders).
On Deadspin, Daniel Roberts suggests that Showtime, which represents Mayweather, shares responsibility because they are ultimately responsible for who gets a credential.
Mayweather seems willing to go to any length to avoid a discussion of his extensive record of abuse. In a recent interview with an ESPN reporter, he essentially refused to even acknowledge a question on the topic, instead smirking and mugging for the camera.
Update:
A source with HBO, which is co-producing the fight with Showtime, told a reporter that Beadle is still credentialed:
HBO source confirms @MichelleDBeadle's credential has just been cleared for Mayweather fight. Not sure about @Rachel__Nichols
— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) May 2, 2015
Update:
Details are murky but ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap confirmed that Beadle and Nichols were denied credentials for the fight. Beadle’s denial was reversed, but only after she left town. Nichols denial was also allegedly reversed, although it’s unclear she would be allowed inside the arena itself.
Update:
Rachel Nichols has a more detailed account:
