The Kansas City Chiefs are really laying down the rules to the news media about how they will be covered until the regular season begins, according to a Media Advisory issued by the team (8/19), and reported by the area’s leading blog site tonyskansascity.com.

It is very obvious the goal of the Chiefs and the NFL is to eventually manage all media coverage of all aspects of its business. The latest directive, according to an insider close to the team, “Seems to be a little more heavy-handed than if the past (if possible) but typical of the league.”

“Still photographers will be allowed to shoot entire practices while television cameras may shoot the stretching and individual periods of practice that last for approximately the first 20 minutes,” stated the advisory.

“Tweeting, reporting on strategy, personnel groupings and trick plays is prohibited. Media may not record, discuss on air, blog or publish: Injury information, number of repetitions taken by any player, length of any practice, attire worn by players, various positions the player participated in, which players participated or did not participate or conversations that take place on-field between players and/or coaches. Use of cell phones or laptops on the practice fields will not be allowed at any time.”

The source said there was always a “tacit understanding” that the news media wouldn’t report on trick plays and strategy witnessed at practice, ”but there’s never been restrictions on position groups, depth chart changes, etc.”

This marks another step towards total media control by the team and league.

In 2007 the NFL ordered that all photographers at games must wear NFL-issued vests that prominently display the Canon logo (whether they use Canon cameras or not). The league even created its own “NFL Network” to manage coverage and as another revenue stream.

Viewers of the Chiefs’ pre-season games have complained of the constant (almost subliminal) logo that quickly appears throughout the games featuring “65 TPSP,” the logo of “65 Toss Power Trap Productions,” the production arm of the Chiefs organization (named after a famous play often called by legendary Chiefs Coach Hank Stram). It is one way that the Chiefs can guarantee what will be covered—and won’t be during its games.

The Chiefs have also selected who will broadcast their games with the NFL Network’s Paul Burmeister and former Chiefs All-Pro quarterback Trent Green leading the on-air pre-season broadcasts. Green is rarely critical of the team and Burmeister can only be compared to the Royals’ over-the-top cheerleader Rex Hudler in his coverage.

As long as the news media continues to be dictated to by the NFL and Chiefs fans can be expected to receive only sanitized information will little or no actual news value.