Rhonda Credentials

Summary: The Kansas City Royals were blasted for months by the local and national news media after yanking the press credentials from two radio sports talkers last June in an incident dubbed "CredentialGate." Now that they have returned credentials to Rhonda Moss no media outlet in Kansas City will touch the story, possibly for fear of upsetting the Royals as they enter the new season.

KC Sports & Fitness Magazine (February 2007)

Sorry to see Bob Fescoe leave for greener pastures in St. Louis. When he and Rhonda Moss had their press credentials yanked by the Royals Fescoe correctly felt his bosses at Union Broadcasting hung him out to dry. Rather than fight them he did a virtual media tour over the incident to let potential employers know he was alive and well and ready to move on.

Fescoe really didn’t care if the Royals ever returned his credentials. However, it is about time the team realizes the error of its ways and returns Moss’s press pass. The sooner the better.

It seems as if the Kansas City Royals have come to their senses and returned press credentials on Friday (2/2) for the upcoming season to Rhonda Moss of KCSP-610 radio. The team had pulled her credentials and those of Bob Fescoe of WHB-810 last June after the pair asked some tough questions during a news conference June 8.

Moss said she had spoken to the Royals last week regarding the status of her credentials for the upcoming season and was told they would let her know. On Friday she received a call saying her credentials had been reinstated.

"There were no stipulations and no promises made on my end," says Moss, when asked if she had to promise the team she would be kinder and gentler this season.

The outcry from journalists locally and nationally to the team's action last season was swift and strong. Not only did newspaper, radio and TV journalists uniformly blast the team over its actions, but the Society of Professional Journalists also weighed in on the issue against the Royals. The team refused to relent for the remainder of the season or discuss the issue.

"The PR damage by this action of the Royals will cause long-term problems between the Royals and all news media," BLC said at the time. "It is one of the dumbest moves ever undertaken by a professional sports team."

Fescoe, who joined WHB in June 2003 and co-hosted the popular "Border Patrol" morning sports talk show on with Steven St. John, departed for greener sports talk pastures at "The Fan," KFNS in St. Louis. His last day at WHB was January 10.

Moss's employer, Entercom Communications, stood firmly behind her after the incident occurred.