Reporters Say Their Credentials Were Revoked for Mayweather-Pacquiao
All have reported extensively on Mayweather's history of domestic violence.
— -- Two reporters said their credentials were revoked for Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight, and a third reportedly had his taken away as well.
Rachel Nichols of CNN and Michelle Beadle of ESPN/HBO said via Twitter that they had been told their credentials were pulled. USA Today reporter Martin Rogers' credential was reportedly pulled as well, according to SI.com.
Beadle was credentialed through HBO and not ESPN, both networks and Beadle said.
A spokesman for Mayweather denied the allegations from Beadle and Nichols.
A source told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap that Mayweather Promotions insisted on having approval of credential applications, a stipulation included in the fight contract.
A source with Showtime told Schaap that it had nothing to do with Beadle's credential situation -- only that it denied her permission to film inside MGM Grand arena. A Mayweather promotions source, meanwhile, said Nichols had a temporary credential, but CNN never confirmed she'd need a fight credential.
All three of the reporters have been at the forefront of reporting in Mayweather's history of domestic violence. Nichols had a contentious interview with Mayweather on CNN last September. Rogers has written a number of stories chronicling Mayweather's domestic violence issues, and Beadle has been outspoken about Mayweather.
Kelly Swanson, a media relations spokesperson for the Mayweather camp, denied that Nichols and Beadle has lost their credentials.
Later Saturday, Beadle said via Twitter that she was told Friday she was not credentialed and left Las Vegas. She said HBO was able to get her credential approved late Friday night.
A source told Schaap that Top Rank appealed to Leslie Moonves, the CEO of CBS, who had the original decision reversed Friday night.
Swanson told USA Today: "I'll take it as a misunderstanding. But Rachel Nichols was never banned from the event. She's been credentialed the whole time."
She added: "We didn't even know until late afternoon who was going to be in the arena. CNN received one seat in the arena, and it was up to them to pick who could go in the arena. We could not make that selection. We let those producers decide who they wanted in that seat. She's always had a credential."
