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Athens, GA (Sept 10, 2008) - In a move that, on its face, crosses the line of ethics in media, the Chicago White Sox are offering media professionals first dibs on post-season tickets. This post appeared on SportsJournalists.com on September 8, 2008:

Journalists to the front of the line ...

To Chicago Media:

A limited number of White Sox postseason tickets will be available to the Chicago media for purchase. Tickets must be purchased in sets of two or four, and we will do our best to fulfill your request based on supply and demand. Tickets must be for your own personal use or the use of your family and close personal friends and cannot be re-sold.



Tickets are only available in strips, meaning you must purchase tickets to all 11 possible postseason games at U.S. Cellular Field. The cost of each postseason strip is $1,170 and the seats will be lower deck reserved. A processing fee of $25 will be added to your order. An optional parking strip is available for an additional $330.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please contact the White Six media relations department via email or phone by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 12. Please reply with the following information: your name, media outlet, credit card number, expiration date, number of ticket strips you wish to purchase (two or four), and whether you would like to purchase a parking pass. Orders received after the deadline cannot be processed.

We will respond on or before Wednesday, September 17 with the status of your order. Ticket distribution information will be provided at a later date.

Thank you,

Chicago

Of course, this assumes the ChiSox can maintain their one game lead in the AL Central.

So the question: Is it ethical for the White Sox to offer media first dibs on playoff tickets? Is it ethical for members of the media to take up the offer? Keep in kind that someone on the thread said the Red Sox have done this in the past.

You make the call.

p.s. We made the picture, it did not appear in the original post.