Posted on 02/01/2007 12:49:16 PM PST by Publius Valerius
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NFL has nixed a church's plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws.
NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek Baptist Church's "Super Bowl Bash" on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled, the church said.
< snip >
But the NFL objected to the church's plans to use a projector to show the game, saying the law limits it to one TV no bigger than 55 inches.
The church will likely abandon its plans to host a Super Bowl party.
< snip >
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league's long-standing policy is to ban "mass out-of-home viewing" of the Super Bowl. An exception is made for sports bars and other businesses that show televised sports as a part of their everyday operations.
"We have contracts with our (TV) networks to provide free over-the-air television for people at home," Aiello said. "The network economics are based on television ratings and at-home viewing. Out-of-home viewing is not measured by Nielsen."
< snip >
"It just frustrates me that most of the places where crowds are going to gather to watch this game are going to be places that are filled with alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for children," Newland said. "We tried to provide an alternative to that and were shut down."
Other Indiana churches said they are deciding whether they should go through with their Super Bowl party plans, given the NFL's stance.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
Agree 100%.
bttt
So if I invite a wad of people over to watch the Super Bowl and I have mor ethan 4 TVs showing it and/or at least one of them is bigger than 55 inches, I'mn brekling the law by having a private party?
That just plain doesn't make sense.
Oh get real. One way of honoring God is fellowship. It's perfectly ok for a church to get together, be it a picnic, or watching the Super Bowl. Many ways to honor/worship God, it doesn't have to be a sermon.
You aren't an establishment. You can look up the law yourself and read about it.
"If that's the NFL's licensing rules, then that's that. If an exception is made here, then anyone can argue that they deserve the same."
You don't see anything wrong with this? You're kidding, right? And just because it is in the rules, doesn't make it okay either. Hope they don't get wind of American Legion halls across the country that are having the same shindigs. It is @#$#@!
Sez who?
I'm an "establishment" if the NFL wants me to be one.
Its called "fellowship".
Not just churches, but organizations like the American Legions. To $@#$ with the NFL!
Hope the sports bars don't have tvs bigger than 55"!
An "establishment" is a clearly defined entity. You can argue with me all you want, but it doesn't change what is written in the laws, and how they can be applied.
The NFL pursued this church not because it wants to prosecute churches, but because it needs to enforce its copyright (of the broadcast material) and trademark (of the title "Super Bowl"), or else it will lose them. A similar case happened recently with the "little guy:" Linus Torvalds, who owns the Linux trademark sued a few companies using Linux in their name or materials. He did this not because he wanted to profit off of the trademark, nor because he felt that those companies were in the wrong; he had to do it because if he didn't he would lose control of the trademark and unscrupulous people would use it. Same thing with the NFL.
I did read the section that was posted, and it seems to say that (theoretically) if I were to invite, say, 100 people over, have the Supre Bowl balring on 6 big-screen TVs, have at least one that is bigger than 55 inches, and so forth, the NFL, by this standard, should come after me.
This is clearly about the NFL's wallet. They're afraid that if people gather together in large numbers, the ratings will go down and then people won't pay them their exorbitant ransom for the Super Bowl.
That is likely to prompt me not only not to watch the game, which I am sick of already, but to find something else to watch to bump it up.
That's what they deserve if this is their attitude.
It just comes naturally, right?
No, as you know, charging admission is a different issue. These folks were not charging acmission. The pastor said so.
The church seems to be in compliance with the requirements of the law.
And saying that you can't refer to the Super Bowl as "the Super Bowl" is just plain silly. Maybe we should call it "the World Series."
Actually, in this case, it isn't. Read the damn law before arguing. The law does not make a difference between an establishment charging admission and one that doesn't. Maybe you like to just make up stuff based upon how you would've written the law, but the fact remains that you didn't.
And saying that you can't refer to the Super Bowl as "the Super Bowl" is just plain silly. Maybe we should call it "the World Series."
That isn't what I said at all. You can't use "Super Bowl" when you aren't referring to the Super Bowl directly. Again, read the laws.
I was thinking the same thing. Have 10 55" screens!
Shabat Shalom.
I did read it. I realize that it shocks you that anyone else is capable of actually reading, but the fact is that I read the whole section.
You wrote: "it is just that if you let one person slide, then others will be able to claim the same. Hence, if this church has a SuperBowl party, then some guy can do the same next year and charge admission."
Well, then the NFL has A LOT of work to do between now and kickoff:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/16598307.htm
"MIAMI - Football's faithful will file into house parties, bars and, of course, Dolphin Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday to observe their holiest of holy days. But they'll also turn out in force at churches across the country, which are tapping the popularity of sports in hopes of saving souls.
Organizers of church-sponsored Super Bowl gatherings see the events as a departure from the formality of organized religion - the type of events that could make someone who doesn't typically attend services feel more at home."
Sounds like they'll have to shut down hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of these events.
Then what did you not understand about it? First you go off and claim that you could be considered an establishment (no), then you claim that this law makes reference to charging admission (no), and you didn't properly understand how trademarks and copyright work. Sure didn't look like you read the law to me.
Sounds like they'll have to shut down hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of these events.
Sounds like they'll have to try, although since the Super Bowl is tomorrow, I am not sure how far they'll get. I am not familiar with how the law works where there is mass infringement of copyright.
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