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 ...
Exactly
This is beyond stupid
The title you created had to be changed to the original published title. Please do not make up your own title. Just use the published title at the source.
Thanks.
"Clearly" because their tv was too big, and they don't sell beer (beer companies are a big sponsor of the NFL).
Your point still stands, though.
So wait, if in theory I had a wide screen TV in my theoretical home theatre that is bigger than 55 inches, I could only watch the Super Bowl on it by myself?
Something smells kind of fishy about this supposed 55 inch screen rule thing.
For most Christian churches, the sabbath is not a day, it is a man - Jesus.
If one is going to be legalistic about it and, for consistency's sake, run with old testament law, then it is the last day. That would be Saturday.
In either case, it aint Sunday, the first day. God is no slacker. He doesn't rest on the first day.
I'm a huge NFL fan, but I think some of their rules are ridiculous. I also don't understand why radio stations and TV stations aren't allowed to call it the "Super Bowl" and instead must call it the "Big game."
Coffee and donuts after service would also fall outside of that scope. Some things are done for social community. Single adults, etc.
Gives people an option instead of spending the night at Hooters guzzling beers and staring at Hooters.
I think evangelical churches do this to provide a clean, alcohol-free alternative for families. (Much like they provide Halloween alternatives on Oct. 31 for the community.)
I imagine the Superbowl stuff also serves as outreach (a churchgoer invites his non-churchgoing neighbor).
It's probably an effective part of Men's Ministries at many large churches.
Where are you getting that they are charging admission fees?
The Law Is A Ass.
No reason why a church can't be involved in all facets of life. Why do churches have basketball leagues?
I was a member of a church that had breakdancing, modern dance, rock climbing, surfing, street hockey, and running groups. Or course, we also met in prayer and Bible study before these events, but all the same...
It has been common, since churches started replacing overhead projectors with video projectors, to have superbowl parties at churches. Heck, I went to them back in the early nineties.
This is interesting.
Projector screens are becoming much more popular. I know a number of people who have them in their homes.
All of them would be in violation too.
NONE of this was a concern of the founding fathers. Our copyright laws are written by the entertainment industry these days in spite of constituional intentions.
Sunday is not the Sabbath. Nothing in Scripture changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day.
"At least one church plans to defy the NFL’s objections and host a big-screen party anyway...."
And nothing will happen. The first church got greedy and brought atten to themselves. While I don't expect the NFL to go church-visiting, it is possible this one church's greed. I know they said the fee was to cover snacks, but I've been to plenty of church functions and never been charged for snacks. I think this was a promoted, money-making endeavor for them and they got busted.
Will this hurt the NFL? No way. What I find curious is why nobody asked "Will this hurt the church" because it is they who broke the law here.
The New Testament (at least indirectly) states that the sabbath has changed from Saturday (or the seventh day) to Sunday (the first), in part (at least) because the universe has entered a new age/era after the Resurrection. The vast majority of Christian denominations take this view.
"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."
I know several people with tvs (both projection and non projection types) bigger than 55 inches.
So are they violating he law by watching the game?
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