Church 'Super Bowl' festivities may go on

wnd.com ^ | Posted: February 2, 2007 | By Bob Unruh

[Perdogg]

Churches across the U.S. planning Super Bowl parties Sunday, as the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears meet in the 41st edition of the classic first won by the Green Bay Packers, have been given sweeping permission by the NFL to go ahead – just as long as no admission fees are charged.

[Perdogg]

I see your point, but come on, it's super bowl Sunday.

People are going to go to church, worship the lord then go home and watch the game. Why not have it at church where people can watch it in a safe, family-oriented atmosphere?

Having the game at church might keep someone from using the lord's name in vain.

[Perdogg]

They are planning to have it because it's an event and they want people to have fun in a safe atmosphere.

People who are going to the church to watch the game probably have some sort of affiliation with the Church.

[misterrob]

And the game is at 6:30 PM. If you are a church goer are you normally waiting until Sunday night?

Some people need to lighten up.

[CindyDawg]

Football shouldn't be worshiped any day. If it is wrong to watch on Sunday, it is wrong to watch it on Mondays. If church was canceled that's a problem. If sports fans want to fellowship after services, what is wrong with that though?

[conservative in nyc]

I don't know what this is about - why do churches need permission from the NFL to do anything?

Because the copyright laws are written in such a way as to be slanted toward the copyright holder. Even though the copyright holder is putting a show on the public airwaves, the copyright laws say that the public that owns those airwaves can't show what is on those airwaves for profit, and if you're in the business of making a profit, you only can show their works with limitations.

It sounds like the NFL was probably trying to claim that the church was an "establishment", which is in the copyright laws as a "store, shop, or any similar place of business open to the general public for the primary purpose of selling goods or services". Establishments (other than bars and restaurants) over 2,000 square feet can't show copyrighted works - even those over the public airwaves - on anything more than 4 TVs (1 per room), each no more than 55 inches diagonal. Other folks, like you and me at home, can watch it on any "single receiving apparatus of a kind commonly used in private homes", as long as we don't charge admission or retransmit the feed. It sounds like the NFL was trying to have the best of both worlds - limit churches to only 1 TV AND limit the size of the set to under 55 inches. They can't have it both ways (though that's never stopped a copyright owner from sending threatening letters that have no real basis in the law before).

Absolutely NOTHING in the copyright laws gives the NFL the ability to prevent you, me or anyone else who doesn't charge admission from incorporating a message while watching their TV show. If Algore's crappy movie is shown on TV, and we FReepers want to get together (without charging a cover) in order to trash it, Algore can't stop us. Nor should he be able to.

[ml/nj]

I don't know. Can the Church charge enough to recover the cost of the refeshments they serve? Can they use a projector? Can they have more than one TV? I'm not sure what the NFL conceded here. I'm also not sure they have any legal preferences to contain not-for-profit gatherings that watch something on the public airwaves. But if they do, Congress, which gave the NFL all sorts of anti-trust exemptions, should undo these preferences.

ML/NJ

[Kimmers]

I was one of those that sent a negative email and now I sent them an email thanking them for the change of heart.
I have to admit my excitement for professional football has diminished....

[JennysCool]

Handy Hint: Always choose the church with the best beer on tap.

[seowulf]

Hope they don't have any "wardrobe malfunctions" in church.

[sarasmom]

I am going to go out on a limb here, and guess that your church does not have a community/fellowship hall, and does not offer family entertainment nights to its members and invited guests.
The very best "super bowl" party I have ever attended was held in a church social hall.
I was invited by a church member, my co-worker, who was also the bass guitarist for one of the church's musical ensembles.
The Church had a chili-competition, along with everyone who was willing, bringing a covered dish, if so inclined, and they used their video projectors to show the game on a 14' wide screen.
There was no call for donations.
Lots of laughter, lots of chatter, great food, and absolutely no alcohol or violence.
At halftime, the sound switched to the preacher who spoke a few friendly words, and the band played a few songs, and everyones children ran in and out and all about, a good time having been enjoyed by all.

I guess some people might have damned that particular Baptist church for holding such a secular related function for their members and invited guests.(Signs all over town said everyone was invited)
OTOH, as an "invited guest", it was highly educational to socialize on a Sunday evening with a bunch of sober "raving evangelical" Christian Baptists. Nobody was raving or ranting about anything, and a good time was had by all.

[RightFighter]

My son asked me last night "Daddy, why do they show they Super Bowl on Sunday night instead of Saturday night? If they showed it on Saturday night, I could stay up late to watch the whole thing, but I'm not allowed to stay up late on Sunday nights."

I couldn't answer him. I suggestd he get together with his Cub Scout den and begin writing letters to Roger Goodell asking him to change the night of the Super Bowl to Saturday night. Wouldn't it be a much bigger event on a Saturday? And wouldn't it be more family friendly if it weren't always on a school night?

[BlazingArizona]

I don't know what this is about - why do churches need permission from the NFL to do anything?

The controversy began when NFL lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Indianapolis church named in the article, ordering the church to cancel the event on grounds that public showing of the game is limited to contracted sports bars.

[poobear]

What was the NFL going to do? Arrest them for watching football?

You've got bars, bathhouses and seedy brothels around the county. Were they going to arrest these purveyors as well?

[ml/nj]

Actually, I'm Jewish and I'm watching at my cigar club!

ML/NJ

[TBP]

Except for one Baptist church in Inidana. What a bunch of hypocrites run that league! Remember when they wouldn't have the game in Arizona because it did not thenm celebrate the King holiday? I guess being jerks just comes naturally to the NFL.

I hope the NFL doesn't find out about this thread. It owns the words "Super Bowl" and it doesn't let anyone use them without permission.

[Muzzle_em]

Well said.

Amen.

[Thumper1960]

So....what if God decided that prayer isn't allowed in a place, other than a house of worship, and certainly not in a place where an admission is charged?

How many of those football players would be sent a letter from the Lord's legal department forbidding prayers in the end zone or players giving thanks for a successful Bowl game.

[sarasmom]

Well, best wishes to you and your church.
So long as you and your church do not promote evil and/or Islam, we merely have a minor disagreement as to form and style.