NFL Policy "Copyright" for the SuperBowl

[champbronc2]

The NFL is a bunch of money hungry idiots

100% true.

Goodell is an idiot. I miss Taglibue.

[DrunkPanda]

Roger Goodell is turning out to be an idiot.

did i say that? did i say that within a week of him being named commissioner? i think i did. such a mistake to name him commissioner

[ThunderGirl]

The NFL is a bunch of money hungry idiots

[Reidman]

You know, the NFL is really starting to piss people off with their BS.....

I've watched the last 3 SB's in Vegas and last year they stopped having traditional SB parties in the casinos because the NFL wouldn't allow their name to be tied to an organized gathering where they charge admission. So instead the parties were hush hush and you had to have special admission to get into one.

I ended up in a crowded bar watching it....

Pretty soon, the SB will be pay-per-view......seriously I think it will happen sometime...

[str8jacket]

guess i cant watch my 63" (its an old school one, projection, not LCD)

ill just watch my 40" then i guess........

[gindaorshaman]

This just in:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/03/n...s-no-one-pays/

Whilst many may be aware of the strong reputation that churches hold for repeatedly pulling off successful annual gatherings, a recent letter sent by the NFL to the Fall Creek Baptist Church suggests that this particular organization isn't quite so clued in. The letter, which caused the church in question to cancel a planned "Super Bowl Party" sparked a litany of other cancellations by churches scared of attracting the wrath of the league. The NFL has subsequently attempted to rectify the situation it got itself into -- some would argue the sports equivalent of "cancelling Christmas" -- by stating that their original claim was that churches could display the game, as long as they didn't charge for entry, or display the game on anything other than "a television of the type commonly used at home": in the case of the kitted out Fall Creek Baptist Church, they were hoping to broadcast the game on a TV measuring more than a divine 55-inches diagonally. Unfortunately for the groups that arranged and then subsequently cancelled their parties, it's a little too late to re-advertise. Fortunately, God's omnipresence comes in handy for these sort of screw-ups, so the solution for watching the game at home with the ultimate authority is as simple as leaving a space on the couch. Whether or not he digs your set is an entirely different matter, and one that's entirely down to thickness of your wallet.

[Sonic Raider]

Roger Goodell is turning out to be an idiot.

[gindaorshaman]

I think they should just go ahead and have the party.

[Nomad Broncofan]

So the NFL would rather promote going to a bar than gather with your congregation and watch a football game and there is no charge! Talk about double standards especially when they are always preaching about being good examples to players regarding kids.

[LDB]

Good grief...just when I thought the NFL couldn't get more rediculous. Another incident in a growing trend of a league alienating its fans.

I guess I better tell my brother-in-law to cancel his party. He has a 60" plasma.

[gindaorshaman]

That is totally ridiculous. They would really sue a church for viewing the Super Bowl? I would think that if they did, that this would not hold up in court.

[ckstorm182000]

That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. They should do it anyways. What would the world think if the NFL sued a church for watching a game

[DBfan187]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...RTS03/70201036

The (Super Bowl) party's over

By Robert King
[email protected]


Churches in Indiana and across the country are scrapping traditional Super Bowl viewing parties in wake of the NFL’s stance that mass viewings of the game on big screen TV’s would violate copyright law.


The issue came to light Thursday when the Star reported that the NFL had told Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis that its plans for a Super Bowl watch party in front a big screen TV would be illegal.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Thursday the league stands by its interpretation of copyright law and would look into any violators that comes to the league’s attention. The main concern for the league, Aiello said, is groups that charge admission to watch games and those that use a TV screen larger than 55 inches to show the game.

A story about Fall Creek’s plan to cancel its game viewing plans prompted dozens of calls and more than 500 email comments to the Star’s website Thursday. Aiello said media from around the country have been inquiring with the league as well.

In Indianapolis, home of the AFC Champion Colts, Indian Creek Christian Church and Castleton United Methodist Church are among those who have cancelled plans to watch the game in their churches.

The issue came to light after the NFL confronted Fall Creek about its promotion of a “Super Bowl Bash” at the church that would bring together congregation members to watch the game with a projection TV.

Aiello said the league has a longstanding policy against “mass out-of-home viewings” of the Super Bowl, even if the hosts don’t charge admission. The NFL makes an exception to that, however, for sports bars that show televised sports on a regular basis. And that point has been a point of considerable anger among people who have contacted the newspaper in response to the story.


Call Star reporter Robert King at (317) 444-6089

Good thing I only have a 42" plasma