No Super Bowl Parties At Churches

mgteich · Feb 2, 2008

The NFL has set letters to large churches indicating that it is a violation of the copyright law for churches to show the game at their churches. The law addresses the NFL and does not all for public showing of NFL games on a screen more than 55". The law has one exclusions: sports bars. All churches contacted will likely comply. Some who have only heard of this second hand may still have their Super Bowl Parties.
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The NFL is now open to the following
1) pushes to change the law (a perhaps make other changes)
2) pushes to remove any special congressional treatment of the NFL
3) a lawsuit against the NFL based on religious freedon of expression
4) a boycott of NFL goods
5) lots of bad press

Touchback Jack · Feb 2, 2008

post a source or it didn't happen!

cincipatsfan · Feb 2, 2008

This isn't the first year this has come up. In fact, I think it was mentioned last year that if you have a screen larger than 55 in your home, and have more than X number of people over to watch, you're technically violating the same copyright term.

Dragda · Feb 2, 2008

mgteich said:
The NFL has set letters to large churches indicating that it is a violation of the copyright law for churches to show the game at their churches. The law addresses the NFL and does not all for public showing of NFL games on a screen more than 55". The law has one exclusions: sports bars. All churches contacted will likely comply. Some who have only heard of this second hand may still have their Super Bowl Parties.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The NFL is now open to the following
1) pushes to change the law (a perhaps make other changes)
2) pushes to remove any special congressional treatment of the NFL
3) a lawsuit against the NFL based on religious freedon of expression
4) a boycott of NFL goods
5) lots of bad press

I used to organize a SuperBowl party at our church. We'd use an InFocus projector to show it up on a big white wall at a friends house. You know, none of us noticed or even mentioned the now famous "wardrobe malfunction." I was recording it at home. When I heard about it, I had to go home and find it.

jscout · Feb 2, 2008

Well then, if I'm gonna be accused of breaking the law, I might as well charge admission and get something out of it. So friggin lame.

AStack75 · Feb 2, 2008

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4229536&page=1

mgteich · Feb 2, 2008

There is full page discussion in my paper this morning.

Touchback Jack said:
post a source or it didn't happen!

jscout · Feb 2, 2008

AStack75 said:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4229536&page=1

OK, now that makes sense. It sounds like no laws are broken if no admission is charged. I think that's fair.

mgteich · Feb 2, 2008

Many churches don't show the halftime show, substituting a DVD.

Dragda said:
I used to organize a SuperBowl party at our church. We'd use an InFocus projector to show it up on a big white wall at a friends house. You know, none of us noticed or even mentioned the now famous "wardrobe malfunction." I was recording it at home. When I heard about it, I had to go home and find it.

mgteich · Feb 2, 2008

It is one thing to be in violation of an antiquated law. It is quite another for NFL to try to enforce such a law.

And the press and Congress are going to have fun with the sports bar exclusion.

cincipatsfan said:
This isn't the first year this has come up. In fact, I think it was mentioned last year that if you have a screen larger than 55 in your home, and have more than X number of people over to watch, you're technically violating the same copyright term.

FirstAndGoal · Feb 2, 2008

Sorry guys but a church is the last place I want to watch the Super Bowl. I appreciate that others do but everyone else I know is in hell so I'm going with them.

apricissimus · Feb 2, 2008

jscout said:
OK, now that makes sense. It sounds like no laws are broken if no admission is charged. I think that's fair.

But you just KNOW that they're going to say, "Hey, guys, while you're all here, you wouldn't mind throwing a little something into the collection plate, would you?"

Pujo · Feb 2, 2008

It's against the rules even if they don't charge admission or use it as a fundraising event. The rule is you can't publicly display the game on a TV larger than 55". I would like to see the NFL sue a church to get their point accross, that would get Congress to change the law very quickly.

JoePats · Feb 2, 2008

The NFL has gone after churches and others in the past for advertising "Super Bowl" parties under the "Super Bowl" trademark.

Richter · Feb 2, 2008

This just makes me like the NFL even more.

mgteich · Feb 2, 2008

Some churches have stopped using the words "Super Bowl". That did not stop the NFL from sending warning letters. That's not the issue. Many fast food restaurants have Big Game specials.

JoePats said:
The NFL has gone after churches and others in the past for advertising "Super Bowl" parties under the "Super Bowl" trademark.

zarakotas5 · Feb 2, 2008

The Patriots are the debbil!

TruthSeeker · Feb 2, 2008

Pujo said:
It's against the rules even if they don't charge admission or use it as a fundraising event.

Do you have anything to back up this claim? The article was very clear that the violation was because of both the screen size and the admission charged.

sieglo · Feb 2, 2008

Who cares. The Pats are going for 19-0 tomorrow.

Patriotic · Feb 2, 2008

sieglo said:
Who cares. The Pats are going for 19-0 tomorrow.

Which means the Giants funeral is slated for 11pm at Our Lady of Great Agony.

No Super Bowl Parties At Churches

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