NFL: TV Over 55", People Over to Watch the Super Bowl = Copyright Infringement

Iria · Feb 2, 2007, 08:43 PM

Source: TechDirt
_______
What is it with sports leagues and their desire to limit how their fans can enjoy the game? There's Major League Baseball, who keeps trying to insist that they own the facts related to a game, and no one can use them without paying MLB first. Then, there's the NFL, who freaked out about TiVo and also tried to ban any broadcasters from using "unauthorized" video feeds to show what happens in the stadium (i.e., no sideline cameras any more). They've been particularly fussy about the Super Bowl, however, forcing advertisers to call it "the Big Game" or whatever, claiming excessive control over the trademark (remember, trademarks are really designed to prevent consumer confusion, not to give holders full control over the mark).

The latest situation is perhaps even more bizarre -- but tragically, seems to fall closer to a correct legal reading of a really poorly written law. The NFL apparently nastygrammed a church for planning to host a Super Bowl party. The original complaint was first that the church was charging people, but also that they used the term "Super Bowl" (as if people would somehow believe that the church was associated with the NFL?). After the church agreed to let people in for free and not use the term, the NFL continued to complain, saying that showing the Super Bowl on a screen larger than 55 inches represents copyright infringement. While we, at first, doubted the reality of this, Ben Austro sent in the fact that it is, indeed, spelled out in copyright law that once you get above 55", you may be talking about a "public performance," though, as Ben notes, the wording sounds like it was clearly written by a lobbyist.

mike2h · Feb 2, 2007, 10:14 PM

lmao. what assholes.
well, hope they show up at my superbowl party, will be watching it in hd on a 62" screen. what idiots.
since im having 15-20 peeps over will be also using the 32" in our bedroom & the 21" in the spare bedroom, wonder if they all add up to one really big screen? & mlb can blow me.

OmegaRED · Feb 2, 2007, 10:44 PM

This is one more reason why I've grown to dislike professional sports they don't even care about the fans.

Erroneus · Feb 3, 2007, 01:10 AM

Blow me NFL! 82" screen ready for sunday and alot of snacks

Necrosis · Feb 3, 2007, 01:29 AM

I'm making sure I pass this story around to as many people as possible.

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 3, 2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmegaRED

This is one more reason why I've grown to dislike professional sports they don't even care about the fans.

Agreed.

Master Shake · Feb 3, 2007, 03:45 AM

What in the HELL? How can they justify this? And groups like this and the RIAA and MPAA wonder why people hate them and buy less and less of their bullshit. Consumers really WANT their products, their commercials, their big screen TVs, their entertainment, and they are constantly getting screwed over. They always screw the innocent ones the worst too.

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 3, 2007, 04:06 AM

Ya live your life and play by the rules, and you still get screwed over by da man...

Iria · Feb 3, 2007, 04:35 AM

The NFL, after much bad publicity and after many churches already cancelled their events, has relented.

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 3, 2007, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iria

The NFL, after much bad publicity and after many churches already cancelled their events, has relented.

Who RUNS these companies?

Morons. ARGH!!!

I feel bad for the churches.

Feb 2, 2007, 08:43 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	NFL: TV Over 55", People Over to Watch the Super Bowl = Copyright Infringement Source: TechDirt _______ What is it with sports leagues and their desire to limit how their fans can enjoy the game? There's Major League Baseball, who keeps trying to insist that they own the facts related to a game, and no one can use them without paying MLB first. Then, there's the NFL, who freaked out about TiVo and also tried to ban any broadcasters from using "unauthorized" video feeds to show what happens in the stadium (i.e., no sideline cameras any more). They've been particularly fussy about the Super Bowl, however, forcing advertisers to call it "the Big Game" or whatever, claiming excessive control over the trademark (remember, trademarks are really designed to prevent consumer confusion, not to give holders full control over the mark). The latest situation is perhaps even more bizarre -- but tragically, seems to fall closer to a correct legal reading of a really poorly written law. The NFL apparently nastygrammed a church for planning to host a Super Bowl party. The original complaint was first that the church was charging people, but also that they used the term "Super Bowl" (as if people would somehow believe that the church was associated with the NFL?). After the church agreed to let people in for free and not use the term, the NFL continued to complain, saying that showing the Super Bowl on a screen larger than 55 inches represents copyright infringement. While we, at first, doubted the reality of this, Ben Austro sent in the fact that it is, indeed, spelled out in copyright law that once you get above 55", you may be talking about a "public performance," though, as Ben notes, the wording sounds like it was clearly written by a lobbyist.

Feb 2, 2007, 10:14 PM	#2
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	lmao. what assholes. well, hope they show up at my superbowl party, will be watching it in hd on a 62" screen. what idiots. since im having 15-20 peeps over will be also using the 32" in our bedroom & the 21" in the spare bedroom, wonder if they all add up to one really big screen? & mlb can blow me. __________________

Feb 2, 2007, 10:44 PM	#3
OmegaRED Relapsed Gamer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ottawa , Canada Posts: 5,688 Rep Power: 173 System Specs	This is one more reason why I've grown to dislike professional sports they don't even care about the fans. __________________ E Penis Specs: <------------- See System Specs

Feb 3, 2007, 01:10 AM	#4
Erroneus Get off my lawn! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 13,418 Rep Power: 119 System Specs	Blow me NFL! 82" screen ready for sunday and alot of snacks __________________

Feb 3, 2007, 01:29 AM	#5
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	I'm making sure I pass this story around to as many people as possible.

Feb 3, 2007, 03:45 AM	#7
Master Shake DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 310 Rep Power: 0	What in the HELL? How can they justify this? And groups like this and the RIAA and MPAA wonder why people hate them and buy less and less of their bullshit. Consumers really WANT their products, their commercials, their big screen TVs, their entertainment, and they are constantly getting screwed over. They always screw the innocent ones the worst too.

Feb 3, 2007, 04:06 AM	#8
~~DudeBoyz~~ banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,677 Rep Power: 0	Ya live your life and play by the rules, and you still get screwed over by da man...

Feb 3, 2007, 04:35 AM	Thread Starter #9
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	The NFL, after much bad publicity and after many churches already cancelled their events, has relented.