NFL Prevents Church from having a Superbowl Party!

Fall Creek Baptist Church Website ^

[pctech]

Fall Creek Baptist Church Family...

We regret to inform you that we have had to cancel our bash to view the Colts game this Sunday in a family friendly environment due to the fact that the NFL believes we would be in violation of the Copyright Act, because we had planned to show the game on a screen bigger than a 55 inch diagonal. We have appealed to their legal counsel and exhausted all options without success. We have been informed that the only exceptions to view the game are given to sports bars and restaurants. While we have argued that we only intend to provide a family oriented environment that will make no profit from the showing, the NFL claims that our event cannot proceed by law. Therefore, we have no choice but to challenge this in court or cancel the event. We choose to cancel the event. We deeply regret that we have been prohibited by the NFL from providing a family friendly environment for celebrating the Colts great season.

Pastor John

[Bryan24]

Dear Pastor John,

Why is a church charging admission?

Why is a church having a Super Bowl party?

What do either one of those things have to do with studying the word of God and building up the Christian?

Your's Truly
Bryan24

Dear NFL,

Why are you $o paranoid about a church $howing the Super Bowl that would take legal action to $top them?

One of the TV network$ paid an exorbitant amount of money ju$t for the right$ to broadca$t it.

I ju$t don't under$stand what has gotten into the NFL managment. Are you $o con$umed with money that you are willing to take all the fun out of watching the $uper Bowl?

Your'$ truly,
Bryan24

[ichabod1]

The commercials have been weak the last few years as well. AFAIC, I'm like totally over the SUPER BOWL®. It's pretty much last century to me.

[dforest]

I am from Indy. I did hear that they cannot bill it as "Superbowl" party. Just call it. "Big game night" and show it however you wish.

[Augustinian monk]

seeker friendly/arminian approach to spreading the gospel

[Red Badger]

Don't sports bars, restaurants, etc, have to pay for the rights to show games?........

[mtbopfuyn]

I think the SUPER BOWL® is smaller than it could be because the NFL is getting bad marketing and legal advice.

They won't have to worry about screen size or unauthorized parties here. We can't be bothered to watch it.

[metesky]

I don't understand why they even had to contact the NFL before hand. I never do, I just hit the on button on my clicker.

[Tax-chick]

Idolatry.

[Red Badger]

ROMANS 13:
5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Dear Pastor John, Why is a church charging admission? Why is a church having a Super Bowl party? What do either one of those things have to do with studying the word of God and building up the Christian? Your's Truly Bryan24

Ever heard of the word 'fellowship'? Why did Jesus dine with a tax collector and hang out with sinners? Why did Jesus waste time by going to a wedding (not to mention changing the water into wine?) Why did he waste time with the little children?

[G Larry]

Since it wasn't for profit they didn't have to ask permission!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GoldCountryRedneck]

...it would be kind of difficult to tailgate with all the corporate jets...

Hell - I'd fly down just to watch the corporate jets land in the parking lot!!

[discostu]

Part of hte problem is that the courts have ruled that lack of commitment to protecting a trademark is the path to giving up the trademark (that's how Bill Watterson lost control of Calvin and Hobbes merch). So if the NFL turns too many blind eyes to church groups they could lose their ability to keep movie theaters from charging to watch the game on the super large screen (which is really the kind of thing they want to prevent).

And all their enforcement is based on combining factors, the primary two to avoid are charging (for admission or additional services) and a large screen. You can invite friends over to watch it on your giant TV but don't charge them. They give a special exemption for "normal" sports venues (bars), but that's because they pre-established tradition and it's doubtful anybody would use sports bars as leverage against the NFLs control of their trademark.

[Ditto]

You can't charge admission without a license from the NFL (it is their product after all) which apparently, the Church was doing.

It may sound trivial, and I doubt the NFL cares if some Baptist Church makes a few bucks from the game, but if they allow them to do it, they would have to allow everyone to do it.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

"...if my memory serves..."

How about a RAM question or two, via PM?

(reverse pun deliberately fabricated, LOL)

[Arkinsaw]

You have to take the church aspect out of it. The church submitted to (dubious NFL)authorities, but that does not make them right.

This is more of a private property/public airwaves issue. Private property belongs to the people...public airwaves belong to the people.

If this were not the NFL and was instead the DNC...the issue would be much clearer. Could the DNC restrict the use of your tv in your home to view their convention? Could they ban gatherings on private property within a mile of the convention site? Could they prevent you from having any other content other than their convention when you view it (such as opposition views or disparagement)? Can they restrict the tv you view it on? Can they restrict how many people you can have in your own home viewing it? All this just because they "own the images"?

Scary stuff when talking about general principles rather than just a game.

[Tenacious 1]

The church should measure the screen with a "democrat's" tape measure. Otherwise, have a liberal measure the screen with a ruler, repeat until the screen is less than 55".

[Sloth]

So if the NFL turns too many blind eyes to church groups they could lose their ability to keep movie theaters from charging to watch the game on the super large screen (which is really the kind of thing they want to prevent).

How, exactly, does that harm the NFL? If anything, it'd raise the value of the advertising time (since you'd have more of a captive audience in cinemas, with less ability to avoid the commercials).

[Tenacious 1]

BTW,

I know of a church here in Indy that is having a "get together" where the Game will be televised. It's only $50/person. Libations included.

Don't ask don't tell. Let them prosecute or sue.

[NorthFlaRebel]

The other day was a thread here about the NFL declaring a 1 mile radius around the stadium would be a No Tailgate Zone. Looking on Google Earth, there's neighborhoods surrounding the stadium. I'd like to know how they have the authority to ban what those people do in their own back yards, much less what the church watches on tv.

The order really only meant on the stadium grounds and on public property within one mile radius. They obviously have no control over what people do on their own private property.

The church, on the other hand, would not have gotten that response from the NFL if they hadn't been advertising and charging for admission. I've watched a number of sporting events at my church over the years, never being threatened that we were violating copywright and broadcasting laws. Sure, the NFL is being stupid, but the NFL is not arbitraily enforcing this against the church.