Thou shalt not watch Super Bowl XLI on 55"+ projector.

[DuckRacer]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...bc.fbn.superbowl.church.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NFL has nixed a church's plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws.

NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek Baptist Church's "Super Bowl Bash" on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled, the church said.

Initially, the league objected to the church's plan to charge a fee to attend and that the church used the license-protected words "Super Bowl" in its promotions.

Pastor John D. Newland said he told the NFL his church would not charge anyone and that it would drop the use of the forbidden words.

But the NFL objected to the church's plans to use a projector to show the game, saying the law limits it to one TV no bigger than 55 inches.

The church will likely abandon its plans to host a Super Bowl party.

"We want to be supportive of our local team," Newland said. "For us to have all our congregation huddled around a TV that is big enough only for 10 or 12 people to watch just makes little sense."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league's long-standing policy is to ban "mass out-of-home viewing" of the Super Bowl. An exception is made for sports bars and other businesses that show televised sports as a part of their everyday operations.

"We have contracts with our (TV) networks to provide free over-the-air television for people at home," Aiello said. "The network economics are based on television ratings and at-home viewing. Out-of-home viewing is not measured by Nielsen."

It is also the reason no mass viewings are planned in large arenas like the RCA Dome or Conseco Fieldhouse.

Newland said his church won't break the law.

"It just frustrates me that most of the places where crowds are going to gather to watch this game are going to be places that are filled with alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for children," Newland said. "We tried to provide an alternative to that and were shut down."

Other Indiana churches said they are deciding whether they should go through with their Super Bowl party plans, given the NFL's stance.

At least they didn't think it was a bomb.

 

[Danoff]

I don't think the NFL has a philosphically legitimate claim over what people do with the information that is sent out freely over the airwaves (as long as money isn't being made). Unless the church were selling tickets (which it said it wouldn't), I don't think the NFL should be stopping them from watching it/recording it (but not copying and redistributing).

This is akin to saying that once you buy a DVD you can only watch it with x number of friends on a finite sized television. It doesn't make sense. You own the DVD and the television.

I recognize that current law gives them this ability, but I don't think it should.

 

[Gen.]

What kind of law limits a tv size.

 

[Omnis]

**** the NFL. That is all.

Looks like whoever bought those 100" plasma TVs are also in the lurch. Not.

 

[Philly]

What the 🤬

So, what happens if you are watching it on a 62-incher at home? Will the NFL haul you off to jail for breaking the 55 inch rule?

I know for world cup, huge TVs are always used and parties of thousands are arranged. Other sports do this too. How can there be a law about this?

Isn't it good for advertising companies to have a larger viewing audience? Doesn't this hurt them by restricting viewership?

Why???

 

[Omnis]

What the 🤬

So, what happens if you are watching it on a 62-incher at home? Will the NFL haul you off to jail for breaking the 55 inch rule?

I know for world cup, huge TVs are always used and parties of thousands are arranged. Other sports do this too. How can there be a law about this?

Isn't it good for advertising companies to have a larger viewing audience? Doesn't this hurt them by restricting viewership?

Why???

They get paid based on how many TVs are watching, not how many people are watching 1 TV.

 

[Slicks]

Hm... Nice one, NFL

More like "Thou shalt not watch Super Bowl XLI". They just lost a viewer.

 

[TopHat]

Oh noes. I'm watching XLI on a 50" TV. What will I do? Sometimes its scary what somepeople will do.

 

[Dave A]

It's got nothing to do with the size of the TV your watching it on at home, it has everything to do with watching in public with the right license or not. Public viewing ot TV and of selected sports and/or programms often requires a much more complex set of licenses.

For example, if I wanted to watch the recent Ricky Hatton fight at home it would have cost me 15 quid, I would not have been allowed to drag my TV out into street and let everyone in my neighbourhood watch it with me.

If I owned a pub though and wanted to watch the Hatton fight it would cost upwards of 500 pounds for me to watch the fight in the pub. The cost of that cost could go up depending on the size of the picture, so it's all about licensing to watch in public places. It has nothing to do with how big your TV is in your private home.

 

[ledhed]

Ummmmm Hey NFL .....BITE ME ,,LOL...morons ..

 

[Swift]

Well, I think it's kind of weak for a church to do this in the first place. But Danoff is quite right.

If they don't sell tickets to it, how can the NFL "ban" the showing?

 

[FoolKiller]

So, if my friend that has a projector set up in his basement to cover an entire wall (he claims 100") and has a Super Bowl party he is breaking the law? Heck, or even my brother's 60" HDTV?

I would love to see this kind of rule enforced in this day and age when having a huge home theater setup and Super Bowl parties is the big trend. Heck some people even rent large TVs just for this weekend.

It isn't as if the Nielsen numbers go down because a large group are at the church, unless the whole congregation happens to be a Nielsen Family. And then to cover instances like this Nielsen also has a diary poll that doesn't rely on the ratings box attached to the television. So those people, even if they are at a party, record what they were watching and when.

Honestly, I think the NFL is the least fan friendly professional sports league in America. I'm surprised they didn't top this off by announcing another expansion and new rules that fans can't cheer and boo or it is deemed as unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

[kennythebomb]

Well, I think it's kind of weak for a church to do this in the first place. But Danoff is quite right.

If they don't sell tickets to it, how can the NFL "ban" the showing?

Why would it be weak for a church to do it? Did you read the pastor's comments/reasoning?

 

[Swift]

Why would it be weak for a church to do it? Did you read the pastor's comments/reasoning?

I don't agree with it. I can have my opinion right? When I go to church, I go FOR church. Either service or something directly related. Choir, regional conference, gospel concert, etc.

I did read his reasoning and I don't agree with it. I haven't watched the super bowl in 5 years. It's not a big deal to me and it's not a big deal to a lot of people. To use a church in that fashion, to me, doesn't make sense. How many beer commercials and other things almost every Christian church is against will be shown?

 

[Zrow]

It's responsible of the church to provide a safe alternative to parties that serve alcohol. It would have been a place for people who don't have nice TV's (or any TV for that matter) to watch the game with friends. I think it makes total sense for a church to do this.

 

[Swift]

It's responsible of the church to provide a safe alternative to parties that serve alcohol. It would have been a place for people who don't have nice TV's (or any TV for that matter) to watch the game with friends. I think it makes total sense for a church to do this.

So, the people of the church can't have parties at their home? Shouldn't they be alcohol free? I just think it's a misuse of Holy ground.

 

[Philly]

Shhh. My church does this too. The party is a part of my youth group. It is just an activity they do, and a chance to hang out and have a good time. What's wrong with that? Do they want it to be viewed at another person's home with the same people? What difference does that make?

I'm having friends over for the game too. Is that illegal?

 

[Kent]

To some extent I agree with the NFL. (dodge the tomatos)

The broadcast we all watch is meant for paying customers (cable company, pay-per-view provider, etc...). When an establishment wants to show a program they are obligated to follow the laws and regulations of media distribution.

When a church, who does not take part in the commercial trade of media broadcast suddenly attempts to trade in that form of currency, they are obligated to follow the same rules and regulations as any other buisness.

That said, when a bar or resturant wants to show a game- they usually have to pay.
Right now I see the NFL reacting to the technical specifics of the situation while showing no discretion for the fact that this is a church (which by nature trades in charity).

So, I'm split on this one.
On one side is the law and the NFL and on the other is the church and charity.

The only legal solution would be to have the church pay like any other buisness and earn the right to show the game to a large audience. It could be possible to argue that the church deserves the right since they are probably non-profit. However, if there is another church in the area and they don't do a large Super Bowl party- right there you have the non-material profit (of what basically amounts to stealing church members, which inturn creates money in the form of donations and other church related monitary trade).

Basically, I feel bad the church got into a bind but I'm not ready to say the NFL has no right in this situation to ensure their product is not abused.
"Private Use" means private use.

(on a side note, the church should just consider buying a few cheap 30" TVs instead of a big nice 55" projector)

 

[kennythebomb]

I don't agree with it. I can have my opinion right? When I go to church, I go FOR church. Either service or something directly related. Choir, regional conference, gospel concert, etc.

I did read his reasoning and I don't agree with it. I haven't watched the super bowl in 5 years. It's not a big deal to me and it's not a big deal to a lot of people. To use a church in that fashion, to me, doesn't make sense. How many beer commercials and other things almost every Christian church is against will be shown?

Many church youth groups are built on the basis of being fun for the kids, so that they will come. Kids usually don't go to church/youth group to hear about God.

Just because it isn't a big deal to you, doesn't mean other christians won't find value in watching it together.. you know... fellowship.

 

[Omnis]

The broadcast we all watch is meant for paying customers (cable company, pay-per-view provider, etc...).

The Superbowl will be shown on CBS, which is a "free" network that broadcasts OTA.

 

[Kent]

The Superbowl will be shown on CBS, which is a "free" network that broadcasts OTA.

I was wrong about that, you are right.
However, I'd have to say you are leaving out the most important part of that section of text...

When an establishment wants to show a program they are obligated to follow the laws and regulations of media distribution

So your point is taken but that doesn't change anything about the fact that the broadcast is for private use only.

 

[McLaren]

I'd tell the NFL to pay off my godd*mn TV if I wasn't allowed to watch the Super Bowl on a TV bigger than 55".

That or they can kiss my ass. Like Gen said, who the hell says I can't watch what I want on a TV I paid for?

 

[Dave A]

If they don't sell tickets to it, how can the NFL "ban" the showing?

Because a church is classed as a public place.

So, if my friend that has a projector set up in his basement to cover an entire wall (he claims 100") and has a Super Bowl party he is breaking the law? Heck, or even my brother's 60" HDTV?

No because your house is private property. If your friend decided to set that projector up in the local park, the street or down at the local pub., he would be breaking the law.

 

[TopHat]

The Superbowl will be shown on CBS, which is a "free" network that broadcasts OTA.

I thought CBS wasn't getting the Super Bowl ever again after what happened in 2004! Either that or Janet Jackson was banned from football...

 

[Kent]

I believe Live4Speed and I have it right.
I don't see what's so hard to understand.

If this was a SpiderMan movie I'm sure everyone would quickly understand the problem at hand.

That said, I'm sticking to what I said earlier...

When an establishment wants to show a program they are obligated to follow the laws and regulations of media distribution

 

[McLaren]

Because a church is classed as a public place.

Then why do our local bars get to show it on 40"+ TVs with 100s of people watching and drinking?

 

[Dave A]

Because they pay a license for it. Read my first post in this thread, #9.

The church could show it, it would just cost them several hundered dollars in licensing fees.

 

[3-Wheel Drive]

It's got nothing to do with the size of the TV your watching it on at home, it has everything to do with watching in public with the right license or not. Public viewing ot TV and of selected sports and/or programms often requires a much more complex set of licenses.

For example, if I wanted to watch the recent Ricky Hatton fight at home it would have cost me 15 quid, I would not have been allowed to drag my TV out into street and let everyone in my neighbourhood watch it with me.

If I owned a pub though and wanted to watch the Hatton fight it would cost upwards of 500 pounds for me to watch the fight in the pub. The cost of that cost could go up depending on the size of the picture, so it's all about licensing to watch in public places. It has nothing to do with how big your TV is in your private home.

So one cannot invite 20 people over to watch a movie, because everyone should have to have paid the rental fee? I'm not trying to argue, it just sounds weird.

 

[Swift]

Shhh. My church does this too. The party is a part of my youth group. It is just an activity they do, and a chance to hang out and have a good time. What's wrong with that? Do they want it to be viewed at another person's home with the same people? What difference does that make?

I'm having friends over for the game too. Is that illegal?

Many church youth groups are built on the basis of being fun for the kids, so that they will come. Kids usually don't go to church/youth group to hear about God.

Just because it isn't a big deal to you, doesn't mean other christians won't find value in watching it together.. you know... fellowship.

I like how you both dodged the point of all the stuff put over the airways that the church is specifically trying to steer the young people AWAY from.

Who said anything about illegal?

Also, fellowship. It's fantastic and a mandatory part of a walk with God. However, to consider fellowship in front of a game that will show young people drinking and have great "fun", women dressed very loosely and other things the vast majority of Christian churches are against. Thats not what I would call fellowship in a good Christan setting.

A little scripture on this subject.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; [it] shall not cleave to me.

I'm not saying football is bad, I'm talking about all the stuff that comes with the game.

 

[Dave A]

So one cannot invite 20 people over to watch a movie, because everyone should have to have paid the rental fee? I'm not trying to argue, it just sounds weird.

No, your not getting this. Your house = private property, you can invite however many people you want round to watch a film on however large a TV or projector screen you want in your house. A church = public place, same as a pub, street ect. If you want to watch something in a public place then you have to pay significantly more for the privelege.