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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| NFL Pulls Plug On Big-Screen Church Parties For Super Bowl |
| 2008-02-01 |
| For years, as many as 200 members of Immanuel Bible Church and their friends have gathered in the church's fellowship hall to watch the Super Bowl on its six-foot screen. The party featured hard hitting on the TV, plenty of food -- and prayer. But this year, Immanuel's Super Bowl party is no more. After a crackdown by the National Football League on big-screen Super Bowl gatherings by churches, the Springfield church has sacked its event. Instead, church members will host parties in their homes. Immanuel is among a number of churches in the Washington area and elsewhere that have been forced to use a new playbook to satisfy the NFL, which said that airing games at churches on large-screen TV sets violates the NFL copyright. Ministers are not happy. "There is a part of me that says, 'Gee, doesn't the NFL have enough money already?'" said Steve Holley, Immanuel's executive pastor. He pointed out that bars are still allowed to air the game on big-screens TV sets. "It just doesn't make sense." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #22 Frank, wasn't SD healthy that first game between the two? Specter's a clown.....what a media whore. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2008-02-01 22:23 |
| #21 Sorry, TU, no can do - Charger fan here. Healthy Rivers, Gates, and LT - different game. He's great in a great scheme, no doubt, but backed up by a great team.....we'll see how he does when the salary cap and scalphunters strip his players.... Favre, Marino, et al did well, regardless.... I'm just saying - great? yes. Best? We'll see..... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-02-01 21:35 |
| #20 Brady is THE MAN! |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-01 21:01 |
| #19 Why -- who is Brady? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-02-01 21:00 |
| #18 Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, give unto God what is God's, and give unto Brady what is Brady's. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2008-02-01 20:47 |
| #17 see 'patio warmers dissaloyed because of global warming' yesterday. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-02-01 18:01 |
| #16 I dare them to come into the Legion Hall and tell us that. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-02-01 17:55 |
| #15 WND [paraph] > don't remem exact title or author right now, but I believe WND atikle was by pro-Xtian personage proclaiming the need for MORE OVERT, GROUP/COMMUNITY-ORIENTED, "TOTAL" CHRISTIANITY = FAITH, espec in THE SYMBOLS + HALLS OF PUBLIC GOVERNANCE??? I believe the author also proclaimed that [too much]INDIVIDUALISM = EQUALISM HAS RESULTED IN MASS CONFUSION + SOCIETAL STRIFES, GOVT-SOCIETY HAS LESS MORALITY/ETHICS, NOT MORE??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-02-01 17:30 |
| #14 Now, if Hildebeast was there giving a political speech I could see the problem... |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-02-01 14:51 |
| #13 "Copyright law requires to the holder to actively defend their copyright or lose it, so if they let this go they cannot later step in to stop the use of their material by others who are looking to profit by it's use in the same manner. " but the churches were NOT charging admission, AFAIK, or even selling anything ancillary. It comes down purely to the size of the screen. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-02-01 14:29 |
| #12 The league’s policy is modeled after the federal Copyright Act, and does not unfairly target churches, according to an NFL spokesman. “Our position on this is that we have absolutely no objection to churches and others hosting Super Bowl viewing parties as long as they don’t charge admission and they show the game on a television of the type that is commonly used at home,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. so can someone tell Samsung, the OFFICIAL TV maker of the NFL, that TVs larger than 55 inches arent meant for home use? Can someone tell Best Buy that as well. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-02-01 14:27 |
| #11 In bars? In sports bars? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, does every bar that shows NFL games pay a royalty? IANAL, but this smells of a violation of "fair use", and an abuse of the copyright laws. Can they also tell me I can only watch the NFL in my living room, but not in the kitchen? I can have 5 friends at my house but not ten? I can serve beer while watching the game only if its from a company that sponsors the NFL? Where does it end? You want complete control over your TV show, dont broadcast it. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-02-01 14:24 |
| #10 The public showing of the nfl is strictly prohibited. In the dorms, on drive in theatres etc. The protection of commerce should be inforced IMHO. So I agree with #3 as much as it upsets me. Why does it upset me? Because mojo got it right and the church played by rules and got screwed |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-02-01 14:05 |
| #9 the NFL could cite Scottish Law and Arlen would be transfixed |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-02-01 13:58 |
| #8 Did they stupidly ask for permission or something? |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-02-01 13:11 |
| #7 Hey, Arlen. The NFL dissed you but at least you get this great opportunity to grandstand. And we know ya love that... Could be worse; could be Schumer... |
| Posted by: Raj 2008-02-01 12:33 |
| #6 The church should sic Arlen Specter on them... Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) wants Goodell "to explain why the league destroyed evidence related to spying by the New England Patriots," according to The New York Times. "That requires an explanation," Specter said. "The N.F.L. has a very preferred status in our country with their antitrust exemption. The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It's analogous to the C.I.A. destruction of tapes. Or any time you have records destroyed." There seems to be a disagreement between Specter and the league office, too. Specter says he sent the league two letters about "Spygate." The league says it didn't receive the letters until last week. The NFL's Joe Browne said the league has been in contact with Specter's office "several times in recent weeks" and "the issue of these letters was not discussed," the Times reported. Specter said that was "untrue." "It's the same old story," Mr. Specter said. "What you did is never as important as the cover-up. This sequence raises more concerns and doubts." Hey, Arlen. The NFL dissed you but at least you get this great opportunity to grandstand. And we know ya love that... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-01 12:29 |
| #5 wait, the churches werent charging admission, were they? If not, this seems pretty heavy handed. (note I once went to a super bowl party at a Synagogue) |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-02-01 12:23 |
| #4 Yes, and the original intent of the founding fathers was that copyright and patten be limited to around 30 years having suffered the royal prerogative of crown pattens and monopolies. However, the entertainment industry has bought enough of our Congresscritters to get them to extend it to effectively hundred years. My sympathy meter died that day. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-02-01 12:19 |
| #3 This isn't as egregious as it might seem. Copyright law requires to the holder to actively defend their copyright or lose it, so if they let this go they cannot later step in to stop the use of their material by others who are looking to profit by it's use in the same manner. |
| Posted by: Colin MacDougall 2008-02-01 12:08 |
| #2 Half the people I know have TVs bigger than 55in. What a steaming pile of chicken sh1t. I'm sure half the bars around the world have bigger TVs. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2008-02-01 11:52 |
| #1 If they do it in a mosque, I'm sure it'll be OK. |
| Posted by: charger 2008-02-01 11:34 |