Are You Ready for the Big Game?
The Super Bowl marks the final football weekend for America and many churches are gearing up for their own watch parties. You may or may not be aware that for the last few years, the NFL has taken a hard stance against groups wanting to show the big game outside of the traditional family living room environment. During these years, the NFL has gone as far as sending legal demand letters to churches that intended to hold watch parties, threatening to prosecute them for violation of copyright laws if the churches did not cancel the watch parties. However, members of Congress were quick to respond and threatened to change copyright laws that would allow churches and other groups to show the Super Bowl without fear of any legal action. As a result, the NFL has recently adopted new guidelines that will allow church sponsored events to show the Super Bowl.
The good news is that churches are free to show the big game between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, on February 7, 2009, on large screens in their public facilities without fear of violating copyright laws, so long as the church abides by two simple guidelines:
- The game is shown on equipment the church regularly uses in the course of ministry—so if the church already owns a big screen and sound equipment, then the game can be shown using this equipment; and
- Churches cannot charge admission for the party.
In addition, the NFL has stated that churches may take up a donation to defray the cost of the event, if they desire to do so.
If you have any questions regarding copyright law, feel free to call our office at 972-444-8777. You might also want to consider purchasing the Church Law Group Guide to Intellectual Property.
Are You Ready For Some Football?
I believe that the NFL is spending too much money on going after churches. Let’s be honest, they have to have a better use of their resources. I hope that now that the rules have been laid out the NFL won’t worry over such issues.