Actually its the NFL regulation and old law.

Reader comment on: How Congress Spends Its Time

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Feb 1, 2010 23:11

If you are a sports bar or charge admission or a church you need to buy a different license from the NFL so that it can make its money. Recall the tag line at the end of the show about the broadcast being the sole property of the NFL. So its not illegal its a matter that you have to pay extra for the right to show it. Sort of fair if you are a sports bar, why should the NFL not get its piece of the action? This is just like if you run a bar and play a radio station and not musak you need to pay for the right to do it. (Musak takes care of all the fees). This wades into the copyright swamp, where disney owns the congress (why copyright goes 95 years to protect mickey mouse from copying, and why by 2015 it will become longer). It's all about money here as everywhere, the broadcaster pays the NFL for some rights but the NFL retains all the others, the broadcaster bought the home use rights, but not the public performance rights.

Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing.

Comment on this item