The Greed of the NFL knows no bounds
- 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."
The NFL points to the disclaimer at the end of the game which they say is well known.
Plus the NFL is thinking of getting out of the collective bargaining agreement with the players for some reason. Its given the NFL the most prosperity of any league. But apparently they want more prosperity.
I hope it backfires and their popularity falls to the level of the NHL.
Labels: Churches, Current Events, sports
posted by Gary @ 2:28 PM
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3 Comments:
Wonder if the churches would mind to start celebrating Evening Worship?
Which would be more beneficial to the unchurched person that's never been to church before? Coming to the church for the first time to watch the Super Bowl on the big screen with Songs of Praise during halftime? Or staying home and watching Janet Jackson's breast come out of her shirt at halftime? Or sitting at the bar getting drunker as the night goes on?
Who knows, the songs of praise might actually get that unchurched person to come back next week and find out more. They might even become a Christian over time.
My church does not put the Super bowl on the screen or talk about the Super bowl. This article was the first time I knew of church's doing this. My point was the greed of the NFL on two fronts.
And my church has evening worship.
I imagine the NFL has far more to lose if people start to see the contempt with which the organization regards its fans ...
What's the most the churches in question have to lose? Uh ... not watching the game?
[In all honesty, I can understanding people being upset about failure to pay for music used ... though they look bad, it is how they make their livelihood. I can understand other similar copyright issues, but this just strikes me as petty.]
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