Public Knowledge President and Co-Founder Gigi B. Sohn said today she was disappointed but not surprised that the National Football League (NFL) is shutting down Super Bowl parties held in churches, claiming a violation of copyright law.
“You can count every year on three things happening around the Super Bowl,” Sohn said. “There are parties at the game, there are cute commercials and there is the NFL shutting down parties for people who want to enjoy the game.
“The fact that the league feels compelled to do so shows the failure of a copyright law written to protect big entertainment interests that ignores the rights of fans of a game who just want to get together and enjoy the event. Instead of clamping down, the NFL should encourage these gatherings for people to get together. Perhaps more people would see the game and the commercials than would have done so otherwise.
“The NFL deserves to be penalized for its unsportsmanlike and anti-social attitudes, and the law should be changed to reflect the benefit of social gatherings.”
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