Next Year, It May Be Legal to Watch the Super Bowl at Church

Prior to every Super Bowl, NFL lawyers go on a rampage seeking out and stamping out any threats of copyright and trademark infringement of the big game.  They may have been overzealous for Super Bowl XLII

NFL lawyers sent cease and desist letters to churches demanding cancellation of parties at which parishioners would watch the game on wall projectors.  Even when the church offered not to charge an attendance fee or use the license-protected words "Super Bowl in the party promotions, the NFL was not atisfied. The NFL objected to the size of the screen on which the church planned to show the game, saying the law limits the church to showing the game on one television that is no larger than 55 inches.

As a direct response to the NFL-nixing of church parties, Senator Arlen Specter introduced legislation earlier this month that would amend the Copyright Act and allow nonprofit organizations to display live football games providing that the nonprofit does not charge admission or otherwise receive money in connection with the game event.