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From the NFL
TO : NFL Staff and Member Clubs
FROM : Dennis Lewin
DATE : June 16, 2003
SUBJECT : Public Showings of NFL Games
Through our enforcement efforts and review of submitted requests, we have noticed an increased effort by third parties to display televised broadcasts of NFL games to large groups of viewers in public forums such as movie theaters, event parties and outdoor festivals.
This memo is intended to reiterate the longstanding NFL policy specifically prohibiting such mass out-of-home viewing broadcasts — a policy the NFL (as copyright holder in NFL game telecasts) has the power to establish and enforce under the federal copyright laws. The NFL’s policy applies equally to all such broadcast events, regardless of whether admission is charged and regardless of whether the game to be shown is a home or away game. Further, this policy applies with equal force to the NFL itself, its Member Clubs and their respective sponsors and business partners.
The NFL has always sought to maximize the number of fans that attend games in person and view games at home. Packed stadiums and high television ratings are critical to the League’s success, enabling us to offer all of our regular season and post-season games on free over-the-air television – something no other sports league does. Likewise, it is in the interests of our network and advertising partners that we take steps to maximize the local and national ratings for our games by controlling the out-of-home viewing audience whose numbers are not measured by the rating system and, as such, we have received strong support from our network partners for this policy.
If you receive requests of this nature, are aware of any such public performances of our copyrighted product or have any questions concerning this policy, please contact Dave Proper in the Legal Department in New York at 212/450-2545.
Thank you in advance for your adherence to this policy.
FROM : Dennis Lewin
DATE : June 16, 2003
SUBJECT : Public Showings of NFL Games
Through our enforcement efforts and review of submitted requests, we have noticed an increased effort by third parties to display televised broadcasts of NFL games to large groups of viewers in public forums such as movie theaters, event parties and outdoor festivals.
This memo is intended to reiterate the longstanding NFL policy specifically prohibiting such mass out-of-home viewing broadcasts — a policy the NFL (as copyright holder in NFL game telecasts) has the power to establish and enforce under the federal copyright laws. The NFL’s policy applies equally to all such broadcast events, regardless of whether admission is charged and regardless of whether the game to be shown is a home or away game. Further, this policy applies with equal force to the NFL itself, its Member Clubs and their respective sponsors and business partners.
The NFL has always sought to maximize the number of fans that attend games in person and view games at home. Packed stadiums and high television ratings are critical to the League’s success, enabling us to offer all of our regular season and post-season games on free over-the-air television – something no other sports league does. Likewise, it is in the interests of our network and advertising partners that we take steps to maximize the local and national ratings for our games by controlling the out-of-home viewing audience whose numbers are not measured by the rating system and, as such, we have received strong support from our network partners for this policy.
If you receive requests of this nature, are aware of any such public performances of our copyrighted product or have any questions concerning this policy, please contact Dave Proper in the Legal Department in New York at 212/450-2545.
Thank you in advance for your adherence to this policy.
not an overraction. what is an event party? i can't throw a party and invite 100 people over to watch a game on directtv that is blacked out on regular t.v.?
if you can get the channel at home, but want to watch it at a bar with others, turn all of your tv's on and leave. 
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