Are you ready for some football? Don’t be blindsided by copyright issues.

September 18, 2019

Are you ready for some football? Don’t be blindsided by copyright issues.

And just like that Summer has come to a close and Fall is in the air. Back to school, all things pumpkin and of course – football season! College or NFL, we can pretty much guarantee there was quite a lot of noise and excitement this past weekend coming from living rooms and back porches across America.

But, what if that excitement extends beyond the house? Televised football games offer an opportunity for dynamic fellowship and family fun for churches. Do you have a game plan if your church plans to hold viewing parties for NFL games? Don’t be blindsided by copyright issues – there are some important rules to follow to avoid possible copyright issues:

  • Churches must show the game live.
  • Churches must show the game on equipment used in the course of ministry on-premise. 
  • Churches cannot charge admission; however, donations are acceptable to defray the cost of the event.
  • Churches must not use NFL Shield, Super Bowl or Club logos to promote the party.

Keep in mind that the NFL has ownership of the rights to the text, images, photographs, video, audio, graphics, user interface, and other content provided on their services, and the selection, coordination, and arrangement of such material including rights to the product names, company names, trade names, logos, product packaging, and designs. Any non-official of the NFL who is advertising or transmitting any of this content is viable to infringement.

If you have any questions regarding viewing parties, call us at 855-576-5837, or live chat right here from our website.

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.”  CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches. Follow us onTwitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.

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