WSJ Defies NFL's Restriction On Live Blogging

from the whatcha-gonna-do-about-it? dept

Remember how the NFL told the press that they weren't allowed to live blog or live Tweet games, as it would be a violation of the league's broadcast rights? I noted that I couldn't see how that was enforceable by the league, other than by kicking reporters out of the stadium. Of course, even that would backfire, because a reporter could just watch the game on TV and live blog. And... in fact... that's exactly what the WSJ just did, apparently thumbing its collective nose at the NFL's restrictions. Ben alerts us to the news that a WSJ reporter, safely on his couch at home, live blogged a recent football game between the NY Jets and the Tennessee Titans. Your move, NFL...
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Filed Under: free speech, licenses, live blogging, reporting, sports
Companies: nfl, wsj


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  1. icon
    Misanthropist (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:09pm

    more importantly

    more importantly.. this guy might be staff of WSJ, but hes using all free resources to accomplish his "job".

    How;s the NFL gonna stop the 5000 people who copy him when the NFL tries to slap WSJ for this?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. icon
    Brad Hubbard (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:17pm

    Ooh! Google Wave

    They have rules against live-blogging, but not against using Google Wave. You want to really see them flip out...real time, character-by-character updates of a game, people discussing and interacting... It'll be the end of sports as we know it! People will share and collaborate as thought they were all in a stadium together, but without having to BE in a stadium! The horror.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:19pm

    Well its obvious what has to happen now:
    1. The NFL gets a list of all reporters and their address for every newspaper in the country
    2. They hire security guards
    3. Send those guards to the houses of every reporter and prevent them from watching TV as well
    4. ?????
    5. Profit

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Poster, 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:20pm

    Oh, this is gonna be good.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Sarah Black, 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:20pm

    Is the "Big Game" anything like the "Super Bowl"?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 4:34pm

    Was it?

    The article as it currently stands looks like a post-game breakdown. Are we sure it was live-blogged at the time?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. icon
    John Duncan Yoyo (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 5:00pm

    Re:

    It;s what you call the Super Bowl when you don't want to pay the NFL for the right to say superbowl.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 2 Oct 2009 @ 5:11pm

    Re: Re:

    Isn't there some other thing they're calling it now because the NFL was cracking down on calling it "The Big Game"? I think so but I'm not sure.

    They don't really get that advertising oneself is something one typically pays for, rather than get paid for. Not sure why. Maybe it's just a corporate thing?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. icon
    ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 5:15pm

    Re: Re:

    "It;s what you call the Super Bowl when you don't want to pay the NFL for the right to say superbowl."

    Frak 'em.

    I had a hinky lunch the other day, and I was super bowling every couple hours for the next day. Man, I don't think I'd have super bowled like that if I had Swine Flu. Must have been some kind of food poisoning to make me super bowl like that. I was nearly dehydrated from all that super bowling.

    Good thing I had some Gatorade(tm) at hand.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. icon
    fogbugzd (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 6:03pm

    No Win

    It looks to me like the NFL is in a no-win situation on this. They either have to back down or try to shut this guy down. If they try to shut him down it may work because of the cost of defending himself, but he would be replaced by a hundred others who do it just to make a point.

    And after all, what is the damage to the NFL? It builds interest in the game. It build community. They might argue that it will hurt the broadcast revenue, but this type of presentation is so different from a broadcast that I doubt it is actually competition.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. icon
    HolaJohnny (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 6:28pm

    Re: Ooh! Google Wave

    I haven't checked out Wave yet or even have any inkling about it but I like how you think. Get more draconian? Well we just collaborate to drive you insane... But then again I take a sick pleasure in messing with people and getting them riled up...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. icon
    HolaJohnny (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 6:30pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    I disagree Tuck I have a feeling your bowl was far from super after that...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. icon
    Verve (profile), 2 Oct 2009 @ 6:40pm

    ESPN's web columnists have been doing this for years... Good luck to the NFL to shut THEM down...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Mr Big Content, 2 Oct 2009 @ 10:57pm

    Need A Three-Strikes Law For TV

    Watching TV is a privilege, not a right. Just as we need a three-strikes law to cut off the Internet access of those who misuse it, so we need a corresponding law for broadcast media, for those who abuse their media-consumption privileges.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. icon
    lens42 (profile), 3 Oct 2009 @ 12:10am

    Re: Ooh! Google Wave

    The "end of sports as we know it!"??? You're kidding, right? It doesn't matter what happens in this case. The more people blogging, tweeting, texting, whatevering about the NFL means more money in their pocket. The NFL is being stupid here for sure. The only way they lose is if people stop paying attention to football. In spite of their claims, they NEVER lose if people "steal" their content. No one bends over to get fleeced like a football fan.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. icon
    Sarah Black (profile), 3 Oct 2009 @ 3:19am

    Re: Need A Three-Strikes Law For TV

    If watching TV is as you say, a "privilege", what license or test (or payment) is required to attain this "privilege"?

    and sarcasm should be noted as such

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Yogi, 3 Oct 2009 @ 3:38am

    I knew it

    This is what comes from letting people watch football games on their TV without proper licensing.

    Only personnel authorized by the NFL, who have signed a legal contract with the NFL, and took the NFL Oath of Silence may attend in person or watch games at home.

    That way we will finally be rid of all the communist parasites who are ruining American Football as we know it, the people who are willfully destroying one of the pillars of American Economy, sending millions into unemployment and, eventually, prostitution and drug dealing and other crimes.
    All because of live blogging, a vile practice that, with the proper federal legislation and enforcement in place, could have been avoided.

    I implore you, fellow TechDirtians, to do the right thing: do not watch American Football or talk about it unless you have been vetted and licensed by the proper NFL authorities.

    Please join me in a prayer for the continued well-being of the NFL, America and Apple Pie.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    Glenn Friesen, 3 Oct 2009 @ 1:50pm

    NFL and WSJ

    This is too incredible. I can't wait for the NFL to get over themselves and be a part of the new paradigm!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. identicon
    Richard Schmitt, 4 Oct 2009 @ 5:13pm

    NFL and Tweets

    The NFL is obtaining valuable publicity by causing this debate.

    However, the NFL has to protect against unmonitored tweeting out of the locker rooms. Bookies may be able to obtain last minute updates on injuries and playing status. Part of the NFL's product is an event on which wagers may be placed.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  20. icon
    lux (profile), 4 Oct 2009 @ 9:30pm

    ...?

    "However, the NFL has to protect against unmonitored tweeting out of the locker rooms. Bookies may be able to obtain last minute updates on injuries and playing status. Part of the NFL's product is an event on which wagers may be placed."

    Somehow I don't see the NFL basing decisions on what would benefit Vegas bookies. Call me crazy.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  21. icon
    Jimmy Ribbitt (profile), 5 Oct 2009 @ 3:15am

    To be commended

    This reporter is to be commended for standing up for free speech.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  22. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Oct 2009 @ 8:25am

    man, the other day when the game was on in another room and I heard cheering, I asked what happened, and someone in the other room told me about the play. Now I realize, he should have paid the NFL licensing fees to do that.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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