NFL Versus Football Fans: 55-Inch TVs Too Big; Updated

First they came for the churches and I said nothing, because churches won’t let me bring in a keg to watch the Super Bowl. Then they came for people who show the Super Bowl and TVs larger than 55-inches—at least that’s what NFL spokesman Greg Aiello is reported to have said in the Indianapolis Star:

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Thursday the league stands by its interpretation of copyright law and would look into any violators that comes to the league’s attention. The main concern for the league, Aiello said, is groups that charge admission to watch games and those that use a TV screen larger than 55 inches to show the game.

We’re having a party at our place Sunday and intend to show the game on our 106-inch front projection rig. Is the NFL really trying to imply that we’re somehow violating “copyright law” by choosing to watch the game on a screen larger than the NFL’s arbitrarily-selected upper threshold?

The (Super Bowl) party’s over [IndyStar.com]

Update: I just spoke to Greg Aiello’s office—Mr. Aiello is apparently down in Florida and impossible to reach at the number I have—who clarified that their “55-inch” policy is actually for the churches in question, not home viewing, claiming “copyright law” as the reason that churches will not be able to use projectors to display the game.

And you know what? The NFL is right. According to US Code Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 110, 5,B, i, II which describes what isn’t allowed under copyright code:

(II) if the performance or display is by audiovisual means, any visual portion of the performance or display is communicated by means of a total of not more than 4 audiovisual devices, of which not more than 1 audiovisual device is located in any 1 room, and no such audiovisual device has a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches, and any audio portion of the performance or display is communicated by means of a total of not more than 6 loudspeakers, of which not more than 4 loudspeakers are located in any 1 room or adjoining outdoor space;

So that’s the skinny: You can watch the Super Bowl at home on any size TV you like, but if you’re watching it in a church or sports bar, any screen larger than 55-inches actually is in violation of the U.S. copyright code. It may be stupid, but according to my non-lawyerly interpretation, it isn’t something the NFL pulled out of thin air.