Bars turning off the NFL

[titaniumsalute]

Well bars and public places must pay pretty high fees to air these games to begin with. Not sure if they can buy one-off games but I know my friend's bar pays for a full season to broadcast the games. Turning off the games will hurt their businesses and cost them money. So go for it I guess.

[eShirl]

1. more business for the bars with NFL

[ProfessorGAC]

2. I Agree

And, it's a very short term fad. Just public relations grandstanding.

[Bettie]

3. Wait, a bar has to pay extra to have

a broadcast program on its TV? Weird.

And yeah, they'll lose a bunch of business and a lot of alcohol sales.

[underpants]

6. Those are usually team specific deals. I think.

Yes the networks still carry it and cable but if a bar in say Detroit wants to make sure they get all the Lions games they buy a game package.

Probably a lot of bars make sure they always have the Pittsburgh game on because Steeler Nation is EVERYWHERE

[Docreed2003]

9. Yeah...

Most bars that show games are plugged into Direct TV with all the NFL games. They have to pay a premium to show that, just like PPV fights. The reason most bars charge a cover for a PPV fight is not just to make a profit off the fight, but to cover the PPV expense, they aren't just paying the $90 bucks for the fight.

[titaniumsalute]

10. If they pull the broadcast over the air it is OK

But if it is broadcast publicly via satellite or cable they must pay permit fees. Those bars are making extra $$ selling food and booze during a game using that broadcast.

I think small venues are immune from these copyright laws.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

15. Nobody is immune from those copyright or, more specifically, licensing rules.

Those games, like music on the radio, are only licensed to you for personal use. Using unlicensed content to further your business could result in a lawsuit.

Not sure how tv does it but the people who sell prepaid musical content are the same people who come calling with threats of lawsuits for broadcasting on-air radio content in your customer /public areas.

[onenote]

18. Section 110(5) of the Copyright Act:

it is not an infringement for a bar to show broadcast sporting events to patrons if the following conditions are met:

(ii) in the case of a food service or drinking establishment, either the establishment in which the communication occurs has less than 3,750 gross square feet of space (excluding space used for customer parking and for no other purpose), or the establishment in which the communication occurs has 3,750 gross square feet of space or more (excluding space used for customer parking and for no other purpose) and—
(I) if the performance is by audio means only, the performance 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; or

(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 one 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;

(iii) no direct charge is made to see or hear the transmission or retransmission;

(iv) the transmission or retransmission is not further transmitted beyond the establishment where it is received; and

(v) the transmission or retransmission is licensed by the copyright owner of the work so publicly performed or displayed;

[customerserviceguy]

20. Hmm, an awful lot of rules

for electromagnetic energy that is essentially "irradiating" your property.

[BannonsLiver]

24. Not necessarily

If they want to use the NFL Ticket which is found on Direct TV and shows ALL the games they have to pay more for it because they are exhibiting NFL content. If you're a bar owner in Dallas who doesn't give a shit about showing all the games, you can just turn your TV's to the Cowboys game which is broadcast every week in that market. Same for all of the other teams.

[underpants]

4. I just discovered yesterday that I have Red Zone in my Apple sling package.

We've been on the road the last few weekends and this is the first season we've been "unplugged". My wife saw it and said "Oh no!"

[Weekend Warrior]

5. Bar owners acting as a moral authority?

Don't get me wrong. Nothing wrong with bar owners. This would be a totally ignorant move and I doubt any of them will do it. This really strikes me as funny.

[ExciteBike66]

7. I took in a game at a bar last Sunday

and everyone in the bar was in NFL jerseys. One can only imagine what would have happened if the bar owner turned off all of those games...

[unblock]

8. yeah 'cause if i run a bar, i want a bunch of angry drunk right-wing pissed-off assholes in it!

what i save in broadcast fees will be more than offset through property damage.

if i can even fill the place without football on tv!

[delisen]

11. The boycott NFL threats are empty threats.

Trump fans who are NFL fans will break for the NFL.

They are figuring Trump will be around for awhile but the football ritual only lasts a season each year-so its not an either or choice.

Satisfying that immediate need wins out.

[Hoyt]

12. If I walked in a bar that was protesting the NFL, I'd leave because it's patronized by white wing

racists for sure.

[BannonsLiver]

13. I popped by my local Buffalo Wild Wings to get some take out yesterday

And it was packed to the rafters at 11:45 a.m., just as it always is on Sundays during football season. Deep red state. The boycott is Brietfart generated hooey.

[edbermac]

14. They can always turn on Masterpiece Theater for their patrons.

Just in time, I understand they'll be rerunning Downton Abbey episodes.

[customerserviceguy]

21. Oh, that was cruel!

I have a picture that one of my friends took when I fell asleep at our favorite beer bar, but at least he didn't put it out on the Internet.

[TlalocW]

16. What are they going to replace it with?

Weekends around game times are not the best for television viewing enjoyment.

Gardening show on your local PBS station?
Any number of "reality shows" from flipping houses, to finding the right house to live in, to remodeling houses?
Pro-wrestling could replace the carnage, but they have fewer PPV events than teams have games and are on later.

TlalocW

[Wounded Bear]

17. Well, on weekends there's almost always golf on the TV box...

[Buns_of_Fire]

22. SpongeBob!

Heck, you mix a bar full of rowdy sports fans and SpongeBob SquarePants (which seems to be about the only thing Nickelodeon airs anymore), and who knows WHAT hilarity will ensue!

(Okay, I admit it, it WAS me who tossed the Baby Ruth into the swimming pool.)

[Liberal In Texas]

23. How about turning the bloody TV off?

I hate TVs in bars. (OK, a bar specifically targeting people who want to watch TV in bars fine; i.e. sports bars. I'll go someplace else.)

But it seems every pub, hotel bar, restaurant has to have TVs all over the place to make sure you don't get bored with real life.

When we go out we try to go to the least TV equipped pub we can find. When we go out we go out to socialize with our friends. To talk to people without the blaring competition of TV sound.

If you're not going to talk to the people around you and sit with eyes glued to a TV set it would be a whole lot cheaper to buy a 6 pack and stay home.

[dembotoz]

19. Ya sit in the bar to watch the game. No game? Go somewhere else

You go to a sports bar not an opera bar

[Orrex]

25. That's like burning the jersey you already paid for

Godspeed, ineffectual protester. Godspeed.

[oasis]

26. Scratch Las Vegas bars from the list. The town makes billions off NFL. nt

[Awsi Dooger]

27. Never Never Land

Too much thinking going on