If you’re planning a celebration at your church this Sunday, one full of wholesome fun and families getting together to watch the big game (can’t use the properly spelled S.B. name due to copyright restrictions), you may need to change according to this article. Apparently, it’s ok for people to gather in a sports bar to watch the S.B., swilling beer and chowing down on hot wings and fried cheese for four hours and then getting in a car to lurch homeward on snow-covered roads. The NFL encourages that. Gather some families of faith in a church, serve some soda and pizza and enjoy an evening of good clean fun and that’s illegal.
And all God’s people said…Huh?
When I was serving in Colorado Springs we used to have a S.B. party for the homeless every year, getting donations of food from local restaurants and church members to serve to people who would come in off the street and out of the cold to enjoy a meal and watch the game. It was probably the best service project we did all year because you really got a chance to talk with folks and share something in common (especially since two of those years the Broncos, the local favorite, were in the big game). We pumped in the game off of an antenna, piped it through a VCR and showed it on a video projector and 10 ft. screen. Little did I know that we were in violation of the NFL’s copyright laws.
I am shocked and repentant at my transgression (note sarcasm here).
Seriously, doesn’t the NFL make boatloads of money off of marketing every conceivable second of the S.B.? Yes, there are laws and we don’t violate them to suit us, but geez… How insanely greedy is this? Most of the churches affected have backed down but what a lost opportunity to bring people together for a shared experience and fellowship.
I’m a big football fan (a lifelong member of Steeler Nation), but the NFL has become too big for its own britches. They now have their own network, too, which means that someday we may have to pay per view every game. If they’re not careful and cut out this kind of petty garbage, they may wind up going the way of the National Hockey League (which, by the way, has been pretty good since the strike even though about 12 people in the country watch it on TV…count me as one).
So, I’ll be at home on Sunday watching the S.B. with my 8 year-old son while he crashes repeatedly into the couch mimicking Brian Urlacher and the Bears (his teacher is a big Bears fan and the boy aims to please). Let’s see, the TV is only 36 inches and there’ll only be four of us in the house, two of us watching…yup, we might be legal. Wouldn’t want to be at the church to get busted by some copyright cop…
Speaking of which…every Super Bowl Sunday somebody puts in a prayer request for their team. For those of you tempted to do this, here’s a theological fact: God doesn’t give a rip who wins the game (that’s in Patridolphians 6:4). Even when the Steelers were in the S.B. last year, I uttered not one prayer for victory on their behalf. Truth is that if you can’t run the ball and pressure the quarterback, even God can’t help you. Save your prayers for the people who really need them…those who will be innocently out on the roads after the game when the sports bars let loose.
My pick for the game? Colts 24-17…but God didn’t tell me that, so don’t hold me to it.
