 NFL institutes 45-second rule
What happened: The NFL prohibited media outlets from posting more than 45 seconds of online video per day with players and coaches shot from team facilities. The league did not limit “talking head” video from reporters at team facilities. The outcome: Many media outlets balked and criticized the league for the rule, but the NFL allowed exemptions only to its rights holders, CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC. For everyone else, the rule remains in effect. | Bloggers invade the press box What happened: While many bloggers shun the press box, others are eager for the opportunity to challenge traditional media outlets from press row. The NHL’s Islanders set up a “blog box” that gives hockey bloggers the same access as mainstream sports reporters. Many of the bloggers are fans of the team; several wear Islanders jerseys. The outcome:Some clubs, such as the Capitals, have credentialed bloggers, without putting them in their own box. Still, the move by the Islanders garnered positive attention, though other clubs have yet to follow suit. |
MLBAM, MLBPA lose CDM Fantasy lawsuit What happened: Unable to obtain a license to use fantasy baseball data, CDM Fantasy Sports sued MLB Advanced Media, alleging that MLB player names and statistics are part of the public domain. The MLB Players Assocation, from whom MLBAM licensed the players’ interactive rights, quickly became a participant in the suit. The outcome: CDM won the initial court case and subsequent challenges, but MLBAM and the players could appeal to the Supreme Court. The court decisions have been a blow to MLBAM and the other leagues, including the NFL, NBA and NHL, and the players associations that have supported it. | Viacom sues YouTube What happened: Upset that its clips were being illegally uploaded to YouTube, Viacom sued the site for $1 billion last spring. Though there’s not a sports component to the lawsuit, last week a few mouse clicks brought up several sports clips, including HBO’s Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Ricky Hatton fight. The outcome: In October, YouTube started using a system that identifies digital fingerprints, which would prevent unauthorized postings more quickly. Still, Viacom’s lawsuit is continuing. |
| NCAA kicks blogger out of College World Series What happened: In June the NCAA ejected a reporter for the Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal from the press box at the College World Series. Why? The NCAA said he was writing a live blog of the event, which violated NCAA rules designed to protect rights holders. The outcome: The NCAA adopted rules governing live blogs from a press box, limiting the number of times reporters can update their blogs. In baseball, that translates to once an inning. In football, bloggers in the press box can update their posts three times a quarter and once at halftime. In basketball, bloggers are allowed five updates a half and one at halftime. Following last year’s College World Series, the NCAA added rules that regulate how often bloggers can file live updates from college sports events. |
