WASHINGTON — The National Football League (NFL) will now allow churches to air live showings of the Super Bowl on a screen of any size, reversing a previous ban on wide-screen televisions.
Members of Congress, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and church leaders had objected to the NFL’s rule that churches could not hold Super Bowl parties featuring TV screens larger than 55 inches, even though sports bars routinely do.
"For future Super Bowls, the league will not object to live showings — regardless of screen size — of the Super Bowl by a religious organization when such showings are free and on premises used by the religious organization on a routine and customary basis," wrote NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a Feb. 19 letter to Hatch.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the change was made to clarify confusion about the matter.
"We were not going after churches, not investigating churches and we have never sued a church," he said Feb. 21. "What we’re doing now is simply eliminating the question and confusion about copyright law."
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., introduced legislation Feb. 4 that would allow churches to show the Super Bowl on wide-screen televisions.
Goodell told Hatch the league believes legislation is not necessary and will begin its policy with the Super Bowl next Feb. 1.
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