[wplug-plan] Indy 500 event?

[Patrick Wagstrom]

Vance Kochenderfer wrote:
> There is an attempt <http://www.tux500.com/> on to sponsor a car
> in the Indianapolis 500 with a Linux logo.  I know there are legal
> problems with showing movies at WPLUG events, but is showing an
> over-the-air broadcast OK?  If this sponsorship is pulled off, it
> might be nice to have a viewing of the race.

It's a bit of a grey issue.  You'll notice that after most sporting 
events you'll hear something like "This telecast is produced by [INSERT 
SPORTS LEAGUE HERE] and licensed for home use by our audience.  Any 
rebroadcast or retransmission of the accounts and depictions of this 
game is prohibited".

That being said, most of those copyright claims are a load of crock and 
are far overstepping the bounds of what is legal on the part of the 
copyright holder[1].  I see no issue with watching a broadcast event as 
a WPLUG related event.  After all, the airwaves are supposed to be held 
in a public trust.

--Patrick

[1] For a humorous take on the issue, see Wendy Seltzer's ongoing battle 
with NFL and YouTube over her posting of the copyright statement from 
the Super Bowl.  Apparently the NFL didn't realize when sending out the 
DMCA takedown letter that Seltzer is one of the nation's experts on the 
DMCA.