The Super Bowl party is a great American tradition: the big game, goofy commercials, and gobs of food. But is it legal to host a party if you’re watching the big game? We’ll break down the mystery.
First off, the NFL doesn’t have a police force that’s going to break down your door and throw handcuffs on you if you’re having a party. But the league can get testy, depending on the circ*mstances.
Super Bowl Parties at Churches
In 2007, the NFL threatened to sue churches that were hosting Super Bowl parties, but that’s because some of the churches were going above and beyond a typical party situation.
At the time, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the issue was that some churches were charging admission (to cover food), and showing the game using a projector. They also used the phrase “Super Bowl” in advertisem*nts for the event.
However, in the face of legislative pushback, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell composed a letter saying, “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.”
Super Bowl Parties at Bars and Other Venues
Sports bars may have to pay specific licenses to show NFL games - those are determined by the size of the venue, the number and size of screens, and how many speakers are in play. If you own a sports bar, you should consult an attorney to be sure you’re on the right side of the law.
Venues (including bars) can’t charge admission to watch the Super Bowl, and the law generally prevents them from showing the game on a TV bigger than 55 inches. The league has had to inform theaters, schools, museums, casinos, and hotels about these rules.
Again, these rules may be legally dodged if the venue pays the correct license to the league.
What the Law Says About Super Bowl Parties
When it comes to the law, there’s a lot of grey area. In 1976, the drafters of the “Transmit Clause” added to U.S. copyright law didn’t consider the possibility of a massive gathering to watch an event. The most-watched TV show that year was “Happy Days.” No one was charging admission for a huge party to watch the Fonz on a 25” Zenith. The law has not been revisited since then, so even if the NFL wanted to sue you for a party, it would have no legal precedent unless you were trying to turn a profit from their content.
Essentially, if you’re trying to make money from a Super Bowl party, the league might object. If they chose to press charges, they might have a case. Here's the specific copyright law if you want to do your own deep dive.
How to Watch the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs airs at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on Sunday, February 12. Rihanna is performing the halftime show.
You can watch the game on FOX. To watch the action, we recommend Sling TV or DIRECTV STREAM.
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Sling is great for the budget-conscious cord cutter who just wants to watch live TV, but doesn’t need the most comprehensive channel selection.
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Moreover, the NFL has said that it will not object to a church viewing party for the Super Bowl if it is held in the church's usual place of worship and no fee is charged for attending. Churches can, however, request donations to help cover the cost of the event.
The NFL considers any commercial activity that uses the term “Super Bowl” to be in violation. And don't underestimate how seriously they take this. In the past, they haven't hesitated to send cease-and-desist letters to businesses and even churches who used their name to promote events and services. Why?
The NFL's general requirements to host the Super Bowl include interest from the local football team, stadium quality, hotel inventory, a media center, corporate and community support, and approval from three-quarters of the league's owners.
Renting space to watch the game is not allowed, even if your church rents space for regular worship services. Your church cannot charge admission for your party. However, you may accept donations to defray the cost of food and other supplies.
You can watch anything you want at home. You can watch anything you want on your phone. But, a business owner can't do that. According to copyright law, if they put it on their TVs, it's classified as a “public performance.” From the point of view of the law it's totally different.
Under the four-network rotation starting in 2024, the league awarded NBC the Super Bowl during Winter Olympic years. CBS has televised the most Super Bowl games, with Super Bowl LV being its 21st, and it just completed the broadcast of its 22nd with Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.
Unless you secure a license from the NFL, you cannot use any advertisem*nt of that nature. For example, you cannot say, “Your go-to beverage for the Super Bowl,” or even “Come here for all your Super Bowl party needs.”
The cheapest face-value tickets for this year's Super Bowl sold directly by the NFL were about $2,000. And that price was after fans, including season ticket holders, win the chance to fork over several grand to buy them via a lottery system.
If your guests are arriving early, you can play some games beforehand, getting everyone into the spirit of the day. You can also play games that last all evening long, like Super Bowl Bingo, or games involving rating every commercial you see. There are plenty of great ideas for Super Bowl games out there.
Super Bowl LVIII will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV on Sunday, February 11, 2024. Download the NFL OnePass app to stay up to date on all official Super Bowl events. Things will look a little different at Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl LVIII!
If it gets warmer in Denver over the following years, the Mile High City might have a chance. But as for now, without a climate-controlled dome, there won't be a Super Bowl at Empower Field.
Alcohol, especially beer, and the Super Bowl seem to go hand in hand. Binge drinking and overconsumption are common during the Super Bowl. It has been estimated that over 325 million gallons of beer are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
Currently, the law prohibits political campaign activity by charities and churches by defining a 501(c)(3) organization as one "which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public ...
For many families and groups of friends, their annual Super Bowl party is one of the most fun events of the year. It's an opportunity to get together with your favorite people and watch an exciting game. There are snacks, drinks, competition and an overwhelming sense of excitement.
However, that doesn't make it right as you are taking away someone's potential profits of their work. Is streaming sports illegal? Watching an unlicensed sporting event is not illegal, but downloading and/or hosting the streaming of an unlicensed event is illegal.
The NFL has to send cease and desist letters to hold on to its Super Bowl trademark. While the NFL seems like it shouldn't care about other businesses using the name "Super Bowl," it still sends out plenty of cease and desist letters to stop its use.
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