football

Regulation of the Day 110: Watching the Super Bowl

by Ryan Young on February 5, 2010

in Intellectual Property, Regulation, Regulation of the Day

Hosting a Super Bowl party this Sunday? You might be interested to know that it is technically illegal to watch the Super Bowl on a tv larger than 55 inches under certain conditions.

Ars Technica’s Nate Anderson was kind enough to look through 17 USC 1.110 and lay out what’s legal and what isn’t.

This is serious stuff. The NFL sued a church three years ago for holding a Superbowl party… and won.

(hat tip to my fiancée)

Regulation of the Day 88: College Football’s Playoff System

by Ryan Young on December 21, 2009

in Culture, Deregulate to Stimulate, Economy, Nanny State, Regulation, Regulation of the Day, Zeitgeist

“College football is bringing big bucks to K Street as lawmakers take aim at dismantling the Bowl Championship Series,” says a story in Politico.

A six-figure sum is being spent lobbying what really shouldn’t be a government issue. Millions more are being spent on other issues affecting college sports.

There’s even a PlayOff PAC that gives money to politicians who take an active stance on college football playoff reform.

True, the BCS playoff system could definitely use an overhaul. But that’s a job for the NCAA. Not Congress.

On the other hand, legislators do considerably less harm when they spend their time on college football instead of, say, health care or fiscal stimulus.

All Pregame all the Time

by Ivan Osorio on February 1, 2009 · 1 comment

in Culture

It’s a half-hour before the start NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl XLIII, and the pregame show has already been on for longer than a football game usually lasts (as long as there’s no overtime).

The absurdity of such excess is so self-parodying that the Onion-like headline practically write themselves:

Area man feels cheated after missing first two hours of Super Bowl pre-game show, vows to make the most out of the remaining three

NBC announces new expanded Super Bowl pregame show; broadcast begins when game clock of last conference championship game reaches zero

ESPN launches new all-Super Bowl pregame channel