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Why is taping sports illegal in America?

DynamiteKidDynamiteKid Registered User regular
edited July 2007 in Help / Advice Forum
In Britain we can tape anything we want off the TV, whereas as far as I can tell there's a ton of stuff - including sports - that you can't tape in America. What is the extent of the programming you can't tape, and why is this the case?

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  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I think legally you can tape it for your own personal use as many people do this if they are going to be away and want to watch it later.

    You just arnt allowed to re-air it too make money because the program is still the property of the station that brodcasted it in the first place.

    And that way for all the good games they can sell them too you on a dvd to make more money.

    Bedlam on
  • Pants ManPants Man Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    there's nothing that you can't tape in America for your own personal use. it's once you start making copies and distributing them/selling them that there starts to become a problem.

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  • DynamiteKidDynamiteKid Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Really? But I'm sure that both on TV shows and websites I've seen people getting arrested just for taping it. Maybe I'm wrong, or the law changed at some point. Anyway this can probabyl be locked now.

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  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator, Administrator admin
    edited July 2007
    The copyright holders would very much like it to be illegal for you to tape it.

    Ideally, they'd like to bill your credit card every time you think about it.

    Echo on
  • cfgausscfgauss Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    DynamiteKid wrote: »
    Really? But I'm sure that both on TV shows and websites I've seen people getting arrested just for taping it. Maybe I'm wrong, or the law changed at some point. Anyway this can probabyl be locked now.

    Maybe you're thinking of that episode of Family Guy? But no, no one's ever been arrested / sued just for taping it.

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  • Pants ManPants Man Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    DynamiteKid wrote: »
    Really? But I'm sure that both on TV shows and websites I've seen people getting arrested just for taping it. Maybe I'm wrong, or the law changed at some point. Anyway this can probabyl be locked now.

    yeah, this doesn't happen, and hasn't ever happened.

    even if networks DID care enough to try and stop a dude from taping a show for his own personal use, they wouldn't ARREST them, they'd just fine them. but since it doesn't happen anyways, it doesn't really matter.

    where in the hell did you hear this?

    Pants Man on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    DynamiteKid wrote: »
    Really? But I'm sure that both on TV shows and websites I've seen people getting arrested just for taping it. Maybe I'm wrong, or the law changed at some point. Anyway this can probabyl be locked now.

    Ever since Sony v. Universal, aka the Betamax Decision, you've been allowed to tape anything you get on your TV for personal use anytime you want. This was done back around the time the first VCRs were being put on the market and hasn't been overturned yet.

    Daedalus on
  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    This impression comes mostly from the big disclaimers on sports events.

    See, it used to be this big thing when cable and particularly HBO were brand new that people would buy cable, or a pay per view fight, in a bar. Bar owners, that is. So they pay say 50 bucks for a fight and charge people with no cable/no access to cable say 5 bucks each 'cover charge' or whatever for 100 or more people and then they are making money.

    It still basically happens everywhere, all the law means is that you can't advertise it as much.

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  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Even if they could arrest you for taping stuff, there's absolutely no way they could ever know you did, unless maybe you or a friend directly told them so.

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  • locomotivemanlocomotiveman Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    JohnnyCache wrote: »
    This impression comes mostly from the big disclaimers on sports events.

    See, it used to be this big thing when cable and particularly HBO were brand new that people would buy cable, or a pay per view fight, in a bar. Bar owners, that is. So they pay say 50 bucks for a fight and charge people with no cable/no access to cable say 5 bucks each 'cover charge' or whatever for 100 or more people and then they are making money.

    It still basically happens everywhere, all the law means is that you can't advertise it as much.
    Also why Buffalo Wild Wings or your local sports bar are expected to have a different sort of license for their Directv or whatever subscription. You can assume that the BW3 has the proper license, the local place may or may not, but would be in violation of the law without it, and perhaps could endanger their liquor license.

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  • blincolnblincoln Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    The Warlock wrote: »
    Ever since Sony v. Universal, aka the Betamax Decision, you've been allowed to tape anything you get on your TV for personal use anytime you want. This was done back around the time the first VCRs were being put on the market and hasn't been overturned yet.

    Exactly.

    DynamiteKid might be thinking of taping a game in person (like with a camcorder) which is different. Or possibly something related to the broadcast contracts that professional teams have with television companies? But that's not a legal issue, it's a contractual one, and would only apply to television companies and not individuals.

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