Apparently the NCAA believes the NFL's draconian policy regarding publication of "accounts" of games is worthy of emulation.
We've all heard the NFL's warning at the end of each broadcast: "This telecast is copyrighted by the NFL for the private use of our audience. Any other use of this telecast or any pictures, descriptions or accounts of the game without the NFL's consent is prohibited."
The NCAA has taken a page from the NFL's book, rescinding the credentials of a Louisville Courier-Press sportswriter for blogging during the June 10 NCAA baseball super-regional.
According to the Courier Journal, a representative of the NCAA approached Brian Bennett in the bottom of the fifth inning to tell him that blogging from an NCAA championship event "is against NCAA policies." They revoked his credentials and made him leave the stadium.
Never mind the fact that blogs revolutionized sports broadcasting in recent years, or that bloggers from the Courier Journal provided similar coverage during the NCAA basketball tournament.
The NCAA's bottom line remained firm. It's OK to publish, via a blog, a report of what the score is at a given time. But go beyond that in providing a "live representation of the game" and you're gone.
This is absolutely ridiculous.
The NCAA forbids college students from making a dime as payment for their athletic skills. Yes, students may earn scholarships to attend a university, but they're expected to perform academically and athletically or lose the scholarship.
Meanwhile, coaches can have seven-figure salaries and endorsement contracts, schools can have shoe contracts, networks can have advertising contracts and schools (and the NCAA) rake in millions if a team does well.
The students, however, most of whom won't go on to be pro-athletes, are unable to earn a dime.
Blog about what happens in a tournament game, a newsworthy event featuring "amateur" athletes, and you'll lose your press credentials.
What is wrong with this picture?
Copyright protects the exclusive right to make copies of or license a literary, musical or creative work in print, audio or video form. Copyright doesn't protect an event, but rather the means by which the event is covered or transmitted.
The NCAA has no right to violate the First Amendment by taking away the credentials of a member of the press for reporting what occurs during the course of a sporting event.
If a reporter leaks broadcast footage onto the internet via a blog, yes, the NCAA's rights would be violated. Otherwise we're simply talking about news coverage.
The NCAA's mission, in part, is to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student athlete is paramount.
As students at an NCAA-member university, it's our duty to stand up and say we're not going to support this latest abuse of the law by an organization which is supposed to represent us.
The NCAA's refusal to allow the Courier-Journal to cover a baseball regional through an Internet blog is unprincipled abuse of its power.
If we refuse to protect our right to receive full, unbiased coverage of NCAA events, it won't be long before the Daily News no longer has the right to publish sports coverage without an NCAA license.
Write to Jonathan at jonathansanders@justice.com
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
