2008 Woodie Awards
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Sports
Live blogging sports: Is it out of bounds?
By Robbie Schwartz on 4/7/08
While professional sports continue to grow in popularity, reporting has also evolved to deal with the rise in fans' enthusiasm. Blogs have become a useful tool to those who do not have television or radio access to their favorite team. Despite its positive attributes, many sports leagues are viewing the blog as an invasive tool that allows for unauthorized information to be shared with multiple users in real-time.
The leagues began grappling with the issue of providing real-time information to fans long before blogging became popular. The National Basketball Association sued Motorola in 1996, alleging that Motorola engaged in federal copyright infringement and misappropriation of commercial advantage after Motorola installed real-time NBA scores on its paging devices. Motorola appealed the ruling against them, and in July 1997 an appellate court ruled in its favor. This led sports leagues to begin finding new ways of preventing online publications from effectively reporting data such as scores and play-by-play information.
Currently, leagues prevent online publications from reporting in a few ways. First, they negotiate exclusive Internet rights with sponsors. Second, leagues create conditions for the media that prohibits real-time reporting. This is most like the policy described by Frank Brown, National Hockey League group vice president.
"Online reports concerning NHL games while they are in progress may not consist of play-by-play accounts or descriptions of games," Brown said in an e-mail interview.
In addition, the leagues also have the power to simply refuse credentials to reporters who are bloggers or writers for Web sites or magazines. Major League Baseball has a similar policy.
"Due to size issues, we can only provide media credentials to online organizations that are considered our rights holders such as ESPN and Fox Sports," said Jon Blundell, a media relations specialist for Major League Baseball.
Blundell said all bloggers could receive quotes and satellite video highlights of games.
The leagues began grappling with the issue of providing real-time information to fans long before blogging became popular. The National Basketball Association sued Motorola in 1996, alleging that Motorola engaged in federal copyright infringement and misappropriation of commercial advantage after Motorola installed real-time NBA scores on its paging devices. Motorola appealed the ruling against them, and in July 1997 an appellate court ruled in its favor. This led sports leagues to begin finding new ways of preventing online publications from effectively reporting data such as scores and play-by-play information.
Currently, leagues prevent online publications from reporting in a few ways. First, they negotiate exclusive Internet rights with sponsors. Second, leagues create conditions for the media that prohibits real-time reporting. This is most like the policy described by Frank Brown, National Hockey League group vice president.
"Online reports concerning NHL games while they are in progress may not consist of play-by-play accounts or descriptions of games," Brown said in an e-mail interview.
In addition, the leagues also have the power to simply refuse credentials to reporters who are bloggers or writers for Web sites or magazines. Major League Baseball has a similar policy.
"Due to size issues, we can only provide media credentials to online organizations that are considered our rights holders such as ESPN and Fox Sports," said Jon Blundell, a media relations specialist for Major League Baseball.
Blundell said all bloggers could receive quotes and satellite video highlights of games.
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