Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, January 10, 2008
Rivoli plans Packers party in spite of NFL guidelines
In spite of NFL admonitions to several Wisconsin venues against public screenings of its football games, the Rivoli Theater will show the Green Bay Packers’ playoff game on the big screen Saturday.
The NFL has for years forbidden people and businesses from holding special screenings of its games, said spokesman Brian McCarthy. When the league learns of such an event, it sends a letter ordering it to stop, McCarthy said.
Letters were sent this year to three Wisconsin businesses that showed Packer games.
The league policy makes an exception for bars that show sports events “on a daily basis,” McCarthy said. “They aren’t creating events around our games.”
It also is OK for people to gather to watch a game on a “TV commonly used in a home,” McCarthy said.
The rule is designed to protect local TV affiliates whose ad revenues are based on viewer numbers and who would not be able to count people who might go to watch a game at a theater, McCarthy said.
In recent years, the NFL has sent cease-and-desist letters to churches, schools, museums, and hotels as well as theaters. Last year, the league told the Chicago Park District it could not show the Super Bowl at Soldier Field.
McCarthy said he did not know of any letters sent to La Crosse businesses.
Rivoli manager Chris Kelley said Wednesday a free screening still was planned for the Packers’ playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Kelley said he did not know if the theater had received any warning from the NFL.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.