AFANA Footy BBS

I have a question for AFANA. Last weekend I was able to watch the 1st of the 2 International Rules matches between Ireland and Australia. Later this weekend I expect to see the 2nd.

Now as AFANA is aware, the only "legitimate" option to view these matches is via Setanta PPV in the USA. I live in Canada and there is simply no Setanta PPV or Pub in my area that covers these matches. Unfortunatly my only option has been able to download the matches via BitTorrent from folks who captured the games off their televisions in Australia. So what is a person to do, simply not watch matches? I'm all against Piracy and respecting copyright and all that, but I feel a distinction needs to be made when a copyright holder doesn't give any legitimate options to viewers.

> I live in Canada and there is simply no Setanta PPV
> or Pub in my area that covers these matches. Unfortunatly my only option has been
> to download the matches
>... So what is a person to do, simply not watch matches?
> I'm all against Piracy and respecting copyright and all that, but I feel a
> distinction needs to be made when a copyright holder doesn't give any legitimate
> options to viewers.

I sympathize with your problem. It was a surprise that Setanta decided to distribute the matches in the US. They do have a Canadian soccer channel but we were unable to determine if that channel picked up the matches also. So, we're lucky there was any coverage at all outside Ireland and Australia. There hasn't been any for several years before this.

Unfortunately, it is no different than coverage of any other sport at any other time. The rights holders have the obligation to find an interested network where they feel they want exposure. So, it falls to the AFL in the end to fix this. Until then, "the law is the law"... whether you or I feel it is fair is probably not relevant. I don't see the copyright laws changing very much anytime soon.

Sadly, the answer to your question, if posed to the AFL, would be to watch them via the AFL web site or not at all. AFANA will continue to urge the AFL to make some sort of legal alternative available to fans. It's ultimately in their own best interests to do so.

-Rob de Santos
AFANA Chairman

AFANA TV page

> Until
> then, "the law is the law".

Yes, Rob, but he didn't ask if it was legal. He asked if it was ethical. There is a difference. And, no, I'm not going to tread the minefield of trying to argue it either way.

       -- RW "KC Swan" Lipp

> Yes, Rob, but he didn't ask if it was legal. He asked if it was ethical. There is
> a difference. And, no, I'm not going to tread the minefield of trying to argue it
> either way.

Your point is well taken but that is why I put my statement in quotes. It's clearly a dilemma and whether it is ethical depends on how you see such rights issues. I didn't argue it either way either (does that make sense? )

-Rob de Santos
AFANA Chairman

AFANA TV page

> > Yes, Rob, but he didn't ask if it was legal. He asked if it was ethical.
> There is

> Your point is well taken but that is why I put my statement in quotes. It's
> clearly a dilemma and whether it is ethical depends on how you see such rights
> issues. I didn't argue it either way either (does that make sense? )

> -Rob de Santos
> AFANA Chairman

Well regardless, I was able to watch the 2nd game the other day. What a brutal one, more fists flying than the average boxing match

Anyhow the reason I brought this whole topic up is because in the last few months (starting around week 16 in this past AFL season) there has been a guy in Australia who has been making nice videocaptures of many AFL matches as well as the International Rules Series from his HDTV (so they are very high quality). I know where AFANA stands on this but I have to admit, I really appreciate his work on this.

> Anyhow the reason I brought this whole topic up is because in the last few months
> (starting around week 16 in this past AFL season) there has been a guy in Australia
> who has been making nice videocaptures of many AFL matches as well as the
> International Rules Series from his HDTV (so they are very high quality). I know
> where AFANA stands on this but I have to admit, I really appreciate his work on
> this.

It isn't that I don't wish that matches weren't available by the 'net to fans who can't get them any other way or that I don't understand the frustration that leads people to trade the video by whatever means they can. After all, I am just as frustrated as anyone else when I can't see what I want to see. We do everything we can, within the law, to make sure fans get access to every source of AFL info and coverage they can. We'll continue to do that.

It's that we tread a pretty fine line. If we, the North American fans, want the AFL to provide us with good TV coverage and other support, we have to respect their right to get compensated for their product. If they don't get anything back, then we will get less and less from them and depend more and more on charity (and we depend on that too much already).

It's also a fact that AFANA has built up a fair amount of it's own "intellectual property" as well as good will on the part of the AFL. So, if we endorse the piracy of their product, where does that leave us? Fans have and probably will again steal our photos and articles and posted them elsewhere without credit or permission. It devalues what we do and discourages our contributors from continuing. Our staff like Lisa, Derrick, Frank, Johnson, Ben, and others spend many long hours doing what they do for the benefit of fans here. We also have lots of uncredited sources plus the work on the TV schedules by myself, Ann, and others. The income from memberships and other sources doesn't cover the costs and time to do all this and never has.

The AFL provides media accreditation to exactly two web sites worldwide not associated with a major Australian media outlet -- it's own and AFANA. What that's worth is impossible to calculate. We get that on their good will and trust in us to act professionally and responsibly.

The person who is providing these video feeds is likely to find him/herself in court eventually. I wish them well because not even a great attorney is likely to save them from all consequences. If you know about them and I know about them, then so does the AFL.

I and AFANA have and will continue to lobby the AFL to provide the video by legal means that fans can get at resonable cost so that if they don't have coverage in their "neighborhood", they can still see footy. You can take that promise to the bank.

-Rob de Santos
AFANA Chairman

AFANA TV page

As an addendum, there are some interesting posts here:

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1673/is_on-demand_coming

(There is even an Aussie rules reference.)

Sports leagues are following the lead of their media partners. And the media partners don't yet get it.

-Rob de Santos
AFANA Chairman

AFANA TV page