EPL Fixtures and Copyright

[picaraza]

I've been reading on some UK boards today that EPL and SPL fixture lists are copyrighted and that media in the UK must pay for the privilege of reporting them.

Can someone please explain this to me? This seems absolutely insane. How can someone put a copyright on facts?

My understanding of copyright law is that a person or organization may claim copyright on the way that an idea is expressed, but they cannot copyright a fact.

A newspaper can copyright an article about a bus accident (for example), but cannot claim copyright infringement if I write in my blog "The #14 bus ran over my dog."

A fixture is a fact: Date. Home Team v. Away Team.

What's next are they going to claim copyright on EPL tables? It would make about the same sense.

[sarabella]

Just one more way to make money, I suppose. Isn't that really what this game is all about anymore??

[picaraza]

Just one more way to make money, I suppose. Isn't that really what this game is all about anymore??
Maybe we should give Scottie Parker a ring and ask him, eh?

;)

[Miles Brasher]

Just one more way to make money, I suppose. Isn't that really what this game is all about anymore??


Ohhh, you're such a cynic ;)

[sarabella]

Maybe we should give Scottie Parker a ring and ask him, eh?

;)
Yeah, he should know. ********ing Toon! :D

[king_saladin]

Can someone please explain this to me? This seems absolutely insane. How can someone put a copyright on facts?


I thought this happened all the time. Even though it made no sense to me. Here with the NFL and NASCAR, they say you aren't allowed to publish anything about the events... 'pictures, descriptions, or blah blah blah are prohibited without the consent of the NFL'

Corporations deserve more rights than humans ;)

[John Boy]

Last year it looked like they wouldn't be able to stop people using the fixture lists anywhere they wanted, but never heard anything about it since

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-27-1352069,00.html

[Pingudo]

I've been reading on some UK boards today that EPL and SPL fixture lists are copyrighted and that media in the UK must pay for the privilege of reporting them.

Can someone please explain this to me? This seems absolutely insane. How can someone put a copyright on facts?


I'm as apalled as you are about this! but this f_v_c_k_*_ng pieces of s_h_*_t can't beat the vast internet. If you're outside the UK, I say post them freely, countries like Argentina, China or Madagascar are outside their jurisdiction. Or if you're in the UK you could come up with creative ways of reporting it. For example:

13 aug.
Wenger v Souness
O'Leary v Allardice
Moyes v Ferguson
Coleman v Bruce
Pearce v Robson
McClaren v Benitez
Perrin v Jol
McCarthy v Curbishley
Pardew v Hughes
Jewell v Mourinho

or
20 aug.
russian team vs team coached by a french guy

[jayro75]

20 aug.
russian team vs team coached by a french guy

Don't you mean:

Russian Oil Money Vs. French National Team ;)