The National Football League is joining the Southeastern Conference in attempting to limit the media's ability to report on games.
This week, the NFL told the media that any detailed accounts
of the games must be time-delayed and that live updates must be limited to scores or other quick facts. "The accredited organization's game coverage cannot be used as a substitute for, or otherwise
approximate, authorized play-by-play accounts," the organization mandates, according to the San
Francisco Chronicle. In other words, no live-blogging, Facebook updates or Twitter posts that reveal too much information.
This policy is wrongheaded on many levels. First, as a
practical matter, the real-time Web isn't going to go away simply because the NFL doesn't like it. Unless the NFL and SEC plan to confiscate everyone's cell phones, audience members -- including the
media -- will find a way to tweet their observations of the games.
Presumably, the NFL could de-credential reporters who tweet. But the organization can't realistically prevent reporters from
purchasing tickets and live-blogging from the stands.
Besides, shouldn't the NFL encourage more media and fan engagement, not less? Blogging doesn't detract from TV and radio coverage of
games. On the contrary, blogs and tweets supplement other coverage. Who does the NFL think is reading all of the live Web reports, other than fans who are also watching the games?
Obviously
the NFL, like the SEC, is afraid that play-by-play coverage of games would pose a threat to the media companies that pay for broadcast rights. But the attempt to limit the use of technology to spread
news about the games come off less as a sound business strategy than a desperate and reactionary attempt to squelch independent commentary.