NFL Allows Church Super Bowl Parties

January 29, 2009 by

After banning church Super Bowl parties in the past, the NFL has relented and is allowing churches to show the big game, provided they don’t charge for the event or use the name “Super Bowl” (I recently saw TGI Friday’s calling it “The Game We Can’t Name” in their promotions).

While churches can’t charge for the event, taking donations to defray costs is OK. Another stipulation is that the event needs to be held in a location where the church normally meets (apparently no renting out new space for your “big game” party).

If your church is having a Super Bowl party, hopefully you already knew that (doing your copyright homework is good marketing).

Post By:

Kevin D. Hendricks


When Kevin isn't busy as the editor of Church Marketing Sucks, he runs his own writing and editing company, Monkey Outta Nowhere. Kevin has been blogging since 1998, runs the hyperlocal site West St. Paul Reader, and has published several books, including 137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading, The Stephanies and all of our church communication books.
Read more posts by | Want to write for us?

8 Responses to “NFL Allows Church Super Bowl Parties”

  • adam mclane
    January 29, 2009

    In talking to tons of youth workers this week, most don’t seem to be interested in having parties anymore. With all the copyright issues, a history of 5 hour games, and a certain washed-up pop stars boob popping out on live TV… it seems a lot of youth group are either forgoing the big party or hosting it in a private home.
    It is interesting to me how quickly this went from a big trend to “last years” trend.
    Anyone else seeing the same thing? Or am I just nuts?


     | Permalink
    • Rhett
      February 5, 2011

      Adam, you may not like certain pop stars, but you have to respect them. Thankfully, I wasn’t watching the “Big Game” during the incident and I don’t listen to Janet’s music, but she is a long way from washed up. As a Christian, I don’t care to defend non-brothers and sisters, but as a Black woman, I feel insulted because most of these comments are fueled by underlying racism.


       | Permalink
      • Michael
        February 6, 2011

        Underlying racism? That’s laughable. Bottom line: A human’s private part popped out during the most televised event of the year. Get over yourself.


         | Permalink
  • Communicating Christ
    January 30, 2009

    Like anything, the amount of hoopla an event generates depends on the amount and way it’s promoted. Make a church super bowl party out to be a big thing, it becomes a big thing.
    Promoting means publicizing. A press release in your local newspaper is a necessary step.


     | Permalink
  • Tony Liston
    January 18, 2011

    The success of it locally may also be directly tied to what teams are playing. A team from the local region will more likely draw participants that two teams from other parts of the country.


     | Permalink
  • CopyrightSolver
    January 25, 2011

    Hey folks. We have posted an updated article on this subject on CopyrightCommunity:

    http://www.copyrightcommunity.com/copyright_community/2011/01/churches-dont-be-tackled-by-super-bowl-party-penalties.html


     | Permalink
  • Rhett
    February 5, 2011

    My church only charges for food (after realizing how much it costs to feed all those folks for free the first year). It thought it was really nice that the pastor of our mega-church … 40,000+ members … decided that he & the brothers would have a fellowship over the game. Two years ago, they started letting the sisters and children come, too. I either watch the game at home or a small private party, but will probably fellowship at church this year. Hopefully, this refusal to allow churches to use the term Super Bowl will not stop churches from having fellowships and this won’t be my church’s last year hosting a party. It’s hard enough to get the men to participate in church activities, but they show up in record numbers for sports events.


     | Permalink
  • CMS
    February 5, 2011

    It would be interesting to see how they decide upon these rules: At what point does a party large enough to be considered an official “big game” event?” What if you’re a house church? What if you’re a house church that ends up watching the “big game” at another member’s house that happens to rent their home? Is that breaking the “renting space” rule? :-) ahhhh…

    anyway, new facebook page up. check it out:
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Church-Marketing-Solutions/169415946438348?ref=ts


     | Permalink

POST CATEGORIES:
Evangelism & Outreach