NFL to fine teams up to $100,000 for posting social media video during games
The NFL recently sent a memo to its teams saying they'll be fined $25,000 for posting unapproved video during games, according to a copy of the notice that was obtained by Mashable.
And that's just for a first offense; a second infraction will draw a $50,000 fine. Any thereafter will draw a fine of "up to" $100,000 as well as "loss of rights to post League-Controlled Content (including game footage)."
SEE ALSO:The 'tragic' rise and fall, and rise and fall, of Todd Marinovich takes its latest turnThere's more, too. On a subsequent conference call with public relations, marketing, social media and digital personnel from all 32 teams to go over the new rules, the league deemed video to be "anything that moves," according to a source from one franchise who was on the call.
That includes GIFs from previous games of players celebrating, or even pop culture GIFs such as tangentially relevant quotes from Seinfeld or other TV shows. So, for now at least, even moving images of Harambe are off limits during games (let's pour a little out for him yet again).
That conference call was Tuesday, and the memo states the policy goes into effect on Oct. 12.
Sources from two teams said they feel the new policy is meant to limit the creativity of what teams can do online during games in order to drive attention and eyeballs to official NFL accounts, as opposed to social accounts operated by franchises.
On Twitter, for example, the memo says "video may not be posted from kickoff until 60 minutes after the conclusion of the game" by teams. The exception is "club 're-posts' of League video."
The league also told teams the new guidelines are "not to be distributed externally to any third parties, including, but not limited to, our social media partners," according to an email obtained by Mashable. So: Don't post original video, and don't tell reps from Facebook or Twitter why our game-day strategy has changed.
It all adds up to some curious scenarios. Let's take the following example pointed out by Albert Breer, a reporter for Sports Illustrated's MMQB.com site, who also obtained the memo sent out to all 32 teams.
In the NFL season opener, Darian Stewart of the Broncos was fined $18,231 for an illegal hit on league MVP Cam Newton. Under the new guidelines, had the Broncos or Panthers then used Twitter to post video of the hit that was not a "re-post" of a "League video," the team could be hit with a $25,000 fine -- more than Stewart was fined for delivering the illegal hit in the first place.
Also striking some as curious is that the decree came a month into the current NFL season, thus forcing teams to adjust their strategies with relatively little planning. Could that be related to NFL ratings being some 10 percent down on major networks so far this season?
Brian McCarthy, the NFL's vice president of communications, told Mashablevia email that this had all been "in the works throughout the summer" and was just enacted now after a "regularly scheduled owners digital committee here at the league office last week."
And as for the in-game GIF ban our source mentioned being mentioned on the call this Tuesday? McCarthy told Mashable"we will be clarifying further with clubs what is permissible re GIFs."
"We recognize the importance of social for clubs and look to balance increasing flexibility while building long-term strategic value," McCarthy said via email. "We continue to update and evolve our policies to drive engagement and fan development."
The new guidelines do loosen some restrictions on social media use during the week for teams. But game-days are by far when teams find the most engagement, which then in many cases carries them through the week -- thus explaining much of the frustration with the new rules.
So if your favorite NFL team's social feeds seem a little drier and more -- well, boring -- on game-days the rest of this season, now you know why.
BONUS: Kids lip dub a Marshawn Lynch press conference
TopicsSocial Media
-
Footage of Kim YoTrump, Cruz, Rubio, Bush: Here’s where things stand in the GOP race.Benghazi committee whistleblower Brad Podliska suing Trey Gowdy for defamation.Dude eats a 3When Are NextInternational lawyers' groups urge Seoul to repatriate North Korean waitresses'Vampyr' video game reviewTrump says he appreciates Russia, China for help on North KoreaMicrowave technique recovers 87% of batteries' lithium in 15 minutesBest TV deal: Get the Fire TV 50
- ·What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more
- ·How to find Amazon Prime Day deals: Turn on Alexa's Amazon deal alerts
- ·Moon invites Kim Jong
- ·“三为汉源 爱家树风”大宣讲走进汉源县大树镇
- ·The local version of Project 2025 is already causing devastation.
- ·Thanksgiving myth: Native Americans weren’t passive and land
- ·Best early Prime Day Echo deals 2024: Shop record lows on smart home devices
- ·Tesla announces another big recall. See the models impacted.
- ·Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky 2024 livestream: Watch live WNBA
- ·签约率90.89% 恒天项目征地搬迁仅剩45户
- ·What Star Wars audiences are telling us: Give us more women
- ·Clinton explains why he never personally apologized to Monica. Sigh.
- ·Essential Apps to Install on your Windows PC or Mac
- ·Spy agency says N. Korea's firing of projectiles "not provocative"
- ·Otto Warmbier parents in South Korea: Death of son was 'intentional act'
- ·Designer Sophie Theallet says she won't dress Melania Trump
- ·Police bust crypto scammer who received plastic surgery to evade arrest
- ·Turkey shoots down Russian plane for allegedly crossing Syrian border.
- ·Can 'free speech' be 'moderated'? Yes.
- ·Tesla announces another big recall. See the models impacted.
- ·Families of S. Korean detainees in NK appeal to embassies for support
- ·How to log out of Netflix on Apple TV, Roku, Fire, and more
- ·“南方镉铅污染农田生物炭基改良技术”入选农业农村部2024年农业主推技术
- ·网购进口食品 不能只图便宜 更要注意安全
- ·PS5 Pro: It looks like a sketch of the design just leaked
- ·N. Korea warns U.S. of "unwanted consequences"
- ·[From the Scene] How ‘world’s first oil town’ is wrestling to become ‘green'
- ·N. Korea warns U.S. of "unwanted consequences"
- ·Housing crisis, low marriage rate correlated for millennials: study
- ·签约率90.89% 恒天项目征地搬迁仅剩45户
- ·13 Unbelievable Underwater Wonders in Florida
- ·Video shows San Francisco police firing on man with knife.
- ·Video shows San Francisco police firing on man with knife.
- ·微信成父母“监视器 两代人关系面临新问题
- ·[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists
- ·North Korean defectors to South surpass 800 in 2019; 1,000 by year