Fantasy sports lawsuit

[The Lung]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/15/baseball.stats.ap/index.html

Ben Clark, a St. Louis attorney who specializes in intellectual property rights, said a win by Major League Baseball could "send a shudder through the entire fantasy industry," he said.

[GreatestShowOnEarth]

saw this on Outside the Lines last summer... this looks like it could be serious.

[SniperShot]

I saw the other day it was only Baseball but now starting to hear all major sports are thinking about their stats and history copyrights and everything. Wow what would happen if pro sports decided everyone couldn't just mess with stats and post stuff? I guess any site that doesn't have partnerships with the NFL or MLB or NBA would get screwed? Dunno but it sure looks like it could turn into fudgy situation down the road. Curse these copyright infringment laws! Curse the politically correctness of it all... Why does the government like to stick into everything stickable in the world?

[portisfan24]

Maybe the days of pen and paper will return.

[CC]

Maybe the days of pen and paper will return.

Good, everyone is too damn lazy. I do all my scores by pen + paper anyways, I don't want to pay for Statracker or wait until the next morning.

[moonhead]

Maybe the days of pen and paper will return.

Good, everyone is too damn lazy. I do all my scores by pen + paper anyways, I don't want to pay for Statracker or wait until the next morning.

CC you're so legit.

[no1cowboysfan]

I did pen and paper up until this year, and I could go back, but honestly, this is ridiculous.

If I recall correctly, players already receive compensation for the use of their records and accomplishments.

IT'S CALLED SALARY. Which I may add is much higher than likely any of us get paid. And for the fantasy players whose wallets this would effect the most, probably all of our salaries combined.

I really hate the player's union.

[biju]

I'm still in a league that is pen and paper (been going for 16 years now; I've been in it for 3) and I've always enjoyed it.

Let me tell you what I'm going to do if this actually happens...

It would be very simple to create a sort of P2P client that allows people to submit stats. Create a xml based template to build your scoring system and run the stats through it. It would calculate the scores for the league and then the scores could be posted on a shared website. Since the scores aren't owned by the NFL (if they get them) there's nobody to sue.

Hell, I need to start working on this so I can make some cash somehow.

[deluxe_247]

maybe they will figure out that the popularity of fantasy sports has actually benefitted them in fans and revenue. i dont think its a coincidence that football is gaining popularity at the same time that fantasy is blowing up.

[moonhead]

maybe they will figure out that the popularity of fantasy sports has actually benefitted them in fans and revenue. i dont think its a coincidence that football is gaining popularity at the same time that fantasy is blowing up.

he's saying what we're all thinking.

love ya deluxe. you da man. that's a great point. i don't think they realize. i think they just assume it's their increidbly ridiculous marketing plan that is working.