Internet tipping comps

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CJ

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Jul 31, 2000
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I couldn't help but post this: What a joke!!

Net footy tipping out of bounds


By Mark Russell
Saturday, October 21, 2000


THE AFL is threatening to take legal action against Internet website owners running footy tipping competitions.

A letter to site owners across the country warns the AFL holds the intellectual property rights over AFL fixtures.

The AFL is demanding Internet site owners pay a fee for any future use of its fixtures.

The owner of one of the sites, Perth-based e-commerce site Nedkelly.com.au, claimed yesterday the AFL was attempting highway robbery.

Nedkelly director Tony Robertson said there were hundreds of footy tipping competition websites in Australia. He said Nedkelly, which had 4000 members, ran its competition for the first time last season in conjunction with the Fremantle Dockers with winners being paid $100 a week and $2000 at the end of the season.

''The point is there's a copy of AFL fixtures up on the wall in every office in Australia. It's obvious the AFL is being very heavy-handed about this,'' he said.

''What they're trying to do is use their ownership of the fixtures to stop people having footy tipping software.''

In a letter sent to Internet companies this week, the AFL's legal services manager, Andrew Dillon, warned about unauthorised use of the AFL's intellectual property rights.

''The AFL invests substantial time, money, skill and effort in creating the AFL fixture each year,'' Mr Dillon said in the letter.

''As a result, copyright subsists with the AFL in the AFL fixture and the AFL holds all rights over the reproduction of the AFL fixture in whole or in part.''

He said companies could not list fixtures without the written consent of the AFL. Unauthorised use would lead to legal action.

An AFL spokesman said the organisation had no concerns about an office or local pub running a footy tipping competition. But the AFL did have a problem with Internet companies using fixtures for commercial gain.

''Twenty-five kids in a class all putting in 20c a week and picking a team to win is not an issue - but if a company is charging people $5 to enter a footy tipping competition using our fixtures with no mention of the AFL then that's a different matter, that's commercial gain,'' the AFL spokesman said.
 
We'll run one here in 2001. Probably just link to the official site for the fixtures
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The only winners from a tipping comp are the tipsters who pick up prizes - the company running it makes no money at all.

Anyway, they've been saying this for a number of years. Last year I had two people from the official AFL site in AFLTips.Com. I specifically asked them about the legality of it. They made no comment, but still put their tips in each week
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[This message has been edited by Bluey (edited 21 October 2000).]
 

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Is there no limit to the penny-pinching, money-grubbing, mean-spirited ways of the world's most corrupt sporting organisation?

A curse on the A.F.L.
A pox on Wayne Jackson.

Call their bluff and screw them over.
The A.F.L. are a carbuncle on the arse of humanity.

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**floreat pica**
 

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