Video at NHRA events

[CycloneFE]

I volunteer at a local street festival and have for 26 years. Through the years some of the entertainers want us to stop the use of video. We have "asked" many of the folks in the crowd to respect the entertainer's wishes and most do. BUT, we were told by our festival managment that we can not stop it because it is in a public arena format, there is no gate or entry as it is all free, therefore all entertainment is free also. We try not to push the issue.

This year we had the Spin Doctors on stage. Very different approach. They ASKED the crowd to film and post all they wanted. They said no one is buying albums so they wanted to expand by word of mouth to more people. Very happy crowd, and very happy workers. Kind of interesting concept. Perhaps we are getting TOO much attention to something they want to kill.

[Gene Daugherty]

Wouldn't most of us consider that racers use the You Tube videos for "competition/analytical purposes", as opposed to "promote teams, drivers, sponsors and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series"?

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by CycloneFE

I volunteer at a local street festival and have for 26 years. Through the years some of the entertainers want us to stop the use of video. We have "asked" many of the folks in the crowd to respect the entertainer's wishes and most do. BUT, we were told by our festival managment that we can not stop it because it is in a public arena format, there is no gate or entry as it is all free, therefore all entertainment is free also. We try not to push the issue.

This year we had the Spin Doctors on stage. Very different approach. They ASKED the crowd to film and post all they wanted. They said no one is buying albums so they wanted to expand by word of mouth to more people. Very happy crowd, and very happy workers. Kind of interesting concept. Perhaps we are getting TOO much attention to something they want to kill.

If NHRA enforces the No Video rule then it will be the down fall of racing , NHRA does absoutely nothing to support the Sportsman racing now > I am confused on why they don't want to have any type of racing to help racing in general . I have never seen any pros on U tube so why are they upset over the video of Sportsman???

[Alan Roehrich]

They don't want sportsman racing promoted, it's not in their interest. That, and they can't make money off of youtube.

[james schaechter]

I don't need to worry. All of my videos are purely analytical in nature!

[B Parker]

If you don't race a car. Or you are not even be an NHRA member. How can they stop you from going to a race and recording some vidieo's. I have never signed a waiver when going to watch a race saying that I would not do any recording. They may be able to punish us racers if we record but what can they do to Joe public. And if you post a vidieo how can they prove who posted it on any tube.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by B Parker

If you don't race a car. Or you are not even be an NHRA member. How can they stop you from going to a race and recording some vidieo's. I have never signed a waiver when going to watch a race saying that I would not do any recording. They may be able to punish us racers if we record but what can they do to Joe public. And if you post a vidieo how can they prove who posted it on any tube.

Barry, purchasing a ticket is an agreement with NHRA. Read the fine print on that stuff. It does not even have to be in writing on the ticket, it can be posted at the booth, the gate, or online. The courts can force youtube to tell them who posted a video.

[BobOrme]

These rules don't target any specific class of racers.

Racing is contested on privately owned property with public access. The property owners can make the rules for what you can or can't do on that property. If you don't agree with the rules, don't enter the property.

When the property owners and/or sanctioning bodies require a license (at a cost) to photograph or video record action at the facility for future use for profit, they should protect those licensed entities from infringement on what they do for a living by those who aren't paying licensing fees. That's why personal use is okay. Mass distribution, even when it is freely available through avenues such as youtube, is not always okay.

There are also other legal issues when there is an accident at the track. Someone uploading a youtube video of an accident that may involve injury or death before actual facts are known and family members can be contacted is unacceptable under any circumstances.

[Alan Roehrich]

Bob, NHRA's rules about the subject at hand are all about them making money off of everything they can, and about them deciding who gets promoted and how. That's just a simple fact.

Sure, there are concerns about accidents. Yet it is perfectly legal and acceptable to video or photograph at air shows and grass roots races.

This is ALL about money and control for NHRA. They want to maximize their profit, choose who gets promoted, and control all of the exposure they get.

Yes, those are their rules, and we have to live with them if we race with them. That doesn't change the motivation behind the rules.

[Bret Kepner]

You're wrong, Alan.

The very first clause in the ESPN contract guarantees totally, complete and outright exclusivity of all photographic and video content to ESPN/ABC/Capitol Cities/Disney.

This is the way ESPN (and every other network) handles any sporting event.

Although it is ESPN's demand, it's on the shoulders of the host organization to police the rule. Why? Because ESPN demands it. Why are they cracking down now? Because they never really HAVE before except in the case of a fatality, (which was in the interest of NHRA's liability and legal defense).

You might recall the P.A. announcement made at NHRA events for the past decade which, (as at all sporting events with broadcast rights at stake), mentions the phrase), "without the express written permission of the NHRA". Note it does NOT say, "without the express written permission of ESPN". It puts the responsibility squarely on the NHRA, (or NFL, MLB, etc.), because they're liable to the broadcasting network if the contract is violated.

The proliferation of NHRA content via social media has (apparently) gotten to the point at which NHRA must crack down or be sued into oblivion by ESPN. This would explain the NHRA's desire to control all media and they've gone to great lengths to secure it over the past twenty years. One of the first methods used to control it is to charge money; it quickly weeds out the low-ballers onsite for their own entertainment and restricts, (for the most part), all ontrack media to legitimate outlets. Ask the photographers how much it costs to get on the starting line in 2012. Non-ESPN videographers are restricted to pit area interviews only and may not include any results from the event itself until after the race. This is ANYTHING but "new". The NHRA is just cracking down on it.

You folks want NHRA Drag Racing to be treated like a "real sport"? Well, here you go. In this instance, it's the same as baseball, football, soccer and Formula One.

Orme described the situation very eloquently but these are the details. Feel free to call me a defender of the NHRA, a media hack or just a liar. I'll counter with the same response I give to any and all criticism of any drag racing association's rules:

Don't like it? Don't go.

By the way, Don Kennedy mentioned. "I have never seen any Pros on YouTube". The reason for this is NHRA's quite vigilant watch for any and all clips on YouTube, (and everywhere else). B. Parker added, "They may be able to punish us racers if we record but what can they do to Joe public?". The answer is simple. They can do anything and everything they want to do. YouTube works very closely with all companies who have exclusivity rights violated and anybody can be found by any post made anywhere on the 'Web. Folks would be wise to heed the warning; the NHRA's legal counsel has come down on violaters like a ton of bricks in exactly the same fashion as NFL, MLB, etc., (although maybe not as hard as F1; mess with them and it's almost a death sentence). If you only knew the dollars involved in the lawsuits concerning the posting of video and photos of the last runs of Scott Kalitta and Darrell Russell, you'd be stunned.

This isn't a matter of posting a video and having NHRA contact you to take down the video and never contacting you again after it has been removed. This is about swift, serious and incredibly expensive legal action just because the video or photo was posted in the first place.

You can debate the legality, morality or reality of this subject but none of it matters. These are the facts. Now, you can't even claim, "I didn't know!".