a clubs experience with USATF - USATF made us take down Club XC highlight video due to copyright claims

#YourWelcome

polevaultpower wrote:

This situation is ridiculous. USATF is killing the sport in their efforts to protect their brand. I plan to write more about this soon.

.....

YOU barely promoted the event. Barely acknowledged it happened. You have staff resources to take down videos all day long, but you don't have the resources to give the largest open cross country race in USATF history its own press release?! Is this really the best allocation of resources.

Don't bother writing more because USATF is too busy issuing DMCA takedown notices to participants at events they sanction. This is what management does when the goal is monetizing, not participation.

Stop spending money at USATF if you feel so strongly. Or, get legislation through that frees media of amateur events from the dark shadow of USATF IP policy.

usatf wrote:

#YourWelcome

I can't stop laughing at their hashtag! It's so pompous!

I am president of USATF-NE and we fully approve of SISU and their use of this video to promote the club and their excellent adventure to the USATF club national XC champs. It is what we are charted to do. SISU is USATF.

Sam in Oakland wrote:

The core of this issue seems less about splitting hairs over the legality of the video, than the structural problems of USATF as both an amateur and professional body. USATF does sound technically - though perhaps not morally - in the right.

I'm not a lawyer either, but I don't see how USATF could possibly have a legal leg to stand on, in this particular case. Normally, these are not actually issues of copyright law, but contract law. The fine print on the back of the ticket says you can't film or whatever.

In this case, it's freaking club cross. There were no tickets. I guess we'd have to go back and see what the fine print is on the entries, but technically those are supposed to be between USATF and the athlete, even if someone else is "signing" on behalf of the athlete.

I hope Sisu keeps fighting this. The madness needs to stop.

Anything that draws attention to the sport benefits USATF both financially and in terms of furthering their (purported) mission.

And isn't furthering the mission what a non-profit is supposed to be all about? If I work for a non-profit that is supposed to help low-income people get into college or provide health related education to families or whatever, would I go around trying to thwart anyone who drew attention to the work of my company and the issue we are trying to address? Of course not. That would be completely counter to the mission. But that's just what USATF is doing.

Derderian wrote:

I am president of USATF-NE and we fully approve of SISU and their use of this video to promote the club and their excellent adventure to the USATF club national XC champs. It is what we are charted to do. SISU is USATF.

So SISUs association approves, what does that mean for this club? It still doesn't change anything for the rest of us. will this effect bloggers, as well? Is the NE-association going to help change the policy? (Or at least make the policy clear to members)

What are the steps to get a policy changed for clubs/non-professionals?

Good for you Mr. Dedarian for weighing-in on this! I am very proud to have folks like you in leadership. Thank you, thank you, thank you for speaking out. I hope you have a chance to talk to the national leadership about this.

I'll second that, thank you Tom, way to show your true colors. For those that aren't familiar, Dedarian is one stand up guy. Fortunately I think our southern CA staff would give the same answer. not sure about norcal, as supportive as they are of the sport, sometimes they can be a bit corporate. nonetheless, sisu needs to just put this back up on youtube and tell usatf to lawyer up, AFTER they actually find some applicable laws to harass them with. good luck with that, you nitwits in Indy.

USATF is starting more and more to look like the old day of the AAU for those of us old enough to remember.

Time to get rid of the USATF board and start again with people who care about running and not their 'careers' at USATF and self promotion.

I'm ashamed of USATF and what they have become and this really illustrates why.

mxcrunner wrote:

a clubs experience with USATF

http://levelrenner.com/2015/02/20/cease-and-desist-one-clubs-ordeal-with-usatf/

why does this new generation of kids think that no one is allowed to own anything, or have any rights to owning anything? what is u guys? a bunch of commies?

Haji wrote:

Don't complain about USATF. Remember, they are diverse.

Amazing post. so funny.

I'm going to get a thumbs up feature put in so I can give this 10,000.

Hayduke wrote:

mxcrunner wrote:

a clubs experience with USATF

http://levelrenner.com/2015/02/20/cease-and-desist-one-clubs-ordeal-with-usatf/

why does this new generation of kids think that no one is allowed to own anything, or have any rights to owning anything? what is u guys? a bunch of commies?

Sure, but it seems to me that a mission driven non-profit should use their ownership rights in a manner that furthers their mission. In this case, this would mean using their ownership rights to explicitly allow groups to use video in a manner that promotes the sport.

Next step? Issue press releases that can only be viewed by people going to the USA site?

for very limited release wrote:

Next step? Issue press releases that can only be viewed by people going to the USA site?

Gotta protect the brand! Wouldn't want that press release to be on any other websites where there might be ads for competing sponsors...

And yet USATF feels it is ok to promote this Vine on their FB page - that contains video that was clearly recorded from a TV broadcast of the Combine.

https://vine.co/v/OQIh3bzJgYp

Then this.... wrote:

And yet USATF feels it is ok to promote this Vine on their FB page - that contains video that was clearly recorded from a TV broadcast of the Combine.

https://vine.co/v/OQIh3bzJgYp

That they have the right to rebroadcast, or they rely some kind of fair use artifice. Or, they are in a position of power, so go away.

The DMCA encourages copyright cartel and USATF has a monopoly, so sucks to be you.

How about drafting legislation to create an exception so USATF will stop enforcing their copyright in certain cases? It will go down in flames once it hits the only people with power like the Hightower vote, but, fun to watch.

We just wanted to express thanks to all the people who are supporting us in letting USATF know how the membership feels. Many USATF members have taken it upon themselves to write letters to USATF leaders at national or at their own association to relay to national - we think it is important and we will support others in this way.

Thank you all who showed support and offered to help. We hope to be able to keep anyone interested updated on any news that results from this situation.

Thanks again all!

Who do we write to at USATF? Who is in charge of broadcasts at USATF? There's nobody listed on their website.