Fansites being shutdown

[cub]

Just noticed on BF that dawk headquarters has been shutdown.
Took me a while to get here and got a bit worried.

When I first found these things I thought it was just for nerds, well either that or I became a bit of one myself 

Dont know WTF the AFL's problem is, but they fn geisch me to tears the way they carry on.

Hope it doesn't happen here as I have got used to u guys/gals, if it does good luck and see ya round maybe

[one-eyed]

Reading the admin's post on HHQ it says the AFL has told them off for using AFL trademarks like logos. It also seems from a later post by him that some posters over there have been posting stuff that gets them into trouble. Sad to see a good forum like HHQ that's been going since 2001 being closed down  . Hopefully it's only temporary.

http://www.hawkheadquarters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23899

Only the AFL honchos think publicity is bad for Aussie Rules  .

[Ox]

they have such small penis's.

[Fishfinger]

Hmmm......Sportal content, Telstra, internet rights, AFL, money....(just thinking out loud) 

[WilliamPowell]

Hmmm......Sportal content, Telstra, internet rights, AFL, money....(just thinking out loud) 

Funny I was thinking the same thing.....

The AFL just doesn't get it at all

[Puntroadroar]

If the AFL are closing down some Fan websites, I know of one where I used to post that should have been closed years ago but I dont want to say any names because that's not what this site is all about

Long live OER !!! 

[mightytiges]

Apparently a poster on HHQ emailed some AFL people then posted their replies which they weren't too happy about. The risk is on the admin and he's not willing to take it anymore so he has decided to shutdown the forum but keep the rest of HHQ going.

[one-eyed]

It's made the papers....

--------------

AFL warns fans forum
Emma Quayle
The Age
August 5, 2006

AN online supporter forum that published umpire Darren Goldspink's phone number may shut down after being threatened by the AFL over its use of copyrighted material.

The league's legal department wrote to the Hawk Headquarters website on Thursday, asking the site's moderators to remove all official AFL and Hawthorn logos — including photographs depicting those logos — within a week.

Hawkheadquarters.com is one of several non-profit, supporter-run websites, but is the only one to have been warned by the AFL over copyright issues.

A recent post to the site's message board, which was not mentioned in the AFL's letter, contained the number of Goldspink's newsagency and urged fellow posters to call and complain about his umpiring. The thread was removed after the site was emailed by the AFL.

The Hawk Headquarters moderator, Mocca, wrote on Thursday night that while the site would remain in operation, the message board would close within a week.

Fans are angered and saddened by what they believe is the AFL's heavy-handed action. Hawk Headquarters has more than 2000 registered members.

"My crew and I have weathered any number of potential legal minefields down the years. In all instances, we've done everything in our power to right the wrongs, co-operated with various parties and in many instances worked together with them to keep the peace, as it were," Mocca wrote.

"But it's a lot of responsibility, and potentially a lot of risk, and frankly, I'm not prepared to take it any more."

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/08/04/1154198332103.html

[Ox]

Its all BS

They cant shut down Jack.

Post away i say.

There are too many loopholes at present to be able to enforce such crap.

[mightytiges]

The AFL and club logos are their property. Everything like that is owned by the AFL and Telstra have bought the rights to use them. Personally IMO that's stupid as the logos aren't being defaced or altered. Instead it's a supporter or supporters' site promoting the club and with it the AFL in a positive light. Thje AFL don't get publicity  is a good thing  .

As for other things - yep the site owners could defend the site but that'd cost $$$. The only way the AFL has minimal power is if a forum is hosted overseas and by a huge company like Yahoo. That's how the names of the 3 interstate players were released publicly and the AFL could do stuff all about it.

In any case people wouldn't be so passionate about this if the official Telstra/AFL sites weren't shockers. The Testra sites were offline for most of the evening and night.

[mightytiges]

There was an article in the Herald-Sun about this today which I posted last night but somehow it's disappeared  ??? lol. Anyway Bomberblitz (an Essendon forum) caught out The Age and the West Australian for printing false info about Essendon wanting former Swan Ricky Mott as media watch showed last night  .

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1714781.htm

--------------------

Here's their reaction

http://www.bomberblitz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27780

----------------------

Internet snares victims
15 August 2006   
Herald-Sun
The Pulse with Steve Perkin

THE dangers of rumours and lies written on the internet and making their way into mainstream media surfaced twice last week.

It started with false rumours about a certain AFL coach's private life, printed first on an unofficial AFL website, being aired on Melbourne radio.

Then on Thursday, certain people within the footballing media received an email saying that former Sydney ruckman Ricky Mott was going to be drafted by Essendon.

The story, under the byline of West Australian football journalist Ray Wilson, said Mott would be drafted to replace "out-of-favour youngster Tristan Cartledge".

There were even quotes from Mott saying "I have been in talks with the Bombers for a while now and hopefully they will give me another opportunity to restart my career".

Wilson's stories are often published in The Age, so it wasn't surprising to see The Age run the Mott story on Friday.

Problem was, however, the whole story had been made up and had first appeared on the popular website bigfooty.

Somebody had then emailed it to people in the media.

Wilson, a veteran Perth journalist, said the whole thing was a dangerous hoax.

"I'm disturbed that my name was linked to such an elaborate hoax," he said.

Mott was just as confused. "I'm working on the family's wheat  and sheep farm at Dumbleyung, 300km south east of Perth.

"I'm perfectly happy and I've got no intention of returning to the AFL.

"When I heard about the story, I rang my former manager, Michael Quinlan, to find out what was going on. He was as confused as anybody."

One of the biggest unofficial websites, hawkheadquarters, closed down on Sunday following a decision by those behind it that policing content had become too difficult.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20126170%255E19742,00.html