Copyright Law, Plagiarism, & Ethical Issues

Copyright is protection offered to creators of original works. Copyright protects the originators from letting other people come and steal their idea or concept. I had already known much of what we went over in class but it doesn't change the fact of how important it is. Copyright and plagiarism can lead to the downfall of any single person because once somebody loses their creditability it is almost impossible to get it back.

In my profession as a sports manager I see myself encountering copyright and plagiarism issues everyday. Working at the high school or college level the most obvious thing I foresee happening is students cheating. Proper education on this topic can be better prepare me to teach students on how to avoid the issue of plagiarism. On the pro level I envision myself dealing with companies and brands for major sports teams copying common ideas and themes.

For my outside source I chose a New York Times article about the New York Jets. The Jets came across a unique program much like Facebook that makes plays for football players easier to learn. This program called Hudl Pro is unique and provides an advantage to the Jets. Since the program worked so well the New York Jets signed an exclusive deal so that they are the only team allowed to use it in the AFC. This is a perfect example of Copyright being used in the professional world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/sports/football/28jets.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin