This entry was posted on 7/23/2007 8:41 AM and is filed under uncategorized.
This blog entry contains a minor spoiler about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which is a fine conclusion to the Harry Potter series. If you don't want to know the very slightest thing about what happens, then keep reading the book and come back here when you get to Chapter 24. It'll be safe by then.
If you've read any of the Harry Potter books, you've probably noticed how most characters do not want to mention You-Know-Who's actual name. The final book illustrates why. (This is your last chance to avoid the spoiler.) The Dark Lord made his name taboo, so that his followers would instantly know whenever anyone said "Voldemort" out loud. And since his followers knew better than to do that, the only people who would say the name out loud had to be folks who were against him, often speaking from concealment.
That's a little bit similar to why I don't mention the league names or team nicknames on my list of FTA sporting events. It's not that the leagues or teams are evil, just that they have an understandable interest in anyone who mentions them. We view all FTA channels with the implied consent (or lack of sufficient opposition) of the channel broadcasters and their program providers. That's why we all have a vested interest in keeping these parties happy, or at least not too grumpy.
I assume that these leagues and teams use internet spiders to find references to them, and based on what they find, some employee of the league or team reads the results. Will that human be happy to see that lots of North American viewers can watch some Newark Grasshoppers games for free? Or will that human worry that he's losing sales on his American Insect League PPV package? To be on the safe side, remember to treat the gift of free TV with appropriate respect. Be thankful instead of complaining or clamoring for more. And to be even safer, let's not mention exactly who it is we're talking about. We don't want to run afoul of the taboo.
This blog entry contains a minor spoiler about 
