Phoenix Sued After Giving the NFL Power To Censor Signs on Private Property

An Arizona businessman is suing the Phoenix city government over its ban on displaying temporary signage on private property downtown that hasn’t been preapproved by the National Football League (NFL) and a private Super Bowl host committee.

“The city of Phoenix is letting the NFL decide what I can and cannot say on my own property. That’s not right,” said Bramley Paulin, the owner of two properties affected by the signage restrictions. This week, Paulin filed a lawsuit against the city in state court, claiming those restrictions have cost him advertising business and violate his free speech rights.

The Super Bowl is being held next month in neighboring Glendale, Arizona, and Phoenix is hosting a running outdoor festival in its downtown in the run-up to the game. To prepare for the festivities, the city government passed a resolution in October 2022 that requires all temporary signage in a designated “clean zone” to receive preapproval from the NFL and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.

City officials have said that censorship is necessary to prevent Super Bowl revelers from being scammed and to protect the investments of the NFL and its partners from competing advertisements.

“The NFL sponsors ar