ABC: Pawlenty 'Miracle on Ice' Ad Violates Copyrights

ABC Sports says the campaign of Tim Pawlenty used unauthorized footage from the so-called "Miracle on Ice" hockey game in a political advertisement, an official told The Des Moines Register.

“It’s a violation of our copyright and exclusive proprietary rights,”  Louise Argianas, director of rights and clearances for ABC Sports, told the Register.

Pawlenty's campaign launched the “The American Comeback,” a television commercial in Iowa on Thursday.

Story continues below video.





The 30-second spot uses TV footage from the so-called “Miracle on Ice,” the hockey game when the USA team beat the supposedly invincible Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics, the Register reported.

“And they used our announcer’s voice which they are not allowed to do either,” she said, referring to play-by-play announcer Al Michaels. “Which I’m going to have to call his agent about.”

The ad shows Pawlenty on an ice arena in his home town of St. Paul. He The played high school hockey and "still dabbles at an amateur level," the Register wrote.