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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNFL blackout rule might come to an end thanks to Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown
http://www.sportsrageous.com/nfl-blackout-rule-might-come-to-an-end-01-14-2012NFL blackout rule might come to an end
By Poeticsoul
January 14, 2012
There might be an end to NFL blackouts in sight. This will cause some to rejoice, and others to ask what youre talking about. Simply put, the NFL blackout rule that prevents undersold home games from being broadcast in their local market might be at an end after 35 years of tyranny.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio has made an effort to end the blackouts since only one of the Cleveland Browns home games managed to make it on the air in the area. Now, the FCC announced Thursday that it will consider ending the rule instated in 1973.
The NFL stands by their rule, saying that it is crucial in maintaining appropriate ticket sales and revenue. But critics tear this argument to shreds. How many people buy tickets to games in order to help meet a quota? There are many fans in certain areas who arent even aware of the rule. Fans buy tickets because they want to be at the game, not because they have no other way to see the game.
(more at link)
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Thanks for my Great U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown!
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)Not sure the blackout rule aids ticket sales at all.
woolldog
(8,791 posts)The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)woolldog
(8,791 posts)the rule never made sense to me. I prefer college football over the NFL anyway so I didn't much care whether games were blacked out or not. Plus if you really want to see a game these days they're all online.
JVS
(61,935 posts)that they need to actually get off their asses and go to some games.
Logical
(22,457 posts)proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)Taxpayers are paying for the stadiums. Many can't afford to attend the games. Here in KC, parking alone is $30.
NFL owners are crooks. Why should they be allowed to decide which games are televised in which areas?
sunwyn
(494 posts)It is really aggravating for a lot of fans as taxpayers build the stadiums.
dkf
(37,305 posts)baldguy
(36,649 posts)Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Back when you didn't have to take out a second mortgage to treat a family of 4 to a snack and a game.
JVS
(61,935 posts)No team is going to survive constant blackouts. The owners need the TV revenue.
baldguy
(36,649 posts)They have outrageously expensive seats, and then they have somewhat less outrageously expensive seats seats. None of them could be considered "cheap".
The owners don't really care about the blackout. They get most of their revenue from nationwide broadcasts and merchandising, not ticket sales or local broadcasts. Keeping the ticket prices high just keeps the riff-raff out.
JVS
(61,935 posts)But if Cinci would lower their prices, I might be tempted to go to road games for my team and help them beat the blackout. Same with Cleveland.
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)Everything is else is sheer profit, INCLUDING ticket sales.
Taxpayers paid for the stadiums. The games should NOT be blacked out.
If the owners don't like it, they can pay for their own stadiums.
JVS
(61,935 posts)proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)We did a lot of research the last time our owners asked the taxpayers to remodel their stadiums. Before they even play the first pre-season game, their budget is in the black. They've met their payroll and ALL expenses from the TV revenues alone. So blacking out games is essentially robbing the taxpayers.
It's an unbelievably corrupt racket. These owners are greedy bastards. They are a powerful lobby in both state capitals and in DC.
I wouldn't give them a dime of my money now. They get my tax dollars - that's enough.
obamanut2012
(26,076 posts)And parking, and food and drink )since they don't let you bring in your own)? And, all on this on the taxpayers' backs, the taxpayers who paid for the damned stadium and roads leading to the stadium and the parking lots in the first place.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,219 posts)Local taxpayers subsidize their stadiums (and a host of other tax breaks), and you still have nonsense like this a few days ago:
Khan explained just what it takes to be a Jaguars fan, in his opinion: "I think I can clarify at this point for me a fan is somebody who is a season ticket holder fan for the Jaguars," said the new owner. "We want to hear from people, we want a huge amount of constructive feedback. We need input, but we need that from fans who are season ticket holders."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12044107
onenote
(42,702 posts)probably not intentional, since its a complicated issue and set of rules.
First, the blackout of local telecasts of NFL games that aren't sold out is not required by any rule. Rather, it is permitted by an act of Congress that was enacted to give the NFL a limited exemption from the antitrust laws (thus allowing the merger of the old AFL and NFL). For a number of years, the legislation included a limitation that prevented the NFL from requiring the blackout of local broadcasts of home games that were sold out 72 hours before game time. That provision expired a number of years ago, but the NFL has voluntarily continued to abide by it. Otherwise, they could contractually bar the broadcast of a home game even if it was sold out.
Second, the FCC rule in question addresses a different, but related practice. Under the copyright law, cable systems and satellite companies are permitted to "import" a station from a different market, subject to various limitations. One of the limitations, found in an FCC rule, is that a cable operator or satellite company can be forced to blackout an out of market signal if its being imported into a market where a game is subject to a local blackout. For example, if the Washington Nationals are playing at home against the visiting Chicago Cubs and the game is not sold out,the cable system serving Washington DC carries WGN from Chicago, the system can be instructed by the Nationals to blackout WGN's telecast of the game. If the game is being broadcast locally (even if its not sold out), then the Nationals cannot force the system to blackout WGN.
This rule is virtually never invoked. Among other things, there just aren't that many instances of distant signals carriage into the major markets where sports franchises are located. As such, the repeal of the rule will be mostly an empty gesture. It won't impact the Congressional provision allowing the NFL to blackout a local telecast of games that aren't sold out and while cable and DBS will theoretically have the freedom to import a distant signal from the visiting team's market on which the game is broadcast, various other rules (and the requirement to pay substantial copyright royalties) effectively deter that practice.
But I suppose it makes folks feel better to pretend that they've accomplished something.
1776Forever
(6,985 posts)NFL Blackout Rule Under Review By FCC
By David Fucillo
Jan 13, 2012
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/1/13/2704175/nfl-blackout-rule-tv-fcc-ruling
...The rule is now under its most significant attack to date and may not be long for this world. The FCC has officially begun the process of considering a new rule that would rescind the television blackout rule. In November 2011, five public interest groups submitted to the FCC a petition for rulemaking that would eliminate the sports blackout rule (PDF). On Thursday, the FCC submitted a public notice calling for comments about the petition (PDF). These are the first two steps in a lengthy process.
The FCC will consider new rules either through statutory mandate, agency identification of a problem, or a public petition. In this case, five groups submitted a public petition. The groups include Sports Fans Coalition, Inc., Public Knowledge, National Consumers League, League of Fans and Media Access Project.
The FCC has reviewed the petition and is now providing an opportunity for interested parties to submit comments on the matter. The FCC will accept responses to the petition until February 13, 2012. Replies to those responses will be allowed until February 28, 2012. This potential change in rules will receive comments from across the sports world, and not just from the NFL. Although the rule-change is aimed at the NFL, this has the possibility of impacting all four major sports.
(more at link)
onenote
(42,702 posts)So the FCC proceeding is not any sort of attack on that rule. And the rule that allows the NFL to black out local broadcasts is embodied in a statute that the FCC lacks any power to change.
Also, it should be pointed out that the FCC is merely asking for comment on a petition asking it to start a proceeding to repeal its current "blackout" rule -- if the FCC decides to proceed, it would have to conduct a separate proceeding to actually repeal the rule. Finally, as the FCC public notice soliciting comment on the petition indicates, even the petitioners who want the FCC rule repealed admit that argue that sports leagues could privately negotiate the same results that the rule affords.
I've checked and to the best I can determine, Senator Brown hasn't introduced legislation to repeal the provision of the antitrust laws that allows the NFL to impose a blackout restriction on local broadcasters. If he was serious about forcing the NFL to change its policies, that's what you would expect to see.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... even as this is going on, the local NFL team here is doing the "hat in hand" shuffle, demanding "a new stadium or else we're gonna move" and of course, a the billionaire owner thinks it's up to the locals to finance a large part of the costs...
Meh.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,327 posts)itsrobert
(14,157 posts)n/t
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)the games should never be blacked out.
A state rep in MO proposed legislation last year but I don't think it went anywhere.
Recovered Repug
(1,518 posts)The people of Cleveland should consider themselves lucky that they were blacked out.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)each team had to have their own stadium and oh the jobs they were gonna produce. it was all such a load. but they got it thanks to the sports fans, most of whom dont live in the city. too much emphasis on the teams anyway- too many resources wasted on sports. cleveland schools are not getting the attention they need but there's always money for sports. let them charge as much asthey want sports fans will find a way to pony up. so pony up suckers