NFL’s Blackout Rule Punishes Disabled, Elderly Fans
The most significant discussion of NFL blackouts in 40 years is taking place right now. Given the fact that the NFL’s blackout rule punishes disabled, poor and elderly fans and the fact that the rule doesn’t even work, it’s long past time the rule was eliminated. According to NFL rules, if a game is not [...]
ESPN’s Blackout of Blackout Issue is Troubling
The most significant discussion on sports blackouts since President Richard Nixon lobbied against them is taking place and ESPN is nowhere to be found. At best, this is a major oversight by “The World Wide Leader in Sports”; at worst, it reeks of corporate profits trumping public service. In January, the Federal Communications Commission agreed [...]
UPDATE: TWC-MSG Dispute Is Over!
A mere twenty minutes after we posted this, the MSG/Time Warner Cable dispute reportedly ended. Coincidence? Obviously, the threat of awakening Sports Fans Coalition caused MSG and TWC to crumble in mere minutes. Enjoy the Linsanity, New Yorkers! And the Sabres, Rangers and Devils….
Time Warner, MSG Should Immediately Resolve Dispute So New Yorkers Can Watch Lin
Since January 1, around 2.8 million Time Warner Cable customers have been unable to see games on MSG, the regional sports network owned by the Madison Square Garden Company, which also owns the New York Knicks. This means fans across New York have missed out on Knicks games, as well as Buffalo Sabres, New York [...]
FCC Blackout Fight: What Comes Next?
Many of you are wondering what comes next in the fight to end the FCC’s sports blackout rule. Monday was the deadline for “responses” to the petition filed by Sports Fans Coalition and other public interest groups calling on the agency to eliminate its blackout rule. For the next two weeks (until February 28), the [...]
Roundup of Coverage of FCC Blackout Comments
Monday’s filings by Sports Fans Coalition, the NFL, MLB, five U.S. Senators, and others generated some good media coverage. Here are some examples: Associated Press: FCC urged to end sports blackout rule Bloomberg: NFL Should Drop TV Blackout Policy, Five U.S. Senators Tell FCC Broadcasting & Cable: Senators Seek End to TV Sports Blackouts NPR: [...]
Top Sports Economists Destroy NFL’s Claims: “Blackouts Have No Significant Effect on Ticket Sales in the NFL”
Several top sports economists, including Roger Noll and Andrew Zimbalist, filed very significant comments in the FCC’s blackout rule proceeding on Monday. The economists laid waste to the NFL’s contention that “blackout policies, supported by the FCC’s sports blackout rule, promote live attendance and thus improve the stadium experience.” In fact, the economists wrote, “Academic [...]
SportsFans.org Submits Over 4,000 Comments to FCC from Fans Asking for End to Blackouts
Yesterday, Sports Fans Coalition submitted 4,155 individual comments from fans calling on the FCC to end its blackout rule. Most fans chose to use our suggested comments, but some chose to submit their own comments. You can view them all here. Below are some examples: Frank Adams in FL: IF THE PRO TEAM ACCEPTS PUBLIC [...]
FIVE U.S. Senators Tell FCC: “We Believe It Is Time for the NFL’s Blackout Policy to Come to an End”
Today, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Sherrod Brown, Tom Harkin, Frank Lautenberg, and Debbi Stabenow submitted a letter to the FCC supporting the agency’s review of its sports blackout rules. The senators addressed the National Football League’s blackout policy, writing: “We believe it is time for the NFL’s blackout policy to come to an end.” They also [...]
Sports Fans Tell FCC: End Blackout Rule Now
CONTACT: Brian Frederick, Executive Director brian@sportsfans.org (202)255-9443 For IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2011 On Monday, the nation’s largest nonprofit fan advocacy organization, Sports Fans Coalition, and other public interest groups filed formal comments asking the Federal Communications Commission to eliminate its blackout rule. The agency had asked the public to weigh in by Monday on what [...]
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