F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

[BLeonard]

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/f-c-c-may-move-to-end-n-f-l-blackouts/?ref=football

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission took a step that may lead to the elimination of all sports blackouts, of which the N.F.L.’s are the most notable. The commission said it was seeking public comment on eliminating its own rules that have effectively backstopped league policies by prohibiting cable and satellite operators from carrying a game already blacked out by local broadcast stations.

Frederick anticipates that the N.F.L. and other leagues will oppose the elimination of the F.C.C.’s rules by saying that blackouts are a financial necessity.

“That’s fine if they want to make the case that they are economically dependent on these blackouts to stay in business, which is not the case,” he said. “Anybody who looks at the sports business knows that their main source of revenue is television, not tickets.”

The interest groups argued in their petition that the F.C.C’s blackout rule “supports antifan, anticonsumer behavior by professional sports leagues.”

They added: “The leagues are at the root of the problem because they currently charge exorbitant prices for tickets, which in turn results in lower attendance. The leagues then punish fans by blacking out games from television because a few seats remain unsold.”

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

Bigger fish to fry:

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

How exactly is the FCC responsible for the debt...?

-Bill

[OpIv37]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

20 years overdue, at least.

[Jeff1220]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

The blackout rules are pretty ridiculous. It's about time they took this step. If a team is doing what it needs to do to compete, the fans will show up (unless your team is in Florida or LA). If the team is doing what the Bills have done over the past 12 years, the threat of a blackout is not going to fill the stadium.

[ddaryl]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

one could argue that the NFL is becoming monopolistic by making huge money on TV and then blacking out games ot entice fans to spend more money on tickets so they can make even more ridiculous money.

then there is the whole PSL debacle

[OpIv37]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

The Government needs to focus on fixing the economy more, not if we watch an NFL game on TV or not.

The FCC doesn't have the authority or jurisdiction to do much about the economy, if anything at all.

Are you suggesting that we just shut down all gov't agencies not directly related to the economy until the economy is fixed?

The fact that the economy has problems doesn't change the fact that other problems still exist. There's no reason why the FCC can't fix this problem while other areas of the government work on the economy.

[BLeonard]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

The Government needs to focus on fixing the economy more, not if we watch an NFL game on TV or not.

If this were Congress, I might agree... But the FCC has little to no power over the economy.

-Bill

[Jeff1220]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

one could rgue that the NFL is becoming monopolistic by making huge money on TV and then blacking out games ot entice fans to spend more money on tickets so they can make even more ridiculous money.

then there is the whole PSL debacle

PSLs are a whole other level of greed. People are paying thousands of dollars for the rights to buy something else. It's crazy! But, I guess as long as people are willing to fork over the cash it'll continue.

[OpIv37]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

PSLs are a whole other level of greed. People are paying thousands of dollars for the rights to buy something else. It's crazy! But, I guess as long as people are willing to fork over the cash it'll continue.

Hey man, you're making PSL's sound worse than they are. For the thousands of dollars, not only do you get the opportunity to spend thousands more on season tickets, you get first dibs on those seats for other events. You'll be able to buy Garth Brooks and Black Eyed Peas tickets before it sells out!

[ddaryl]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

The Government needs to focus on fixing the economy more, not if we watch an NFL game on TV or not.

Dude do you realize how ridiculous you sound spouting this crap here.

The FCC is broadcasting only. The Federal Communication Commision. What does the FCC have to do with th economy

Congress is the only entity that can do that... and Congress is to busy fighting for Agendas and personal gain.

[Skooby]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

Dude do you realize how ridiculous you sound spouting this crap here.

The FCC is broadcasting only. The Federal Communication Commision. What does the FCC have to do with th economy

Congress is the only entity that can do that... and Congress is to busy fighting for Agendas and personal gain.

All deleted, carry on.

[ddaryl]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

The FCC is a waste of resources, use more of their budget for something relevant.

(too late already quoted you)

Wow? You have no idea what you are saying.

There are a tremendous amounts of wireless signals being used in this nation, AM and FM broadcasting, cellular phones, tv, GPS, etc... etc...etc...


who is going to help organized what bands are used for what, or do you believe that we all should be able to broadcast our own radio station at any frequency we so choose and block others from broadcasting because we don't like what they say.

that is only a small part of what they do as well. Someone has to be responsible for organizing the communications across this nation.

The FCC has a purpose, and no the funds would not be better served for something else.

[trapezeus]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

the nfl should have less of an issue because:

1. the majority of their revenues come from TV deal.
2. those tv deals happen because viewership is sky high and advertising rates are high.
3. have people cutting back on sports bars and watching from home could increase the numbers of viewers on whatever scale they use (ie. neilsens)
4. this means that the next deal could be much higher since ad rates will be much higher.

but

because large corporations seem to hate any change and would rather pay twice the amount to lobby changes than just adapt and profit from being smart (exactly why we pay CEO's the big money in the first place), they will fight this tooth and nail.

For other sports without great tv deals like the NHL, this could be more problematic.

but i'm just impressed that a government agency has gone to bat for the majority of the people. typically we just get lip service and then nothing is done that favors us.

however, the cynical side of me thinks that the FCC is just pumping money out of the NFL. They put this story out there, the lobbyists come out, the FCC gets some kickbacks here and there and then all of a suddent he story goes away.

[Night Train]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

Time Warner will partner with the NFL to drop every channel that carries NFL games.

[stuckincincy]

Re: F.C.C. May Move to End N.F.L. Blackouts

Bigger fish to fry:

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Hope and change.


Last I saw, it was ticking along at $46,000+ per second.

I take a 50 cent senior coffee at a local Mc'D's in the morning, and shake my head in sorrow at the youngsters whose backs will be broken, and the oldsters who are now being thrown under the bus after serving their purpose.

But they chose to pull that particular lever. Lever - isn't that an anachronism that betrays my age?

History has been purged from education and upbringing. Such a change. In my day, we read things like the Communist Manifesto, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, the Autobiography of Ben Franklin, Jefferson, Dickens, Twain, Aquinas, Fielding, Whitehead, Thoreau, James,
E.B. White, supreme court opinions and on and on.

There was a time when the Bflo. Public school system was considered a gem of the Nation. Now we are a Nation drunk on HDTV.

We actually studied geography, to learn about the world and broaden our view. Perhaps there is a geography app nowadays?

Speaking of 'ole Ben, here's an excerpt from In Convention, Sept. 17 1787:

..."in these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other."

Ben was quite the visionary, eh?


So there you have it - I'm just as capable of roaming far and wide as the Tebow Hater's society is. : - }}}


n.b.: Edited for punctuation.