Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and John McCain, R-Ariz.,...
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and John McCain, R-Ariz., backed the FCC’s proposal to eliminate the sports blackout rule. They urged the commission to act on the NPRM to end the rule within 60 days, they said in a June 2…
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letter to Chairman Tom Wheeler. The rule is “no longer supported by facts or logic, and blocks fans from enjoying their favorite teams,” they said. The senators said the rule unfairly harms consumers by insulating the NFL from market realities and “punishing fans in cities with large stadiums and declining populations.” The comment period on whether to do away with the rule ended this year (CD March 27 p14). The rule prevents multichannel video programming distributors from carrying games that are blacked out by sports leagues on TV stations in markets where the games have not sold out.