BRAWNDO Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Looks like the F.C.C. is possibility going to end blackouts. My link Of course this will not end the blackouts caused by Bills Fans drinking themselves into a stupor Edited January 13, 2012 by BRAWNDO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 They should. Its a joke they still have this rule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section122 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 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.” Couldn't have said it better myself. I live in the Syracuse market and get Bills games blacked out even though its about 150 mile drive to the stadium... and I live on the west side of the syracuse market! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey D. Clown Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 the league could care less whether or not you get to see the game, they just care about the money made from the networks. Ticket revenue is such a small part of a team's profits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) I have no problem with the current rule, as long as no public money went into the building of the stadium or other team-related events. If public money was used, I think people should have access to the game --- not unlike asking for city council minutes. Of course, this is dumbing down a very complicated issue. Edited January 13, 2012 by GOBILLS78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRH Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I always hated the rule, being from the east side of Rochester, but it crossed into absolute absurdity a dozen or so years ago when the NFL ordered Syracuse to black out the Bills because a tiny sliver of their broadcast area (in Yates County) fell within the 75-mile radius. And got away with it. That move smacked of sheer greed, and did nothing to develop new Bills fans in that area. (Of course, the Bills themselves over the last 12 years have had a lot to do with that as well.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 the league could care less whether or not you get to see the game, they just care about the money made from the networks. Ticket revenue is such a small part of a team's profits. And that's the quick and easy way for the FCC to end blackouts. Force the NFL to refund a percentage of the TV money every time a game is blacked out. Presto, no more blackouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 The FCC should be blacked out - there is no justifiable reason for its existence. (Stepping off of soapbox.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Couple things: 1. As I read the article, the proposed FCC action would affect only cable and satellite operators, and would not change anything concerning blackout restrictions on individual TV station broadcasts, which are apparently written into the NFL contracts with the TV networks. If the FCC abolishes its own restrictions, can the NFL somehow still rely on (or impose in the future) contractual restrictions that effectively maintain the current blackout policy? Unclear to me, but it seems possible. 2. For any policy wonks or NFL history buffs out there, this link to a 1982 federal appellate court case involving broadcast of Dolphin games details how NFL TV policy evolved into the current contractually imposed blackouts: http://ftp.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/678/678.F2d.142.81-5857.html Prior to 1951 NFL clubs were selling their television rights individually and making their own arrangements for telecasts of their games. Television was in its relative infancy at that time, and the clubs were feeling their way to methods of using this new medium without jeopardizing their gate attendance or affecting their relationship as co-producers of a common entertainment product. Recognizing their economic interdependency, the NFL clubs had adopted By-law provisions which prevented clubs from telecasting their games into other clubs' home territories in competition with the playing of home games or the telecasting of away games. The term "home territory," defined as the area within 75 miles of a League city, was considered the natural marketing area for the sale of tickets. The Justice Department, viewing these By-law provisions as representing anti-competitive agreements among the member clubs because they accorded each club exclusive television rights within its home territory, filed suit. In 1953 Judge Grim held many of the NFL's television and radio broadcasting restrictions illegal under the federal antitrust laws, but he did sustain a limited blackout privilege for the broadcast of "outside games" within the home territory of clubs playing at home. United States v. National Football League, 116 F.Supp. 319 (E.D.Pa.1953). By 1961 the rival American Football League had negotiated a joint television pooling contract with one of the networks. Under this joint agreement, the AFL contracted with the network on behalf of all its clubs, and the clubs divided broadcasting revenues evenly. The NFL wished to do the same but was faced with the 1953 decree of Judge Grim. Accordingly, the NFL went back to Judge Grim for a determination of whether its joint television pooling contract with the network would violate the court's earlier decree prohibiting certain League television practices as violations of the federal antitrust laws. Judge Grim found that it did and voided the contract. United States v. National Football League, 196 F.Supp. 445 (E.D.Pa.1961). Seventy-two days later Congress enacted an antitrust exemption for agreements among member clubs of professional sports leagues to pool and sell as a package to television networks the rights to televise their games. 15 U.S.C.A. § 1291. The following section partially removes the exemption, however, thus making a restriction on the televising of games illegal, except "within the home territory" of a club playing at home. The stated purpose of the legislation was to enable the member clubs of professional sports leagues to pool their separate rights in sponsored telecasting of their games and permit the league to sell the resulting package without violating the antitrust laws. S.Rep.No.1087, 87th Cong. 1st Sess., reprinted in (1961) U.S.Code Cong. & Ad.News 3042. Accommodation of antitrust principles was believed necessary to protect the weaker clubs and ultimately preserve the League. Edited January 13, 2012 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Considering the dollars generated by their TV deals it makes no sense to black games out. In fact that reduces potential ratings, which the networks are paying for. It's good to see the FCC is looking to end all blackouts. Sabres games are currently blacked out from the NHL Center Ice package in the Buffalo area even though MSG is not on Time Warner cable now. They won't show you games you are paying a premium for. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Couple things: 1. As I read the article, the proposed FCC action would affect only cable and satellite operators, and would not change anything concerning blackout restrictions on individual TV station broadcasts, which are apparently written into the NFL contracts with the TV networks. If the FCC abolishes its own restrictions, can the NFL somehow still rely on (or impose in the future) contractual restrictions that effectively maintain the current blackout policy? Unclear to me, but it seems possible. The way i read it, the FCC currently blocks cable and satellite providers from showing a local game that's blacked out. If they dropped that legislation, then it seems to me that the NFL could still blackout a local game, but a cable or satellite provider could show the local game in that area. So perhaps sunday ticket subscribers could get a local game on that even if it's not on local TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T master Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) the league could care less whether or not you get to see the game, they just care about the money made from the networks. Ticket revenue is such a small part of a team's profits. Ya but in a small market when you have a small piece of the profit go away it makes it harder to be committed to the area especially in one with a bad economy to begin with !!! But you know as long as the Gov't is involved in what ever the subject may be it will turn into a bad decision because there is NO common sense in decisions when it comes to the Gov't !!!!!!! It wouldn't surprise me if they had a hidden agenda in this some where !! Especially if Schumer is involved can you say crook !!!!! Edited January 13, 2012 by T master Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 But you know as long as the Gov't is involved in what ever the subject may be it will turn into a bad decision because there is NO common sense in decisions when it comes to the Govt! Don't kid yourself. It's not a lack of common sense, but dollars and cents. Decisions go the way of the side that greases Congress best. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Considering the dollars generated by their TV deals it makes no sense to black games out. In fact that reduces potential ratings, which the networks are paying for. It's good to see the FCC is looking to end all blackouts. Sabres games are currently blacked out from the NHL Center Ice package in the Buffalo area even though MSG is not on Time Warner cable now. They won't show you games you are paying a premium for. PTR I don't think that the Blackouts should be permitted on Centre Ice and Sunday ticket. You are paying a premium for the games, they should be shown. I have the internet version of Centre Ice this year for Sabres games, and I couldn't get the New Years Ottawa game, it told me it was available as a Nationally televised game on CBC. Except that I am in the Leafs region where the Leafs/Jets game would be shown, and they don't have MSG here in Canada to catch the Buffalo broadcast. On cable however, I don't have an issue with non sellout games being blacked out in the area, but i think the rule should be based off of selling a certain amount of tickets instead of a percentage, seeing as how every stadium has a different capacity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Don't kid yourself. It's not a lack of common sense, but dollars and cents. Decisions go the way of the side that greases Congress best. PTR Ding ding ding. By the time that the networks and the league/owners are done filling the pockets of the worthless 535 scumbags in congress the ruling will be extended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Considering the dollars generated by their TV deals it makes no sense to black games out. In fact that reduces potential ratings, which the networks are paying for. It's good to see the FCC is looking to end all blackouts. Sabres games are currently blacked out from the NHL Center Ice package in the Buffalo area even though MSG is not on Time Warner cable now. They won't show you games you are paying a premium for. PTR I understand the reason the NFL (and other sports) have black-out rules, but I would bet, they probably hurt their product now, as much as they help them. I was a huge Buffalo Braves fan as a kid. When they left town, I became a huge Celtics fan, based, mostly, on the fact that they were the team I could see the most. If it hadn't been for the Boston Super Station we got with our Buffalo cable in the very early 80's, I would have likely never watched the NBA again...but I follow it pretty closely all these years. Nowadays, with so many other entertainment options for kids, it seems like making games less accessable to potential younger fans, is just short-sighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 They could use a 8,000 left count rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwater cadet Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Now Ralph will complain that he is at even more of an competitive disadvantage, and he will trade all our first 4 rounds of draft choices every year because we can only afford 5-7 rounds, and undrafted free agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I heard and argument recently...Not sure if it was on the Radio or here...Anyway, the point made was that due to varying Stadium capacities and Market sizes in the NFL, the Blackout rule was completely unfair...It was pointed out that if The Bills had a Stadium capacity of say...Lucas Oil Stadium which seats 63,000 in a MUCH bigger City than Buffalo...There would be FAR fewer blackouts in WNY...So the argument was the Rule is unfair and at the very least it should be based on the capacity of the smaller Stadiums... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 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.” Couldn't have said it better myself. I live in the Syracuse market and get Bills games blacked out even though its about 150 mile drive to the stadium... and I live on the west side of the syracuse market! I'm in the Utica area. We get our CBS on cable from Syracuse. When Syracuse is blacked out so is Utica, and it's a 200 mile drive to the stadium from Utica. Supposedly the Syracuse over-the-air signal reaches into the exclusion zone near Rochester, so the station is subject to blackout. Since the over-the-air signal is the determining factor, the CBS station in Syracuse may still be blacked out, since the FCC is talking about cable access, not over-the-air access. I suppose if the games were on ESPN or NFL Network, the rules may be different. Except Time Warner doesn't carry the NFL Network, and you have to be a popular team to get on ESPN for Monday Night Football. In other words, I don't think this ruling will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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