Sports

Auggie

(31,194 posts) Tue Mar 24, 2015, 11:21 AM Mar 2015

NFL to suspend TV blackout policy for 2015

PHOENIX -- The NFL is saying bye-bye to blackouts. At least for 2015.

No NFL games will be blocked from local television next season, the league said Monday at the owners' meetings. The teams voted for a one-year suspension of the long-standing blackout policy for the preseason and regular season. There were no blackouts last season, because the minimum number of tickets was sold for every game, and the league had only two blackouts in 2013.

Still, the experiment is a huge step for the NFL, whose blackout policy dates back decades. In the 1970s, half of NFL games were blocked from local TV because the games did not sell enough tickets. Some teams -- Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Oakland, St. Louis and San Diego -- have struggled to avoid blackouts, and the league is taking a bit of a gamble for 2015.

SNIP

"This decision to suspend the blackout policy for the upcoming NFL season is a victory for the millions of sports fans and consumers across the country," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), "and it brings us one step closer to eliminating this anti-fan measure once and for all. This antiquated, anti-consumer rule has for too long served only to protect the NFL's bottom line at the expense of sports fans.

SNIP

Last September, the FCC repealed its sport blackout rules, denying reinforcement of the league's blackout policy. But the ruling did not affect the NFL's ability to maintain the blackout policy through existing broadcast contracts.

MORE: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12545081/nfl-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote

This is way overdue.

6 replies

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Highlight:

NFL to suspend TV blackout policy for 2015 (Original Post) Auggie Mar 2015 OP

Call it the "O.co Coliseum Rule" KamaAina Mar 2015 #1

If the Raiders keep reducing seat capacity fans might actually fight over tickets. n/t Auggie Mar 2015 #2

Well, this way they won't have to KamaAina Mar 2015 #3

it's never been an issue for me fizzgig Mar 2015 #4

Same Here ProfessorGAC Mar 2015 #6

The blackout rule Jamaal510 Mar 2015 #5

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)

1. Call it the "O.co Coliseum Rule"

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 12:25 PM

Mar 2015

Goodness knows we need something to do in the Bay Area on Sunday afternoons!

Auggie

(31,194 posts)

2. If the Raiders keep reducing seat capacity fans might actually fight over tickets. n/t

Reply to KamaAina (Reply #1)

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 12:40 PM

Mar 2015

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)

3. Well, this way they won't have to

Reply to Auggie (Reply #2)

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 12:42 PM

Mar 2015

Neither will the Jags.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)

4. it's never been an issue for me

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 02:23 PM

Mar 2015

but i agree that it is an archaic rule that should be permanently overturned.

i am sure there are plenty of people watching at home who'd love to be at the stadium but simply can't afford it and i'm one of them.

ProfessorGAC

(65,212 posts)

6. Same Here

Reply to fizzgig (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:33 PM

Mar 2015

The Bears haven't been blacked out in years and years. But, this is still a good idea since the concept is archaic.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)

5. The blackout rule

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 11:50 PM

Mar 2015

punished those of us who either can't afford to go to games, or don't want to spend a ton of money just to see a losing team. Wiping out the blackout rule for 2015 is the least they could do, since most stadiums are paid for using taxpayer money. Also, what I never understood is the thought process of the NFL where if a team isn't popular enough to draw a crowd for a game, they're going to take it off television so that they'd be less accessible and the team can't build a local fan base. It doesn't make sense (or cents).

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