Report: FCC to eliminate sports blackout laws

By Cory Buck | Sep 30, 2014

Sep 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; A Kansas City Chiefs fan shows his support during the second half of the game against the New England Patriots at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 41-14. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Jerry Zremski, among others, reports that the FCC has unanimously voted to eliminate sports blackout rules that allow a team to keep a game off the air because the crowd is sold out. However, NFL fans in markets affected by such woes shouldn’t jump in jubilance just yet. Just because the government isn’t getting involved anymore doesn’t mean the NFL won’t squeeze its fans for every ticket it can sell.

The FCC just voted unanimously to eliminate its sports blackout rules. Story coming shortly.
— Jerry Zremski (@JerryZremski) September 30, 2014

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Daniel Kaplan was quick to quote the FCC commissioner, who noted after the vote that the NFL will continue to do what it does and milk its fans for every dime it can. Now instead of pointing to government regulations, the NFL has to lean on the usual, “Yeah we’re evil, but you love football too much to walk away” reasoning that the league relied on for years.

"The NFL has the right to enforce their current blackout rules and i suspect that they will continue to do so," said FCC commish O’Rielly
— Daniel Kaplan (@KaplanSportsBiz) September 30, 2014

There’s also no word on how these rules might affect blackouts as they pertain to online services offered through major leagues such as the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB. Currently you can’t watch a game through an online streaming service if the game is being aired on local television through any network.

The FCC’s abolition of the blackout rule likely won’t affect that, which could mean this legislation has a minimal footprint save to give sports leagues fewer excuses for forcing fans into buying exorbitant tickets to avoid a blackout.

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