NFL Blackout Rule Voted Out by the FCC

[Unsettomati]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

As a transportation professional what I find ironic (and stupid) is that the NFL gets to be exempt from anti-trust laws but back in 1980 the same government removed anti-trust protection from the airline and trucking industries who had always been able to jointly set their airlines fares or trucking freight rates.

Somedays I think Congress deserves a perpetual "Darwin Award" for their stupidity and lack of vision, especially over the long term.

In this case, ending the blackout rule is the right thing to do, and NFL's anti-trust exemption also needs to go.

Further irony is that Congress and politicians love to tell us about the blessings of free markets and competition, then they allow billionaire team owners to be exempt from competition and free-market forces.

And you can add to that the NFL's tax-exempt status, too.

It's not that the revenues reaped would be enormous - though, hey, millions of $/year isn't exactly sofa-cushion change - but rather the principle of the matter. However, I'm sure someone will be along shortly to oppose repealing the classification of the cartel of Jerry Jones & Company as a non-profit (yes, you read the right) would be so, so wrong...

The NFL has been classified as not-for-profit since about 1942. Then in 1966, lest there be any question, Congress amended the law to specifically list professional football leagues as 501 (c) 6 organizations — along with chambers of commerce and boards of trade. It happened as a result of horse trading with Congress that included an antitrust exemption for the NFL that helped it merge with the AFL, a rival league. In exchange, Congress received pledges from the NFL, including a promise to add a franchise in New Orleans.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/09/nfl-tax-exempt

[FBJ]

So this means what?

I can see other teams play on CBS at 1pm if my local team has a home game on FOX at 1pm?

[Loveswater_outdoors]

Originally Posted by FBJ

So this means what?

I can see other teams play on CBS at 1pm if my local team has a home game on FOX at 1pm?

Pretty sure it means that say if you live in D.C. and the Redskins game doesn't sell out, they can't blackout the game on local TV preventing you from watching as punishment for not attending the game and overpaying to see the embarrassment that is the Redskins.

[FBJ]

Originally Posted by Loveswater_outdoors

Pretty sure it means that say if you live in D.C. and the Redskins game doesn't sell out, they can't blackout the game on local TV preventing you from watching as punishment for not attending the game and overpaying to see the embarrassment that is the Redskins.

Oh that rule, what I used to experience in 1987 when the eagles were not good