Time for a class action lawsuit over blackouts

[cincyreds45212]

NFL fans toss red flag at blackouts - Dave Levinthal - POLITICO.com

here's a article about the Sports Fans Coalition joined along with the National Consumers League, Public Knowledge, Media Access Project, and the League of Fans, will file a petition with the FCC to end its rule that allows sports leagues to effectively block any broadcaster from locally televising games that do not sell out.
The NFL will gladly take our billions of dollars nationwide to build stadiums for them to push their product to make them billions of dollars, its way past time to put our foot down!

 

[jwil007]

I hope they do it and WIN....stupid rule

 

[vancelot23]

Agreed.

 

[flamingrey]

In the past I have believed it to be an essential rule to go along with the revenue sharing. It forced teams like the Bengals to attempt to put the best product on the field, so the fans would have a reason to come to the game. The obvious basic assumption here is that said owner cares whether or not the fans are watching the games.

However, now, with teams forced to spend to the cap anyways and in essence do everything they can (minus scouting depts, etc) to put a winning product on the field, I'm not so sure it is AS essential. Though it does still help balance the revenue sharing, but unfortunately, it's the fans paying the biggest price and not the organization.

That said, not sure these people have a case. It's the NFL's product, they can choose to air it as they please.

 

[fordman84]

“The NFL is the only sports league that broadcasts all of its regular-season and playoff games on free television. At least three games are shown in every NFL market each Sunday during the season.”

Read more: NFL fans toss red flag at blackouts - Dave Levinthal - POLITICO.com

Excuse me, WHAT? Did this NFL mouthpiece forget about Thursday night football on NFL Network. I'm 100% sure that the NFL Network is a subscription based channel, because it has never once come in through my antenna. Granted when Dallas plays they simulcast, but non-Dallas games aren't on free TV.

 

[fordman84]

In the past I have believed it to be an essential rule to go along with the revenue sharing. It forced teams like the Bengals to attempt to put the best product on the field, so the fans would have a reason to come to the game. The obvious basic assumption here is that said owner cares whether or not the fans are watching the games.

However, now, with teams forced to spend to the cap anyways and in essence do everything they can (minus scouting depts, etc) to put a winning product on the field, I'm not so sure it is AS essential. Though it does still help balance the revenue sharing, but unfortunately, it's the fans paying the biggest price and not the organization.

That said, not sure these people have a case. It's the NFL's product, they can choose to air it as they please.

If the NFL paid for its stadiums with its own cash, then you would be right. As long as the peoples taxes are paying for it then I think they have a pretty good leg to stand on.

If not for this rule, you know a LOT more people would stay home and watch the games. That happens, the price of tickets will come back down. The blackout rule is allowing the NFL to artificially keep the price of tickets up and are doing so with taxpayer funds. I think the lawsuit will at least get to trial.

 

[flamingrey]

Yes, the stadiums are owned by the counties which is why the localities can have any event at the stadiums at any time and get a portion of the profits. However, that doesn't mean the localities have the right to air ANY event at the stadium on local TV. That is a right that can only be awarded by the event organizers, and in this case the NFL.

 

[fordman84]

Yes, the stadiums are owned by the counties which is why the localities can have any event at the stadiums at any time and get a portion of the profits. However, that doesn't mean the localities have the right to air ANY event at the stadium on local TV. That is a right that can only be awarded by the event organizers, and in this case the NFL.

Would be interesting to see some city that is in talks with the NFL to fund a new stadium require "no blackouts for the life of the lease" in its contract. I'm sure the NFL would throw a fit, but if that is what it comes down to I wonder who would blink first.

Of course any city that could hold the NFL by the short and curlies wouldn't have many blackout issue. GB, Dallas, Washington DC, NYC don't see many blackout problems, and cities like Jacksonville would be told by the NFL that LA is ready to build when they want.

 

[jwil007]

I thought the team could lift the blackout.....Didnt Jax do this early even though the game didnt sell out???

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Would be interesting to see some city that is in talks with the NFL to fund a new stadium require "no blackouts for the life of the lease" in its contract. I'm sure the NFL would throw a fit, but if that is what it comes down to I wonder who would blink first.

Of course any city that could hold the NFL by the short and curlies wouldn't have many blackout issue. GB, Dallas, Washington DC, NYC don't see many blackout problems, and cities like Jacksonville would be told by the NFL that LA is ready to build when they want.

Not sure the city would be interested in lifting a blasckout, as a non-sellout means less revenue, and doesn't the county get paid by the franchise for the lease? I will be first to admit, I have no idea how any of that works, but it seems that allowing the lift of the blackout would not be in the cities best interest either from a cash stand point, unless they make money from the commercials, and we know for a fact, that all goes to the the broadcasting company who is paying mega millions to the league.

If anyone should be pissed off, it should be the broadcastign companies, and they are paying billions of dollars on games they are not allowed to general money on anymore in local markets. I would think THEY are the one who should be most upset on this whole ordeal.

 

[flamingrey]

I'd take it a step further and say the losers are the commercial ads and not so much the broadcasting companies themselves. The commercials pay for the air time whether it's aired in one city or not, because at the very least the "away" city will be seeing them, and I believe the Sunday Ticket actually airs the national broadcast (CBS or Fox) feed. So CBS and Fox will get paid regardless. So, essentially, the NFL wins, broadcast companies win, and the city wins. The losers are the fans and the commercial companies, neither of whom have any leverage.

 

[vancelot23]

Sunday Ticket does indeed play CBS or FOX's feeds.