> Hmmm.now that I read back over this thread, maybe we *are* talking about two > different things. I'm specifically talking about the NFL's blackout rule. > I'm not aware of any rules affecting the broadcast of the home games of any > of the other major sports.
The other rule may be the one that allows local rightsholders to demand that other entities be blacked out. For instance, if the Cubs are playing the Pirates, WGN America will often have a slide up (courtesy of the local cable company, I'm sure) saying that FCC rules bar them from showing the game in Pittsburgh. My recollection is that the NFL rule was actually put into place "voluntarily" by the league in about 1973 when Congress started to threaten to pass laws. Before that, all home games were blacked out regardless of the ticket situation, so that I had to hear the Immaculate Reception on radio. Even Super Bowls were blacked out in the markets where they were played. With all the changes of the last forty years, about the only benefit I can see for anyone is teams having an excuse to sell their last few thousand seats right before the deadline. -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to tvornottv@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to tvornottv-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tvornottv+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
