Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Media

NFL Suspends Blackout Policy, Will Re-Evaluate Rule After '15 Season

The NFL has "suspended the long-standing local blackout policy" and will re-evaluate the rule following the '15 season, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. The blackout policy "was instituted in the early 1970s when NFL teams relied primarily on ticket sales to generate revenue." Teams have "successfully made significant efforts in recent years to minimize blackouts," as there were no regular-season blackouts last year and only two in '13. The FCC "came out recently against the blackout policy," repealing its sports blackout rules in September '14. However, that action "did not affect the league's ability to maintain and enforce the blackout policy through contractual arrangements with programming distributors" (NFL.com, 3/23). In Cincinnati, Paul Dehner Jr. in a front-page piece reports the Bengals represented the "lone nay" in yesterday's vote. Team President Mike Brown "voted alone against the majority, but not because the team stands against lifting the blackout rules." Brown is "for such a move and sees it as the undeniable evolution of the game." His opposition "stems from a revenue-sharing floor connected to the vote, which he opposed and viewed as a separate issue." Brown: "There is no reason to tie this into lifting the blackout. They are apples and oranges. If you just had the blackout rule standing alone, we would have voted to lift it" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/24).

STICK IT TO THE LEAGUE: In Buffalo, Zremski & Carucci in a front-page piece report U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) "led the congressional pressure for the league to eliminate blackouts." He, along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), "pressured the league by pushing legislation that would eliminate the NFL’s antitrust exemption, which allowed the league to impose its blackout rule." Higgins said that the one-year suspension "is just the beginning of the end" of the rule. Higgins: "I suspect it’s gone for good." He added, "It was not a question of if, but when. The NFL raised a big fuss, but it didn’t provide a compelling underlying argument for maintaining blackouts" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/24). Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt said that he "voted in favor of suspending blackouts." Hunt: "I don’t think it will have a big impact on the league. There’s been a push in Congress to at least push the FCC to do away with the blackout policy. We just felt, given the direction things headed in D.C., it would be worth trying a year with the amended policy" (K.C. STAR, 3/24).

A RELIEF FOR FANS, LOCAL STATIONS: WROC-CBS Sports Dir John Kucko, whose station airs the majority of Bills games in the Rochester market, said that the abolition of the blackout rule "is great news." Kucko: "There were times in the last 5-6 years, 10 years, where the fans were waiting on the edge of their seats to see if the blackout was lifted. And for us, it's always a good thing from an economic standpoint when we can air Bills games. By and large we have the bulk of the games and it's a welcome thing" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 3/24). In San Diego, Gehlken & Krasovic in a front-page piece note the threat of a blackout "created unwelcomed suspense" for Chargers fans. Gehlken & Krasovic: "Would enough tickets be sold to allow the telecast? If fans didn't buy tickets, would Chargers sponsors intervene to lift the blackout?" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/24).

NO BIG DEAL
: QMI AGENCY's John Kryk writes teams "that struggle to sell out games" likely would be "displeased by the development." But Bills President & CEO Russ Brandon, whose team at times has seen ticket demand decrease late in the season due the lack of on-field success and inclement weather, yesterday "gave no such indication." Brandon: "It doesn’t alter our business strategy. Our job is to make sure we have a compelling product for people to come watch, and a great experience at the stadium, and that doesn’t change whatsoever" (QMI AGENCY, 3/24). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/03/24/Media/NFL-Blackouts.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/03/24/Media/NFL-Blackouts.aspx

CLOSE