Senators threaten NFL - Yes!

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

WASHINGTON -- Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the NFL on Wednesday threatening to reconsider the league's antitrust exemption if it doesn't make games on the NFL Network available to more viewers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., expressed concern that many fans in their home states will not be able to see games on the channel involving the New England Patriots or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leahy is the committee's chairman, and Specter is its ranking member.

"Now that the NFL is adopting strategies to limit distribution of game programming to their own networks," they wrote, "Congress may need to reexamine the need and desirability of their continued exemption from the Nation's antitrust laws."

Eight games air this season on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with televisions. The league has been feuding with several major cable companies over whether they should carry the channel as part of a basic package.

Games are simulcast on free TV locally for each team, but that doesn't include regional markets such as Vermont for the Patriots or parts of Pennsylvania for the Steelers. NFL officials have repeatedly said they will not agree to any distribution arrangement that only involves games and not year-round broadcast of the channel.

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

The scariest words in the english language "We're from the Government and we're here to help"

 

[bobmal99]

Trust me that is the last you will ever hear
of the US Govt. threaten to take away
the NFL's antitrust exemption..

Don't get your hopes up!!

WASHINGTON -- Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the NFL on Wednesday threatening to reconsider the league's antitrust exemption if it doesn't make games on the NFL Network available to more viewers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., expressed concern that many fans in their home states will not be able to see games on the channel involving the New England Patriots or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leahy is the committee's chairman, and Specter is its ranking member.

"Now that the NFL is adopting strategies to limit distribution of game programming to their own networks," they wrote, "Congress may need to reexamine the need and desirability of their continued exemption from the Nation's antitrust laws."

Eight games air this season on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with televisions. The league has been feuding with several major cable companies over whether they should carry the channel as part of a basic package.

Games are simulcast on free TV locally for each team, but that doesn't include regional markets such as Vermont for the Patriots or parts of Pennsylvania for the Steelers. NFL officials have repeatedly said they will not agree to any distribution arrangement that only involves games and not year-round broadcast of the channel.

 

[Water Boy]

Great idea, Senators! Let's circumvent the process of free market economics and ruin the league by taking away it's antitrust exemption!

 

[mgteich]

socialism at its worst

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Political posturing at its worst

 

[bigdgp]

WASHINGTON -- Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the NFL on Wednesday threatening to reconsider the league's antitrust exemption if it doesn't make games on the NFL Network available to more viewers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., expressed concern that many fans in their home states will not be able to see games on the channel involving the New England Patriots or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leahy is the committee's chairman, and Specter is its ranking member.

"Now that the NFL is adopting strategies to limit distribution of game programming to their own networks," they wrote, "Congress may need to reexamine the need and desirability of their continued exemption from the Nation's antitrust laws."

Eight games air this season on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with televisions. The league has been feuding with several major cable companies over whether they should carry the channel as part of a basic package.

Games are simulcast on free TV locally for each team, but that doesn't include regional markets such as Vermont for the Patriots or parts of Pennsylvania for the Steelers. NFL officials have repeatedly said they will not agree to any distribution arrangement that only involves games and not year-round broadcast of the channel.

Let the market take its course. The government shouldn't be telling billion dollar companies which one should make more profit between the two...

 

[Hok]

Remind me again why the government has a right to tell the NFL how to run its business?

Oh yeah, that's right...they don't.

 

[TIMEsteelersfan]

That's just great... I was hoping the government would stick their nose in the NFL's business, it's not like they have anything better to do with their time.

 

[frankiesfly]

WASHINGTON -- Two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the NFL on Wednesday threatening to reconsider the league's antitrust exemption if it doesn't make games on the NFL Network available to more viewers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., expressed concern that many fans in their home states will not be able to see games on the channel involving the New England Patriots or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leahy is the committee's chairman, and Specter is its ranking member.

"Now that the NFL is adopting strategies to limit distribution of game programming to their own networks," they wrote, "Congress may need to reexamine the need and desirability of their continued exemption from the Nation's antitrust laws."

Eight games air this season on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with televisions. The league has been feuding with several major cable companies over whether they should carry the channel as part of a basic package.

Games are simulcast on free TV locally for each team, but that doesn't include regional markets such as Vermont for the Patriots or parts of Pennsylvania for the Steelers. NFL officials have repeatedly said they will not agree to any distribution arrangement that only involves games and not year-round broadcast of the channel.

I live in Vermont. If I don't get my Pats games, I will get really pissed. On NHLN or not. The local people should still beable to see the Pats. NFLN should have to share the rights with the local stations, so the home fans at least get to see their team.

 

[Hok]

I live in Vermont. If I don't get my Pats games, I will get really pissed. On NHLN or not. The local people should still beable to see the Pats.

Get DirecTV or go to a sports bar. Problem solved, and without the help of a senator.

 

[aabtec]

Great idea, Senators! Let's circumvent the process of free market economics and ruin the league by taking away it's antitrust exemption!

If we want to be a free market then ABSOLUTELY TAKE AWAY their anti-trust exemption. WHY SHOULD they have one.

Compete without it.

 

[patsox23]

Remind me again why the government has a right to tell the NFL how to run its business?

Because they've given them antitrust exemption that they don't have to provide?

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

I live in Vermont. If I don't get my Pats games, I will get really pissed. On NHLN or not. The local people should still beable to see the Pats. NFLN should have to share the rights with the local stations, so the home fans at least get to see their team.

You don't have a God given right to watch the Pats!! Get of the wallet and bye a dish! Everything the Gov touches gets effed up.

 

[Hok]

Because they've given them antitrust exemption that they don't have to provide?

Remind me again why the government feels the need to insert itself into the private sector in the first place?

 

[scout]

Sure glad they don't have more pressing issues.

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

Remind me again why the government feels the need to insert itself into the private sector in the first place?

The're buying votes from their constituents who think they deserve to see NFL games.

 

[Bigdogx]

I live in Vermont. If I don't get my Pats games, I will get really pissed. On NHLN or not. The local people should still beable to see the Pats. NFLN should have to share the rights with the local stations, so the home fans at least get to see their team.

They do it's broadcast through out the Boston area, you happen to live far outside that area which is not the nfl's fault. Really only people who have a right to ***** are ones that have small cable companies that will not offer it. No one has any right to complain about having to spend a whole 4.99 a month to get the channel, we have had to pay for nesn for many years with no *****ing so i really don't see what is so wrong with what the nfl is doing, it is their product not ours and they have every right to broadcast it on their own channel.

 

[frankiesfly]

Get DirecTV or go to a sports bar. Problem solved, and without the help of a senator.

I shouldn't have to leave my house to watch my home team, where I been watching them for over 30 years. Either way NFLN sucks. That channel is horrible. I feel so much better since discontinuing service. How much I hated the NFLN I would still watch it, and listen to those major morons on there. Disconnecting solved my problem. I'd rather miss the few games a year on there, and not have to listen to those morons Eisen and Faulk. By the way the play by play announcer for the NFLN games is by far the worst play by play announcer in the history of the game. The games are barely watchable. He is a total lame ass with no emotion or football smarts. A total dud.

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

If we want to be a free market then ABSOLUTELY TAKE AWAY their anti-trust exemption. WHY SHOULD they have one.

Compete without it.

You really want 86 NFL teams just because someones got enough money to afford a team?