The FCC’s plan for TV blackouts: what it means for sports fans

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took a major step to end a TV blackout rule that can prevent local fans from seeing games of their home teams. Cable and satellite companies hailed the move as a victory for fans, but the NFL and local broadcasters say it will lead to fewer free games on TV. But what exactly would the FCC rule do? The short answer is it could affect football fans in a few cities but won’t get rid of blackouts altogether. If the FCC ends the rule, could this be it for sports blackouts? Alas, no. The NFL will still be able to black out the over-the-air games like they do already. And fans will not be protected from other minor blackouts that occur when an individual cable or satellite companies can’t come to terms with channels controlled by teams. [Dec 22]