Eleazar
12-07-2006, 04:06 PM
And you thought it was just ignorant message board rambling.
DirectTV's 'Sunday Ticket' draws fire
By NATASHA T. METZLER, Associated Press Writer 32 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The NFL's ability to negotiate exclusive sports packages is under fire from the outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., twice said he would introduce legislation in the next session aimed at eliminating the league's freedom from antitrust laws.
Specter said the NFL should not use the exemption to negotiate exclusive programming packages such as DirectTV Inc.'s "Sunday Ticket," which allows viewers to watch teams outside their regional market.
"As I look at what the NFL is doing today with the NFL channel with the DirectTV ... a lot of people, including myself, would like to be able to have that ticket," Specter said.
But the 1961 law that gives the NFL this freedom should not apply to DirectTV because it is not "sponsored programming," said Stephen Ross, a law professor at Pennsylvania State University and chair of the school's sports law institute. He said the Pennsylvania senator could be using the threat of legislation to pressure the NFL to make changes voluntarily.
Access to out-of-market football games was one of many consumer fairness issues addressed during the hearing. Another hot topic was whether cable providers should be forced to share sports broadcasting rights with every service provider in an area.
David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast Corp., said his company has not made a local Philadelphia sports network it owns available to DirectTV because it is one way his company can stay competitive with the "Sunday Ticket" package.
"What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," he said.
DirectTV's 'Sunday Ticket' draws fire
By NATASHA T. METZLER, Associated Press Writer 32 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The NFL's ability to negotiate exclusive sports packages is under fire from the outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., twice said he would introduce legislation in the next session aimed at eliminating the league's freedom from antitrust laws.
Specter said the NFL should not use the exemption to negotiate exclusive programming packages such as DirectTV Inc.'s "Sunday Ticket," which allows viewers to watch teams outside their regional market.
"As I look at what the NFL is doing today with the NFL channel with the DirectTV ... a lot of people, including myself, would like to be able to have that ticket," Specter said.
But the 1961 law that gives the NFL this freedom should not apply to DirectTV because it is not "sponsored programming," said Stephen Ross, a law professor at Pennsylvania State University and chair of the school's sports law institute. He said the Pennsylvania senator could be using the threat of legislation to pressure the NFL to make changes voluntarily.
Access to out-of-market football games was one of many consumer fairness issues addressed during the hearing. Another hot topic was whether cable providers should be forced to share sports broadcasting rights with every service provider in an area.
David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast Corp., said his company has not made a local Philadelphia sports network it owns available to DirectTV because it is one way his company can stay competitive with the "Sunday Ticket" package.
"What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," he said.