U.S. May Change Rule Letting Cable TV Withhold Sports

[ziggy]

This probably isn't a big deal to most of you, but for me this would be great.  Looks like it would be a big deal in Philly as well.  Every Blazer game is broadcast on Comcast, the local NBC affliate, ABC, TNT or ESPN.  The local NBC package is 20 games, ABC, TNT, ESPN would be maybe 8 more.  That leaves 50+ that are Comcast only, and as a Directv subscriber to bad for me.  It sucks.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aiKSSZpzd9nE
U.S. May Change Rule Letting Cable TV Withhold Sports (Update3)


By Todd Shields and Molly Peterson

Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators may change a rule that cable companies such as Comcast Corp. rely upon to withhold telecasts of professional sports from competitors, a person familiar with the matter said.

Federal Communications Commission staff will send a recommendation tomorrow to the agency?s five members to revise the rule, said a commission official, who asked not to be identified because the matter hasn?t been made public.

Under the proposed change, FCC rules would treat equally programs sent through satellite links, which includes most cable-TV content, and those distributed entirely over wires, a technique used by some cable-owned regional sports networks. Networks that use only wires, such as Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia, would no longer be exempt from rules requiring fair access for competitors, the official said.

Comcast?s Philadelphia SportsNet offers games including Phillies baseball, Eagles football and Flyers hockey, according to the service?s Web site. Because Comcast withholds the network, the percentage of households with TV that subscribe to satellite service in the city is 40 percent less than what could otherwise be expected, the FCC said in a 2007 order.

Sena Fitzmaurice, a Comcast spokeswoman, declined to comment. Philadelphia-based Comcast is the largest U.S. cable- television operator.

Disputes over sports programming have flared as telephone companies, which increasingly offer television service, and satellite-TV providers sought access to cable-owned regional sports networks that control coverage rights.

Sports Programming Complaints

?Consumers shouldn?t be forced to stick with their incumbent cable provider in order to have access to their local teams? games, or to watch those games in high definition,? David Fish, a spokesman for New York-based Verizon Communications Inc., said today in an e-mailed statement.

Comcast withholds its SportsNet channels in Philadelphia from satellite competitors DirecTV Group Inc. and Dish Network Corp. Under the proposed rule change, the satellite-TV providers could seek access to that professional sports programming by filing complaints with the FCC.

Other battles over cable-owned sports networks include AT&T Inc.?s 2008 complaint that Cox Communications Inc. withholds some San Diego Padres baseball games. The FCC rejected Dallas- based AT&T?s complaint in March.

AT&T dropped a 2007 complaint against Cablevision Systems Corp. after the New York-based cable-TV provider agreed to let AT&T air New York Knicks basketball games and other sports programs in Connecticut. Verizon withdrew a similar complaint against Cablevision in 2006 after the companies reached an agreement.

Comcast agreed this month to form a $37 billion joint venture combining General Electric Co.?s NBC Universal with its own media assets, strengthening a push into programming. It will ask U.S. regulators to approve the deal.

[jemagee]

People in Philadlephia would do backflips...Comcast is the local provider AND the owner of the sixers (and flyers) and as i understand it go a good job of shafting direc tv

[rickortreat]

They do block the satellite providers, but did work out a deal with Verizon, so I'm not sure that the US should interfere. In Phila., they own the Sixers and Flyers and own the broadcasting crew that does the games. It seems to me, that they have a right to profit from the broadcast of their games. That is the basis of capitalism.

If they were holding monopoly rights, that would be one thing, but you could always subscribe to NBA.tv or find some other way to watch.

If Verizon had a better system, or a better price, more people would switch to them from Comcast, but even though I hate Comcast, I think that their service and system are pretty good and compare favorably with the competition.

I do think that the satellite firms should be allowed to rebroadcast the Comcast sports programming, for a fee, similar to the arrangement they worked out with Verizon, and that Comcast should be directed to work in good faith to establish a fair deal.

[westkoast]

They do block the satellite providers, but did work out a deal with Verizon, so I'm not sure that the US should interfere. In Phila., they own the Sixers and Flyers and own the broadcasting crew that does the games. It seems to me, that they have a right to profit from the broadcast of their games. That is the basis of capitalism.

If they were holding monopoly rights, that would be one thing, but you could always subscribe to NBA.tv or find some other way to watch.

If Verizon had a better system, or a better price, more people would switch to them from Comcast, but even though I hate Comcast, I think that their service and system are pretty good and compare favorably with the competition.

I do think that the satellite firms should be allowed to rebroadcast the Comcast sports programming, for a fee, similar to the arrangement they worked out with Verizon, and that Comcast should be directed to work in good faith to establish a fair deal.

Can't speak for Verizon in Philly but out here the internet is faster, they offer more HD channels than the cable providers, and the picture quality is superior.  That is what I have at home and would never switch.

I think the argument is not so much that Comcast cannot use their own businesses to help each other but rather the fans in Philly who paid taxes that helped build the stadiums and whos money supports the team should have access to watch the teams regardless of who they choose.  Sometimes price is more of a factor than quality and that is why one might choose Directv over Comcast.

[jemagee]

Doesn't the US 'interfere' by giving cable companies 'local' monopolies...where i live i have one cable choice, i don't have numerous cable providers to choose from, just one, cox crap cable.

and since direc tv STILL can't get all broadcast networks (neither can dish) in my area - it's not an easy move to switch.

The Cable companies have tons of inherent advantages (for instance, if i switch to direc tv i'd still have to keep cox for internet access) over the satellite companies already...I've always felt this 'loophole' that comcast takes advantage of was bogus anyway.

[ziggy]

I do not have access to a Comcast cable package.  In fact I don't have access to any cable package, or any wireless cable.  I have DirecTV or Dish and that is it.  That was of course my choice.  I would be happy to pay for the Blazer games directly.  I bought the league pass for 4 years before Comcast took on the Blazer broadcasts, just to get all the games.  I would buy the LP again, just to get the Blazer games, so if I had to pay $140/year to Comcast/Blazer I would. 

[jemagee]

Ziggy - do you have a landline?

Just curios how you get your internet access at home?

[ziggy]

Ziggy - do you have a landline?

Just curios how you get your internet access at home?

I have a land line, but no access to DSL.  I have Hughesnet internet (which is worthless).  I live about 10 miles out of town, right behind a 4000' butte, with nothing between me and the Cascade mountains except for a 400' deep canyon.  We have looked at wireless internet and I don't get a signal because of the butte.  Cable TV stops about 6 miles away.

But I have 65 acres with an unobstructed view of 9 of the mountains of the Cascade Range from Mt Hood to Broken Top, and my property abuts Lake Billy Chinook, which is a prime breeding ground for Bald Eagles.

[WayOutWest]

I have a land line, but no access to DSL.  I have Hughesnet internet (which is worthless).  I live about 10 miles out of town, right behind a 4000' butte, with nothing between me and the Cascade mountains except for a 400' deep canyon.  We have looked at wireless internet and I don't get a signal because of the butte.  Cable TV stops about 6 miles away.

But I have 65 acres with an unobstructed view of 9 of the mountains of the Cascade Range from Mountain Hood to Broken Top, and by property abuts Lake Billy Chinook, which is a prime breeding ground for Bald Eagles.

Eagle porn?  Hmmm......there could be money in it with the right marketing......

[Ted]

Ziggy - do you have a landline?

Just curios how you get your internet access at home?

I have a land line, but no access to DSL.  I have Hughesnet internet (which is worthless).  I live about 10 miles out of town, right behind a 4000' butte, with nothing between me and the Cascade mountains except for a 400' deep canyon.  We have looked at wireless internet and I don't get a signal because of the butte.  Cable TV stops about 6 miles away.

But I have 65 acres with an unobstructed view of 9 of the mountains of the Cascade Range from Mt Hood to Broken Top, and my property abuts Lake Billy Chinook, which is a prime breeding ground for Bald Eagles.

Ziggy, is Bigfoot real?

[ziggy]

Ziggy - do you have a landline?

Just curios how you get your internet access at home?

I have a land line, but no access to DSL.  I have Hughesnet internet (which is worthless).  I live about 10 miles out of town, right behind a 4000' butte, with nothing between me and the Cascade mountains except for a 400' deep canyon.  We have looked at wireless internet and I don't get a signal because of the butte.  Cable TV stops about 6 miles away.

But I have 65 acres with an unobstructed view of 9 of the mountains of the Cascade Range from Mt Hood to Broken Top, and my property abuts Lake Billy Chinook, which is a prime breeding ground for Bald Eagles.

Ziggy, is Bigfoot real?

No, but stick indians are, and they live right across the lake from me.

[westkoast]

But I have 65 acres with an unobstructed view of 9 of the mountains of the Cascade Range from Mt Hood to Broken Top, and my property abuts Lake Billy Chinook, which is a prime breeding ground for Bald Eagles.

Right now, after a whole year of being in big cities with no vacation, this sounds flippin awesome!