The Federal Communications Commission has made it easier for sports fans to watch their favorite teams.
In a unanimous 5-0 decision Tuesday, the FCC voted to repeal its sports blackout policy originally instituted in 1975, which reinforced an NFL policy of blocking television channels from airing games that didn’t sell out.
The original purpose of the rule was to ensure that live television broadcasts didn’t damage ticket sales. However, the FCC concluded that sports teams, in particular the NFL, can sell out their stadiums without these protections.
“It is not the FCC’s role to make sure the NFL gets [the] last nickel out of every game played,” said commissioner Michael O’Riley.
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler was quick to point out that today’s vote would not necessarily end blackouts. Sports leagues including the NFL can still privately negotiate blackout deals, albeit without the backup of the FCC.
As commissioner Ajit Pai put it, “With this decision, the FCC is officially out of the sports blackout business.”
