Senator goes after NFL - Specter argues DirectTV's Sunday Ticket rights unfair

SI.com ^ | 7 DEC 2006 | AP

[MikefromOhio]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Football League's ability to negotiate exclusive sports packages is under fire from the outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Arlen Specter, 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.

[MikefromOhio]

Somehow I'm just not surprised that this loser will go after the NFL now....

[MikefromOhio]

NFL PING

FReepmail scott says to be added to, or to be taken off the NFL Ping list...

This is a fairly high volume ping list

[kinoxi]

Is this clown going after ESPN for Monday night football as well?

[Kimmers]

Clearly he has a little too much time on his hands.....

[KoRn]

Just damn. Doesn't he have anything better to worry about?

I'm a Cowboys fan living in VA. Due to how cable networks broadcast their games based on region, I'm forced to watch the Redskins every Sunday(imagine that). With packages like the ones he's pointlessly bitching about I can see my team play every Sunday.

[IslandJeff]

I'm just grateful that the senior Senator from Pennsylvania has the big issues properly prioritized.

[MikefromOhio]

I would interpret it as such...

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.

I would say that there is a very slim chance that anything will change. There is a law professor in the story that says that chances are it wouldn't stand a court challenge.

[unkus]

Spectre will always be a joke.

[MikefromOhio]

Think of what this will do to sports bars...

[MikefromOhio]

Ya know?!?

[MikefromOhio]

yeah he does....

[MamaB]

What is wrong with this nut?

[MikefromOhio]

I don't know.

I think he's just making noise to make noise.

[Dog Gone]

Okay, I'm just going to have to go up to Pennsylvania and kick his Scottish butt.

Enough is enough.

[IslandJeff]

Who cares about Iran? We need to drag Tagliabue in for hearings!

Scumbags, the bloody lot of them.

[CollegeRepublican]

If I moved to an area where I couldn't watch the Ravens, I would either buy a dish or find a bar with the NFL Ticket package. Jeez. It is not that hard.

[DennisR]

Note to Arlen: A U.S. Senator has more-important things to do than make sure that a game - A GAME - is according to your liking.

[Drango]

Spector should stop wasting his time with this nonsense and instead focus on the important stuff. For example, how and why did the Pittsburgh Stealers bribe the refs to steal the superbowl from the Seahawks last year????

[I_Like_Spam]

I don't know what Specter could be thinking?

The NFL isn't a monopoly, there is plenty of competition for the entertainment dollar. The league is just maximizing its revenue, who can argue with that?

If someone doesn't want to pay for these broadcasts, then don't. Watch something else on the other 200 TV stations, listen to radio programs, go out bowling, to a movie, to a bar.

[No Truce With Kings]

Sounds like he is mad about something.

I guess he must have lost the Senate football pool last week.

[Kid Shelleen]

Where was the Senator when the Eagles used tax payer money to build a new stadium? The team is worth close to a billion dollars now..

[Jaysun]

I can only express puzzlement, which borders on alarm.

[CollegeRepublican]

Don't ya know that it is the job of first class citizens like Magic Bullet Arlen to keep the proles happy with sports and gambling? </sarc>

[mortal19440]

I am ashamed to be from PA. This a-hole going after the NFL is the type of legislative priorities that pi**ed of the voters and got the Dems back in control. We can Santorum and keep this jerk off, what an embarrassment. Bush and Santorum worked real hard to get this clown re-elected, I guess they are getting what they deserve.

[NCC-1701]

"...What is wrong with this nut?..."

My first thought is, A LOT.

[CajunConservative]

um, Arlen you asshat, there are real issues that need to be dealt with, this is not one of them.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

So what do we know about Spector?
1. He's still worried about phone intercepts.
2. He probably stays up on Scottish law in case the President gets another Supreme court nominee.
3. He's worried about football and TV
Shoot if he was as worried about Philiadelphia getting hit by a terror attack he might be of some use. But he does not seem to be.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Think of what this will do to sports bars...

They'll be the equivalent of ghost towns. There's nothing better than watching a game at a sports bar.

[Terpfen]

I don't know what Specter could be thinking?

He's thinking of setting up a precedent of Congressional intrusion into the NFL, so that when the inevitable doping scandal breaks, Congress can pull an MLB.

[NeoCaveman]

He took a minute off of pushing for illegals or pushing for using embryo experimentation to extend his miserable life?

I'm glad the NFL is distracting him.

He's a menace.

[PhiKapMom]

At least the guy is no longer head of Judiciary after December -- still think he NEVER should have been the head and we needed someone to stand up to him in 2004. In fact, maybe if the WH had not interferred in that race, he would have lost and Santorum would have won this time!

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

[SeaBiscuit]

Life is unfair!

[MikefromOhio]

Tagliabue isn't the commish anymore :)

[Paladin2]

Specter needs to investigate why the NFL lets the Lions be such a doormat decade after decade.

[DennisR]

What happens to these people when they get to Congress??? Talk about majoring in the minors. We have a $9 trillion public debt, 2/3 of the annual budget is for giveaways, a war against terrorism, a Democrat/Liberal Congress, and this guy is worried about the NFL? Sorry, Arlen, but the world could survive without football (which is my favorite sport).

[MikefromOhio]

Yeah but Specter is hoping that people don't logically think about the problem.

[Sam Ketcham]

Sen. Arlen Specter:
As you are aware, everyone who wishes to become a citizen is required to speak English. If you are against unfairness, why do I have PAY for several regular and pay TV channels in Spanish on my TV. If I wanted the channels in Spanish I'd be willing to pay for them.

I tried to have the channels dropped, but was told Colin Powell's little boy, as head of the FCC, mandated that all providers carry Spanish channels. I could not exclude those channels from my home.

Of course if Colin baby did order this it was with the approval of GWB and the politicians intent to cater to illegal aliens. Why not introduce a bill to make users pay for the channels. You know, like the Federal policy that when I want to use a Federal Park, I pay for admittance? Seems fair to me. I am sure you are concerned and will introduce the appropriate legislation. Thank you. Another PO'D American

[Txsleuth]

Arlen Specter is one of the most whiney Senators there is...he complains about everything.

But, he is going to be the in the MINORITY next month...so we will see how much power he has.

[MikefromOhio]

The NFL didn't try to stop the XFL or the World League or any of the other startups from going...

More or less they ignored them and focused on their product on the field.

[MikefromOhio]

That was between the team and the city I believe.

[firewalk]

He seems to need a lot of attention...

[MikefromOhio]

I don't think Santorum was going to win either way.

Pennsylvania has shifted pretty far to the left in recent years.....

[Kakaze]

As the barbarians approach the gates, and our enemies conspire outside and within the empire.......the senators argue over pay per view football.

God help us all.

[Eddie01]

Someone isn't getting their campaign contribution kickbacks.

[sgtbono2002]

I guess he hasnt got much to do now that he cant screw with the Presidents nominees.

[brazzaville]

Good evening.

The government just took away our right to subscribe to network programming outside of our local area.

That means we have to watch San Francisco network programming, which makes it impossible for my wife to watch many of the shows she like. She is sleep by the time most shows come on and they would compete with each other anyway.

Can anyone tell me why Snarlin Arlin and the other tyrants in government even want to do this to us?

Michael Frazier

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

Ya know, that's the first thing that entered my mind. They didn't lobby him for something and now he's trying to show them that he's still relevant.

Or something...

Trying to figure out Specter is convoluted sometimes...

[Dstorm]

"Leave my Sunday Ticket alone" said to the tune of the movie "Blast from the past" only way I get to watch my Raiders in VA

[WestVirginiaRebel]

So this is what they're like when they're the minority party...