Posted on 12/07/2006 6:07:31 PM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
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..
I can only express puzzlement, which borders on alarm.
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>
"...What is wrong with this nut?..."
My first thought is, A LOT.
um, Arlen you asshat, there are real issues that need to be dealt with, this is not one of them.
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.
They'll be the equivalent of ghost towns. There's nothing better than watching a game at a sports bar.
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.
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!
LOL
Tagliabue isn't the commish anymore :)
Specter needs to investigate why the NFL lets the Lions be such a doormat decade after decade.
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).
Yeah but Specter is hoping that people don't logically think about the problem.
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
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.
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.
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