On January 20th, the FCC voted to close the “terrestrial loophole” on cable calling local sports exclusives anticompetitive. The rule enables competitors to add your sports games to their programming. You should now be able to see your games!
However, Comcast’s legal team has wasted no time. They are already in court fighting the FCC’s order making the erroneous argument that DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket is also anticompetitive, and that marginalizing you is ‘just business’. The Sunday Ticket, however, does not restrict sports fans from watching their games in local markets like Comcast does every day of the week. The bottom line is that they won’t walk away without a fight. Let’s keep the pressure on.
I hope that the FCC wins the battle in court. Comcast refusing to let fans watch their teams is absurd, especially given the fact that Comcast owns part of the Sixers and Flyers. Also, while I understand that Sunday Ticket is not the same issue, I think that DirecTV should also be forced to give up that monopoly as well. Displaced fans may wish to watch their favorite teams from afar, and this may not be possible, as DirecTV is not available in many parts of the county and is not affordable to some consumers where it is offered. Both monopolies should be ended.