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The Honorable Thomas Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510 
June 2, 2014 
On December 18, 2013 the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) released a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to eliminate the Commission's sports blackout rules and requested 
subsequent public comment on the proposal. Now that the comment deadline has long passed, we urge 
the Commission to move forward expeditiously on eliminating the sports blackout rule (SBR). We 
believe that the rule unfairly harms consumers by insulating the NFL from market realities and 
punishing fans in cities with large stadiums and declining populations. We applaud the FCC's decision 
to propose elimination of this outdated nile that is no longer supported by facts or logic, and blocks fans 
from enjoying their favorite teams. 
Since the Commission voted unanimously to adopt the sports blackout NPRM, you have heard 
from consumers, economists, academics, professional sports leagues, broadcasters, cable operators, 
satellite TV providers, and Internet Service Providers, producing a robust and detailed record. This 
thorough record is further enriched by the original proceeding, established two years ago, seeking 
comment on what factors the Commission should consider before writing the current proposed 
rulemaking. 
We agree wholeheartedly with the Commission that, "the sports blackout rules have become 
obsolete," and we believe the record clearly supports the FCC's tentative conclusions in favor of 
eliminating this unnecessary rule. In sum, the Commission has collected the facts and has a rich public 
record upon which to base a decision. Now it must act. We ask that you commit to bringing a final 
order to a vote within the next 60 days. 
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL 
United States Senate 
Sincerely, 
JOHN McCAIN 
United States Senate