NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
September 30, 2014 Janice Wise (202) 418-8165 
Email:  janice.wise@fcc.gov
FCC ELIMINATES SPORTS BLACKOUT RULES 
Order Removes Unnecessary and Outdated Regulations
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission today repealed its sports blackout rules, 
which prohibited cable and satellite operators from airing any sports event that had been blacked out on 
a local broadcast station. The action removes Commission protection of the NFL’s current private 
blackout policy, which requires local broadcast stations to black out a game if a team does not sell a 
certain percentage of tickets to the game at least 72 hours prior to the game.  
The Order finds that the Commission’s sports blackout rules are no longer justified in light of the 
significant changes in the sports industry since these rules were first adopted nearly forty years ago.  At 
that time, ticket sales were the primary source of revenue for the NFL and most NFL games failed to sell 
out.  Today, television revenues have replaced ticket sales as the NFL’s main source of revenue, and 
blackouts of NFL games are increasingly rare.  The NFL is the most profitable sports league in the 
country, with $6 billion in television revenue per year, and only two games were blacked out last season.  
The Order also finds that the NFL – whose current contracts with the broadcast networks extend through 
2022 – is unlikely to move its games from free, over-the-air broadcast television to satellite and cable
pay TV as a result of elimination of the sports blackout rules.  The Order therefore concludes that the 
sports blackout rules are no longer needed to ensure that sports programming is widely available to 
television viewers.  
Today’s action may not eliminate all sports blackouts, because the NFL may choose to continue its 
private blackout policy.  However, the NFL will no longer be entitled to the protection of the 
Commission’s sports blackout rules.  Instead, the NFL must rely on the same avenues available to other 
entities that wish to protect their distribution rights in the private marketplace.  
Action by the Commission September 30, 2014, by Report and Order (FCC 14-141). Chairman 
Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly. Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners 
Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai and O’Rielly issuing statements.
For further information, contact Kathy Berthot (202-418-2120; kathy.berthot@fcc.gov).  Press contact:  
Janice Wise (202-418-8165; janice.wise@fcc.gov). 
-FCC-
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