Ajit Pai, a member of the Federal Communications Commission board in the United States, has said that the “time has come” to repeal the so-called ‘blackout’ rule that blocks certain sports events from being shown live on television in their local market if they fail to meet a specified level of ticket sales.
"The time has come for the FCC to repeal its sports blackout rule," Pai said, according to SB Nation. “Why do I say that? After carefully reviewing all of the arguments, I don't believe the government should intervene in the marketplace and help sports leagues enforce their blackout policies. Our job is to serve the public interest, not the private interests of team owners.”
Pai added: “Right now, the FCC is officially on the side of blackouts. We should be on the side of sports fans.” He then called upon fellow FCC board members to “hold an up-or-down vote on ending the sports blackout rule.”
Under NFL American football rules, a game is ‘blacked out’ in the local television market unless it has sold out 72 hours before kick-off.
In November 2013, the FCC, the country’s media regulator, made an outline proposal to eliminate the rule. The NFL has said that it “will strongly oppose” efforts to curtail the blackout rule.