John Kerry brings Patriots to larger audience

[JaJae]

The Patriots game was supposed to be held only on the NFL network. John Kerry threatened the NFL with Senatorial Hearings over the value of such cable stations if they didn't open up the game to more viewers.

Due to pressure from the federal government the NFL caved and allowed the game to be aired on other stations.

Do you think this is right? Is this what our government should be doing? I don't think our government should be threatening or blackmailing private organizations to do anything. If people don't get to watch the game they don't get to watch the game. If football is hurt because of it it will only hurt the NFL.

WASHINGTON — Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who represents New England Patriots' home turf in Boston, is threatening to hold a Senate hearing if the NFL refuses to allow national broadcasting of the Patriots-New York Giants game on Sunday night.

Kerry wrote NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to request the game be seen by the wider football-watching audience..

...
Taking a dig at the NFL, Kerry wrote: "For a game of this significance to be used as a bargaining chip or point of leverage between corporations locked in a dispute would say a great deal about the esteem in which America's football fans are held by the big interests."

The Democratic senator also raised the threat of hearings should the NFL not fall on his side.

"Under the unfortunate circumstance that this matter remains unresolved, leaving 60 percent of households across the country — including thousands in Massachusetts — without access to Saturday's game, I will ask the Senate Commerce Committee to hold hearings on how the emergence of premium sports channels are impacting the consumer, and I will consider what legislative measures may be necessary to ensure that consumers are more than bystanders in this process," Kerry wrote.

FOXNews.com - Sen. John Kerry Demands Wider Broadcast of New England Patriots' Game This Weekend - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

This is a misuse of government authority.

[Thorgrim]

We're talking about huge companies near that always make a profit, that MA citizens who even bought cable could not be able to watch the last game of what could be a perfect season

Maybe you don't watch football, I don't know...but people who have been watching their favorite team for 30-40 years are not going to "punish" the NFL..."oh that does it, even though every winter sunday of my life I've spent it watching football, now I'm not going to anymore, I quit football!"

It's the big guy pushing around the little guy, so the little guy calls up his Senator and the Senator does his job by listening...

The NFL has a monopoly on football, responsibilities come with that

[7960]

Originally Posted by JaJae

This is a misuse of government authority.

Exactly.







What he said, translated:

"I represent massachusetts and the patriots are doing well so I want to get my name in the headlines while *seeming* to be doing good when in reality I'm threatening to create corporation-specific legislation so I seem human."

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

We're talking about huge companies near that always make a profit, that MA citizens who even bought cable could not be able to watch the last game of what could be a perfect season

What do their profits have to do with anything? Nothing at all. This is a business, they are doing nothing illegal. They should be allowed to run their business as they see fit without the federal government theatening them. This is a misuse of federal power.

A lot of people like wrestling and have to get pay-per-view for the big games. Kerry doesn't give a shit about that. Same thing goes for boxing. It is none of Kerry's business, nor should the Senate get involved because the NFL is airing a game on local stations and their own cable station. That should be their right.

[Boerg]

The Demos' are choosing an issue they might actually win so they have something to brag about this next election year.

Doesn't the NFL put all of the games up for television letting the networks bid for them? I guess I'm not studied on this issue. I do watch football, but it seems there are worse things than missing a game.

Yes, the NFL does have a monopoly on football, and the gov. should break it up. How about they call it the NFC and the AFC.

[7960]

Originally Posted by Boerg

Yes, the NFL does have a monopoly on football, and the gov. should break it up.

This was a joke, right?

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by JaJae

What do their profits have to do with anything? Nothing at all. This is a business, they are doing nothing illegal. They should be allowed to run their business as they see fit without the federal government theatening them. This is a misuse of federal power.

A lot of people like wrestling and have to get pay-per-view for the big games. Kerry doesn't give a shit about that. Same thing goes for boxing. It is none of Kerry's business, nor should the Senate get involved because the NFL is airing a game on local stations and their own cable station. That should be their right.

The constitution doesn't give a right to a monopoly, the NFL is interstate commerce if I ever heard of an example...Congress has ALL the right

[tbone]

Television rights falls under the FCC and the NFL owns all football games and their rights and can grant it to whomever they wish. Want to see a game, buy a ticket and go, otherwise get over it!

I am a fan of a team that never gets national airtime (cause they suck) and I don't live in their area so I should call my Senator and complain and Congress should regulate how games are televised? This is about as stupid of a debate topic I have ever seen.

NFL is a private business, Congress needs to stay the hell out.

It's only a monopoly if it's a necessity (ie electric, phone, etc.) There are 500 other channels to watch tv on, it's like saying FOX has a monopoly on American Idol.

[hsmith]

the nfl is a dangerous monopoly that needs to be broke up

now i have heard it all

OH NOES, I CAN'T WATCH MULTIMILLIONAIRES RUNNING ON A FIELD

[hsmith]

Then again, I don't really feel sorry for football. They get tons of free money from the state govt's for stadiums, stolen funds to give multimillionaires fields to play on and billionaire owners to watch their teams on. With seats so expensive that the common people whose stolen tax money can't afford them.

[DosEquis]

This is clearly govt. getting out of control and stepping in to something it has no business stepping in to. The effort some people go to defend 'the party' is laughable...if i didn't know any better i'd say its trolling.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

The constitution doesn't give a right to a monopoly, the NFL is interstate commerce if I ever heard of an example...Congress has ALL the right

Interstate commerce? Give me a break. The federal government has no right to force a private organization/company to air its products on national television if it doesn't want to.

[7960]

The NFL is not a monopoly. It's currently the only major american league but there's nothing stopping anyone else from starting another one and competing.

[Scrum]

I don't think the government should get involved in any of this stuff.
There is a similar conflict going on with the Big 10 network and cable providers right now.

If you want to see the games and your cable company doesn't provide it, get Directv or call them and bitch.
You don't have any right to watch those games for free and the NFL and the teams have every right to charge for their product.

I don't understand why the Congress gets involved in any of this crap. I still don't understand why they got involved in the steroids issue in the MLB.

[hsmith]

Originally Posted by Scrum

I don't think the government should get involved in any of this stuff.
There is a similar conflict going on with the Big 10 network and cable providers right now.

If you want to see the games and your cable company doesn't provide it, get Directv or call them and bitch.
You don't have any right to watch those games for free and the NFL and the teams have every right to charge for their product.

I don't understand why the Congress gets involved in any of this crap. I still don't understand why they got involved in the steroids issue in the MLB.

I think the sports teams have dug themselves a hole though.

If your tax dollars are paying for stadiums, why can't you view the product?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by hsmith

I think the sports teams have dug themselves a hole though.

If your tax dollars are paying for stadiums, why can't you view the product?

Those stadiums bring in revenue to the regions, that's why some local taxes might go to help build the stadiums. And the local networks had access to the games. If their cable provider doesn't offer the free local sports channels that isn't the NFL's fault.

[Scrum]

Originally Posted by hsmith

I think the sports teams have dug themselves a hole though.

If your tax dollars are paying for stadiums, why can't you view the product?

Your tax dollars aren't paying for the stadiums so the people can see games for free, they are paying for the team to play at that location because they bring a lot of money in to the local economy.

Edit - JaJae beat me to it

[7960]

Originally Posted by Scrum

Your tax dollars aren't paying for the stadiums so the people can see games for free, they are paying for the team to play at that location because they bring a lot of money in to the local economy.

Edit - JaJae beat me to it

And that distinction is written somewhere in the contract for taking tax dollars to build the stadium?

[hsmith]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Those stadiums bring in revenue to the regions, that's why some local taxes might go to help build the stadiums. And the local networks had access to the games. If their cable provider doesn't offer the free local sports channels that isn't the NFL's fault.

Those "benefit" assertions are highly questionable.

Reason Magazine - Ballpark Figures

http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp89.pdf

[Scrum]

Originally Posted by 7960

And that distinction is written somewhere in the contract for taking tax dollars to build the stadium?

I have never seen one of those contracts.


I doubt there is anything about broadcasting games to the world for free either.