WASHINGTON, D.C. – An FCC ruling on the “blackout rule” Tuesday will come as good news to local Bengals and Colts fans, but does not necessarily mean local market blackouts are history.
The rule was created in the 1970’s as a method to boost ticket sales and block local TV from airing games that did not meet sellout requirements.
On Tuesday, the FCC voted unanimously to abandon the blackout rule calling it unnecessary and outdated.
The government ruling does not mean blackouts are over but could be the start toward its termination. Tuesday’s FCC 5-0 vote simply means sports no longer have federal backing to blackout games.
“NFL teams have made significant efforts in recent years to minimize blackouts,” the NFL said in a statement Tuesday. “The NFL is the only sports league that televises every one of its games on free, over-the-air television. The FCC’s decision will not change that commitment for the foreseeable future.”
Outside of an occasional scare here and there in recent seasons, Cincinnati has not had a home blackout since 2012. It is a similar case for most NFL teams, as there were only two games all of last season that were not shown in the home team’s local television market.
