Senate Panel Calls Hearing on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket Package

[Seabiscuit36]

Senate Panel Calls Hearing on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket Package
By Ira Teinowitz
Concerned that the NFL's exclusive Sunday Ticket package with DirecTV may be disenfranchising cable subscribers, the outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a last-minute hearing for Tuesday to talk about the package's antitrust implications.

The hearing was called by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who in January is expected to be replaced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., as committee chairman.

NFL's exclusive deal with DirecTV for the NFL Sunday Ticket package lets DirecTV subscribers see multiple NFL games that aren't broadcast locally and aren't available on cable.

Sen. Specter in the past has occasionally indicated concern about sports antitrust issues.

Officials from DirecTV and Time Warner Cable and the NFL's general counsel are among witnesses slated to testify at Tuesday's hearing.

An NFL spokesman said the league has been told Sen. Specter wants to discuss the NFL's overall TV policy and said the senator has occasionally scheduled hearings to discuss the issue going back to the days of NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who held the post from 1960 through 1989.

The spokesman said the NFL is pleased to have the discussion, "since our longstanding emphasis on making our games available on free over-the-air TV has helped make us the most popular sport in the country."

So Specter doesnt step upto the plate on Comcast ripping customers off and not sharing programing, but he goes after a written contract?  Its pretty easy to tell where he gets his campaign money.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I thought the same thing about the Comcast stuff when I heard this. I have DirecTV for the ST but it would be nice if cable companies could be able to offer it too. However, it also would be nice if Comcast would be available on satellite. Either way works for me.

He's also going after the NFL's anti-trust because they are broadcasting their own games on their own network.

[MDS]

Comcast is evil. But if this somehow puts Sunday Ticket on Comcast, I would poop happy thoughts.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

We would switch back to digital cable if they offered Sunday Ticket.  The one thing that's incredibly annoying about satellite is that the reception is worst on the very rainy nights, the times when you'd most want to stay in and watch TV.  Otherwise, I really have no complaints and have been very happy with it, but since my one complaint is something they can't rectify...  yeah.

[Father Demon]

They better not go after DirecTV.  They are my bread and butter right now.  Let him wait 9 months.

[Wingspan]

We would switch back to digital cable if they offered Sunday Ticket.  The one thing that's incredibly annoying about satellite is that the reception is worst on the very rainy nights, the times when you'd most want to stay in and watch TV.  Otherwise, I really have no complaints and have been very happy with it, but since my one complaint is something they can't rectify...  yeah.

my dish had the same problem right when we first moved into the house a little over a year ago. i called directv, and they came out and moved the dish about 1 foot from where it was and it's not lost a signal, even during some nasty thunderstorms since last november.

[Diomedes]

glad to see the Senate is focusing on the important issues.

[Phanatic]

Yeah my Dish hardly ever loses signal even in the rain. Now that I have a DVR I don't care as much as I don't really watch live TV anymore to avoid commercials.

[ice grillin you]

i think comcast should turn philly csn into a tbs type station and make it available nationwide

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

i think comcast should turn philly csn into a tbs type station and make it available nationwide

2nd

[Geowhizzer]

i think comcast should turn philly csn into a tbs type station and make it available nationwide

2nd

I concur.

[Feva]

i think comcast should turn philly csn into a tbs type station and make it available nationwide

2nd

I concur.

That would be niiiiiice.

[rjs246]

Glad to see the Senate is focusing on the important issues.

I second this sarcasm.

[Geowhizzer]

Glad to see the Senate is focusing on the important issues.

I second this sarcasm.

I don't know... the less "important issues" Congress deal with, usually it's for the better.

[Wingspan]

The hearing was called by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who in January is expected to be replaced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., as committee chairman.

story over.