UPDATE: FCC says Comcast Sports must share w/Verizon, DirecTV
FCC backs satellite, phone company challenge to cable sports
UPDATE: FCC says Comcast Sports must share w/Verizon, DirecTV
Joseph N. DiStefano
UPDATE: "FCC closes loophole in cable program access rules," reports AP here.
EARLIER: The Federal Communications Commission this morning will review whether to change a rule that allows Comcast and other cable companies to withhold sports content (like Phillies, Flyers and Sixers games) that it controls, from Verizon, DirecTV and other competitors.
"The FCC is expected to side with" the satellite and phone companies against the cable companies, but cable could have a strong legal case for challenging the decision and keeping the rule in place, reported Bloomberg TV this morning.
Read the FCC agenda here, Verizon's letter urging the FCC "to prohibit cable operators and their affiliates from withholding access to regional sports programming" here, DirecTV's letter urging same here, and Comcast's longer letter defending the current arrangement and questioning whether it actually hurts competition here.
Jopseph, Any idea on realistically those of us with DirecTV will see ComcastSportsnet Philadelphia on our TV's?— rpknfn14
I thought Comcast was letting Verizon FIOS carry CSN.— HappyBob
Comcast is a monopoly!!!- Bob, they are. I get CSN on my FIOS system. Hope this doesn't change though.— MASTERNC
- MONOPOLY! Hey Roberts boys your gig is up. You got your building now you are going to lose your cusotmers.— mayfair murph
- FIOS does carry CSN now and if Comcast pulls it off I'm gonna go ballistic.— rstone
- Fios already carries Comcast sportsnet Philly and Baltimore....and they have a contract.....it's not that hard to look into that.— Captain
- Comcast SUX. FIOS is where it's at. Why is cable always so far behind?— jibberjabber
- I think they are talking more about the 'Comcast Network' rather that Comcast Sports Net itself.— aklein24
- The Tonner thinks aklein24 needs a reading comprehension class.
Comment removed.- Rest assured, Comcast will stop at nothing to prevent this, and it will probably be tied up in the courts for many more months, giving Comcast a chance to pay off the people required to repeal this ruling.— ak3883
- ak3883: This is why Comcast bought NBC, so they don't have to worry about this decision. They will own so much content that they won't miss a beat with profits. They'll own it all and get a slice of the pie.— FJMan
- Comcast holds the Philadelphia market as leverage in order to get the NFL Sunday Ticket.We here in Philly are the only ones with this problem of being forced to get cable or no local sports.— jmar88
- I think it's ridiculous that the ban exists in the first place. I hope that it's struck down by the FCC and it stays down. I am a user of DirecTV in Philadelphia, and I would like to be able to watch my sports teams on the service I am paying for. I think it's kind of a monopoly for the cable companies to not share with DirecTV. (HTML deleted)— keelytm
