Senators John McCain and Richard Blumenthal Applaud FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's Commitment to Eliminate FCC Sports Blackout Rule

Press Release

U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the following statement commending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler's commitment in a USA Today op-ed to hold a vote to eliminate the FCC's sports blackout rule on September 30th. Senators McCain and Blumenthal wrote an op-ed on CNN.com this weekend urging the FCC to vote to eliminate its TV blackout rule.

"We appreciate Chairman Wheeler's statement today that the FCC's sports blackout rule is 'obsolete' and his announcement that the FCC will vote to eliminate it on September 30th," said Senators McCain and Blumenthal. "For more than a year, we have urged the FCC to take this important step, arguing that the rule has outlived any usefulness, and that it would be in the public's interest to scrap it. The FCC voted unanimously last December to propose elimination of the rule, and we are grateful for the Chairman's leadership in placing this item on the FCC's agenda as the new NFL season begins. Given the broad, bipartisan support that vote received, we are certain that spiking the sports blackout rule will stand as a resounding victory for all American sports fans."

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