A growing frustration with seeing his local NFL team's games being blacked out led New Port Richey State Senator Mike Fasano to propose a bill last year that would fine local teams in Florida $125,000 for each game not televised. For decades by law, NFL games not sold out 72 hours prior to kick-off are not broadcast in the local media market.
Sentiments like Fasano's have been expressed for years by frustrated newspaper columnists and fans adversely affected by the blackouts. In the Tampa Bay area, five of the Bucs' seven home games this past season were not aired locally.
Now for the first time, there is hope for those fans, as the FCC announced on Thursday that it would begin accepting comment regarding eliimination of the Commission's rules on sports blackouts, which mostly impact professional football.