FCC votes to kill blackout rule; NFL objects

The National Football League, already struggling with off-field woes, took another hit as regulators eliminated a 40-year-old federal rule enforcing television blackouts of games when stadiums don’t sell out.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 to end the government’s ban on cable and satellite providers showing games in markets that lack a sellout, and aren’t shown on local TV because of an agreement between leagues and sports teams. The NFL still could enforce blackouts through contracts with over- the-air broadcasters.

This story was originally published September 30, 2014 at 10:32 AM with the headline "FCC votes to kill blackout rule; NFL objects."