Chairman Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
BRIAN HIGGINS
27TH DISTRICT, New YORK
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
BORDER AND MARITIME SECURITV
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COUNTERTERRORISM
AND INTELLIGENCE
COMMITIEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE
MIDOlE EAST AND SOUTH ASIA
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM,
NONPROLIFERATION AND TRADE
REVITALIZING OLDER CITIES
TASK FORCE
CO-CHAIR
((ongtt5'5' of tbt Wnittb~tatt5'
1$ouse of l\epresentatibes
mtasbinglon, 1DlIC 20515-3227
January 18, 2012
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
2459 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON,O(;,'20515
(202) 225-3306
(202) 226-0347 (FAX)
WESTERN NEW YORK OFFICES:
LARKIN BUILDING
726 EXCHANGE STREET
SUITl" 601
BUFFALO, NY 14210
(716~852-3501
(716) 852-3929 (FAX)
FENTON BUILDING
2 EAST 2ND STREET
SUITE 300
JAMESTOWN, NY 14701
(716) 484-0729
(716) 484-1049 (FAX)
higgins.house.gov
Chairman Genachowski,
I write to offer my support for eliminating blackout provisions that govern the broadcasting of
National Football League (NFL) games. My community is home to the Buffalo Bills which has
one ofthe longest histories in professional football dating back to 1960 when the Bills became a
charter member ofthe American Football League (AFL) and later joined the National Football
League as a charter member in 1970. Western New York has embraced and supported this
franchise since its creation and it continues to be an integral part ofthe New York State
economy.
The current rules that govern blacking out local broadcasting ofBills games affect Western New
York negatively. Especially during this severe recession it is difficult for fans in my district to
afford tickets to an NFL game. Families have had to cut back and the blackout rule denies those
in my community from being able to merely watch the team they have supported through their
investments oftime, consumer spending, and local tax dollars.
As one ofthe largest stadiums in the National Football League, Ralph Wilson Stadium has
seating for over 73,000. The blackout rules require that the stadium be sold out in order to
broadcast the game locally. The league average for attendance last year was 67,000. This
requires the Bills to sell 6,000 more tickets than the average team in one ofthe League's smaller
communities just to be shown on local television, and do so 72 hours before the game. I do not
believe this is fair to the people ofmy community and these rules have set a national mandate
rather than an individualized solution to local markets. The NFL should not punish my
community ofWestern New York merely because ofthe size ofthe stadium.
Last year the Buffalo Bills were subject to 3 blackouts. The Bills only played 7 home games this
year and denying fans from viewing almost halfofthem is unacceptable. My community
~deserves a level playing field for the broadcasting oflocal sports teams. I urge that the Federal
~
~
~
~PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
o
Communications Commission take a more aggressive stance on eliminating these inequalities
that disproportionately hurt Western New York.
~elY,
.B~~HIGG
Me1nber ofCongress