HARRISBURG – As the NFL’s regular season kickoff approaches, Reps. Dave Madsen and Justin Fleming, both of Dauphin County, want to make sure fans in the Harrisburg region are not denied Pittsburgh Steelers football any longer. Currently, the FCC allows NFL teams to claim television broadcast markets based solely on geography – meaning the owner of the Baltimore Ravens claims Harrisburg as Ravens territory, even though fan support in the area is strongly behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. A PA House resolution introduced by Madsen and co-sponsored by Fleming would urge the FCC to work with the NFL to take fan input into account when designating secondary markets. Madsen said it’s been a decade since the NFL got rid of the old blackout rules, but the secondary market rule is still denying Harrisburg-area fans the games they really want. The NFL and FCC need to listen to the consumers – give the people what they want, help our local TV stations, and pack businesses with fans cheering on the most popular team. The resolution has been referred to the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology, & Utilities Committee for consideration.
REP. JUSTIN FLEMING
REP. DAVE MADSEN