§  76.127   Satellite sports blackout.

   (a) Upon the request of the holder of the broadcast rights to a sports
   event, or its agent, no satellite carrier shall retransmit to
   subscribers within the area comprising the specified zone a "nationally
   distributed superstation" or "network station" carrying the live
   television broadcast of a sports event if the event is not available
   live on a television broadcast station meeting the criteria specified
   in § 76.128. For purposes of this section, if there is no television
   station licensed to the community in which the sports event is taking
   place, the applicable specified zone shall be that of the television
   station licensed to the community with which the sports event or team
   is identified, or, if the event or local team is not identified with
   any particular community, the nearest community to which a television
   station is licensed.

   (b) Notification of the programming to be deleted pursuant to this
   Section shall include the following information:

   (1) The name and address of the party requesting the program deletion;

   (2) The date, time and expected duration of the sports event the
   television broadcast of which is to be deleted;

   (3) The call letters of the nationally distributed superstation or
   network station(s) from which the deletion is to be made;

   (4) The U.S. postal zip codes that encompass the specified zone.

   (c) Notifications given pursuant to this section must be received by
   the satellite carrier:

   (1) With respect to regularly scheduled events, within forty-eight (48)
   hours after the time of the telecast to be deleted is known; or, for
   events that comprise a season or pre-season period, fifteen (15) days
   prior to the first event of the season or pre-season, respectively; and
   no later than the Monday preceding the calendar week (Sunday-Saturday)
   during which the program deletion is to be made.

   (2) As to events not regularly scheduled and revisions of notices
   previously submitted, within twenty-four (24) hours after the time of
   the telecast to be deleted is known, but in any event no later than
   twenty-four (24) hours from the time the subject telecast is to take
   place.

   (d) A satellite carrier is not required to delete a sports event from
   an individual subscriber who is located outside the specified zone,
   notwithstanding that the subscriber lives within a zip code provided by
   the holder of the broadcast rights pursuant to paragraph (b) of this
   section.

   (e) A satellite carrier is not required to delete a sports event if it
   has fewer than 1,000 subscribers within the relevant specified zone who
   subscribe to the nationally distributed superstation or network station
   carrying the sports event for which deletion is requested pursuant to
   paragraph (b) of this section.

   (f) Notwithstanding paragraph (c) of this section, for sports events to
   be deleted on or before March 31, 2001, notification must be received
   by satellite carriers at least 60 full days prior to the day the
   telecast is to be deleted.

   [ 65 FR 68101 , Nov. 14, 2000, as amended at  68 FR 14341 , Mar. 25, 2003]