No Packers game? Ryan wants FCC to arbitrate

Paul Ryan, a Populist? Who knew?

Give Rep. Ryan, R-WI 1st District, credit. He's got his ear to what the voters really care about: Not the war going badly, the stock market in free-fall again, jobs and home buyers scarce as hens' teeth -- no, it's the damn cable blocking of Packers' and Badgers' games.

Ryan today sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin on behalf of constituents unable to watch Thursday’s Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys game or the UW-M Badgers due to disputes between cable providers and the NFL Network and the Big Ten Network. "I urge you to ensure that free market competition can thrive – not anti-competitive monopolistic practices," Ryan wrote.

It's all just about the money.

In both cases, carefully considered financial decisions were made at the expense of poor Joe Sixpack. The NFL, for example, didn't accidentally end up with a Dallas-Green Bay matchup. And that game didn't accidentally get left off Fox, NBC or ESPN, which spent $2.4 billion on rights fees this season. (The matching 10-1 records, those were an accident.)

"Instead, the NFL delivered the game to its own fledgling NFL Network, which will deliver the game to only one-third of the country. It's part of the league's plan to help transform an ugly duckling into a cash cow. "It's no accident we have Green Bay-Dallas," Jerry Jones, the recently appointed chairman of NFL Network, told Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News this week.

And so, 74.1 million of the country's 112.8 million homes with televisions will be denied the game -- all part of the NFL's battle to force cable companies to charge us an additional 70 cents per month. And by "us," I mean every single cable subscriber in the country, whether he or she cares about football or not.

The Badgers situation is much of the same; the University sold off rights for some $7 million, and if only bars and restaurants in Madison carry the Big Ten network, why just take coach Bret Bielema's advice before the Wisconsin-Ohio State game: "Go to a restaurant ... grab some cheese curds, maybe a refreshment." Amazing how a two-thirds share of $7 million allows you to forget the fans.

John Helyar of ESPN quoted a fan's comment about the BTN-cable standoff on the Capital Times' website: "(They are) asking us to choose between Satan and Satan's evil twin. Both sides are greedy and manipulative."

Paul Ryan to the rescue! In his letter, Ryan urged the FCC "to consider changing its rules to facilitate appointment of an arbitrator in disputes like the ones involving the NFL Network and the Big Ten Network, so they can be resolved more quickly (preferably through negotiation between the parties) and with consumers’ interests foremost in mind."

“When so many Wisconsin Packers and Badgers fans can’t watch their teams play, it’s a sign that something’s very wrong with the cable market,” Ryan said. “People all across Wisconsin want to be able to stay home and watch Thursday’s game against the Cowboys and future Badgers games too, so the demand is there. It’s frustrating that fans are losing out because of disagreements between cable carriers and the NFL and Big Ten networks. The FCC should ensure future rules changes boost free market competition and consumer choice – and promote speedy resolution of such disputes.”

Well, something definitely is wrong, but forgive my cynicism. Isn't this exactly the free market at work? And although I may sit home with the TV off (or peering in the window of my neighbor with a DirecTV dish), isn't that better than asking the government to step in? Be careful what you wish for. Remember the nine words that should strike fear into any American's heart: "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."