Sec.  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  Sec. 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]