Statements by the commissioners of Major League Baseball...

Statements by the commissioners of Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League directly contradict NFL claims that sports blackouts are a necessary component of a successful league operation, said the Sports Fans Coalition. The statements of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman were made in federal court depositions, Sports Fans Coalition said in an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in FCC docket 12-3 (http://bit.ly/1rhF4nB). The commissioners said blackouts don’t work and “televising local games is the best approach,” the filing said. The coalition discussed the depositions this week with FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, it said.