American Cable Association blitzes NFL Network

The American Cable Association (ACA) announced today the creation of a website to encourage cable customers across America to demand Sports Choice Now from the NFL Network.

The website, www.sportschoicenow.org, provides a direct link for consumers to tell Congress how the NFL Network has denied them any choice in receiving NFL Network programming.

In addition, the website provides information to the public through a video, Myths vs. Facts, and current press clippings criticizing the NFL Network for trying to charge all cable television subscribers for NFL games on the NFL Network.

ACA President and CEO Matt Polka said ACA is sending the site, congressional letters and 30-second spots to all 1,100 ACA members to unite with their 8 million customers in demanding choice for smaller market and rural customers and for independent cable operators across the United States.

Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a national association of independent cable television businesses and owners of smaller cable systems that work together to ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their businesses. Association members primarily serve customers in smaller markets and rural areas across America. The Association represents medium-sized and smaller cable businesses through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C. ACA s nearly 1,100 member companies serve more than 8 million subscribers in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.americancable.org.

The NFL Network says it has the best interests of its fans at heart, but then demands that all cable television subscribers pay for its programming, said Polka. Let s call the play the way it is. The NFL Network has only its own interests at heart, and that s why consumers don t have a choice to buy the NFL Network or not on a sports tier.

Polka said ACA s members goal is to show the public and Congress how expensive sports programming is forced on consumers and cable companies, and to mobilize consumers and Congress to demand sports choice.

Polka criticized the NFL Network for using its brand, market power and federal anti-trust exemption to specifically deny choice to consumers in smaller markets and rural areas served by independent cable operators.

The NFL Network said today that it just asks for the same distribution in which cable companies place the cable channels that they own, said ACA s Polka.1 However, ACA s members don t own programming. All they and their customers get to do is pay for the programming NFL Network wants them to take. The only choice they get is EVERYBODY PAYS or NO ONE RECEIVES.

That s an incomplete pass, said Polka. It s time for consumers, cable operators and Congress to demand SPORTS CHOICE NOW.