Baucus, Tester ask NFL to reconsider broadcast schedule

Senators Upset Because Broncos Game Won’t Be Shown In Montana

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – It just isn’t right that some Montanans won’t be able to watch the Denver Broncos take on the Houston Texans on Thursday night. That’s what Montana’s two Senators told National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell today.

In a letter, U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester said the NFL’s new NFL Network, which airs games on Thursday evenings, isn’t available on some cable networks, or, if it is, it’s more expensive.

“In the past, the majority of the Broncos games and other NFL favorites were carried in Montana on over-the-air stations that our constituents could watch with antennae or on basic cable,” read the letter, which was spearheaded by Baucus. “But the NFL has recently elected to prevent broadcasters from carrying eight live games, tomorrow night’s game among them.”

The Senators, noting the NFL collected $1.7 billion in royalties before launching the new network, urged Goodell to “find a way to allow all fans in our state to watch their favorite teams.”

“It is not in the NFL’s interest to limit the number of people who can see their teams play,” the Senators wrote. “We would hope that you will take whatever steps are necessary to work with cable, satellite and over-the-air television stations ensure that Montanans are able to watch their favorite football teams, no matter how they choose to receive their video programming.”