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Under new regulations from the Federal Communications Commission, cable operators can no longer maintain exclusives on sports networks they own. Satellite and telco TV providers have not been slow to demand access to these desirable channels.

We'll let Multichannel News describe the situation: "The FCC in January changed its rules to say that distributors who did not make their co-owned terrestrially delivered nets available to competitors on reasonable terms and conditions would be presumptively in violation of its program access rules. Before that the FCC had exempted terrestrial nets, in most cases it was regional sports networks at issue, because of language in the statute that specified the access rules applied to satellite-delivered networks." Clear?

This may seem like a fine point, but the regulatory distinction is in how the cable systems move signals around before they go out to subscribers. The FCC has ruled that it makes no difference how the signals get routed, using satellite or terrestrial means. The programming has to be shared with rivals regardless.

The upshot is that DirecTV and the Dish Network are pressing Comcast for access to its SportsNet in Philadelphia which covers the Phillies, the Flyers, and the Sixers. Meanwhile, AT&T and Verizon are pushing to get Cablevision's Madison Square Garden channels in New York which cover the Knicks, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders. In an interesting twist, Cablevision is trying to wiggle out of providing HD signals, claiming that SD satisfies the new FCC regs.

See Multichannel News stories on FCC rule change, satellite operator demands, and telco TV demands.