BUFFALO, NY - Forget about the football, it's all about the commercials. A local chapter of the Sports Fan Coalition is purchasing TV spots on ESPN and NBC Sports Network leading up to the Super Bowl this Sunday.
The Sports Fan Group is trying something a little different in hopes of getting message of fans' rights and ending TV blackouts directly to the public.
The FCC is requesting public comment on their blackout policy, so the group hopes that these commercials will encourage viewers to voice their opinions.
"We've recently seen the power of public outrage in the apparent shelving by Congress of the recently introduced but unpopular anti-piracy bills. We hope that by getting our message directly to fans, the public will use their collective power to get rid of TV blackouts," said SFC Buffalo Chapter Chairman, Matt Sabuda.
"We hope that by taking such a bold step in buying TV air time, fans will see that we mean business when it comes to standing up for their rights. With Bills lease negotiations coming up, the stakes will only get higher. We hope fans will use social media tools like Twitter to let us know what's important to them."
The group says it plans to announce other initiatives involving social media, as well as buy more TV spots in the near future.
SFC Buffalo has created a website and is encouraging fans interested in overturning the NFL blackout rule to log on.