http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-708563?ref=feeds%2Flatest

ESPN's treatment on rural America
By unclaimed | Posted 7 hours ago


iReport — Please look into the following story regarding ESPN's monopolization of the FCS National Championship football playoffs. ESPN holds the rights to all of the FCS games and is refusing to either broadcast the early round games or release the rights to local media outlets in the states that have participating programs. They are insisting that people watch the game on ESPN3 (online). Although this is suitable in some areas, Montana is adversely affected by this decision because only a few small ISP providers carry ESPN3 and the vast majority of Montana (which is largely a rural state) will not be able to watch these games (on the internet or at all). Essentially, ESPN is going to BLACK OUT our entire state through this policy. Two of our universities (University of Montana and Montana State University) are ranked in the nation’s Top 10 and vying for the National Championship. Add to the fact, both programs will host a HOME game in our state on Dec. 3 and at this point ONLY the people that have tickets will be able to watch it. In years past, we've always been able to cover the games through our own local broadcasts (and I'm sure in some of those cases we were probably given the rights through larger media outlets like ESPN). However, these games will not be aired. In fact, at this point, our teams would likely have to make the semi-finals and championship to actually see any of their playoff games broadcast. As of the Tuesday announcement of this policy by ESPN, University of Montana fans, Montana State University fans, and Montana's two Senators (Tester and Baucus) and our lone Congressman (Rehberg) have all gone to bat for Montanans to be able to see these games through a change in the policy. So far, ESPN has failed to listen to such pleas. There is an online Facebook petition (with already over 15,000 "signatures" gathered; and growing) started by John Sterrett, as well as another online petition started by myself, Ryan Gage, that has gathered a smaller amount of signatures (but growing) with a lot of pleas by Montanans who have commented in a very civil manner to explain to ESPN how their thinking ESPN3 coverage will suffice just won't cut it in Montana. This is not a small story in our part of the country. The Griz and Cats have the oldest rivalry (111 years running) west of the Mississippi and are TEAMING UP to get their program's games aired. Please look at the links below to see how this story is developing. Without national attention, I'm afraid this story will die and nothing will happen. Why is ESPN allowed to hold the NCAA, UM, MSU, and countless other universities and their fans hostage? Because they paid for it?! We need your help! We need the most trusted name in news to let the people of this country know that yet again a corporation's desires and profits are deemed more important than the good of the nation's people. The Facebook Petition (started by John Sterrett): https://www.facebook.com/events/121290624649284/ The online petition (started by Ryan Gage): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/e...-to-ummsu-fcs/ The businesses across the country that show University of Montana football games that will be hurt economically (in a time of economic uncertainty) by this decision : http://www.grizalum.org/events/grizcat/satellites.aspx