Senator Blumenthal Continues Call To Air UCONN Game
(Hartford, CT) – Following a letter from his delegation colleague and fellow Huskies fan Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT, 2nd District), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called on the President of the NCAA, Dr. Mark Emmert, and President and CEO of CBS, Les Moonves, to televise the University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball game on the appropriate CBS affiliate as opposed to airing the game on cable network TNT.
In the letter, Blumenthal tells Emmert and Moonves:
I believe the public interest would be better served by enabling fans in Connecticut to view Thursday night’s game, instead of limiting its accessibility to just those households that have cable or satellite service.
I strongly second the request made by Congressman Courtney that WFSB, Connecticut’s local CBS affiliate, be licensed to carry Thursday night’s UCONN game.
The full letter is below:
March 16, 2011
Dr. Mark Emmert
President
National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Mr. Leslie Moonves
President and CEO
CBS Corporation
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
Dear Dr. Emmert and Mr. Moonves:
You are in receipt of a letter from my colleague and fellow Connecticut basketball fan, Congressman Joe Courtney, regarding Thursday night’s NCAA Tournament game between the University of Connecticut and Bucknell University. I write to urge you to agree to his request.
I understand that the game will only be available to cable and satellite subscribers, as the local CBS affiliate in Connecticut will be televising a different game instead. I mean no disrespect to fans of the Brigham Young Cougars or the Wofford Terriers, but there is no question in my mind that the vast majority of Connecticut’s viewers – including the estimated 150,000 households who do not have cable or satellite access – are more interested in watching the Huskies game.
I believe the public interest would be better served by enabling fans in Connecticut to view Thursday night’s game, instead of limiting its accessibility to just those households that have cable or satellite service.
I strongly second the request made by Congressman Courtney that WFSB, Connecticut’s local CBS affiliate, be licensed to carry Thursday night’s UCONN game.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
Richard Blumenthal
United States Senate
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