Part 3/8:
One glaring issue contributing to declining viewership is the frustrating system of regional blackouts. These occur when local broadcasters hold exclusive rights to air games in specific territories, limiting national or out-of-market streaming access. While these blackouts aim to protect the interests of regional sports networks, they often alienate fans. One frustrated viewer noted, “Make it easy to watch games. If someone has to subscribe to two different cable channels and a subscription service just to follow all games, you will keep losing viewers.”