Resolution to bring Steelers football to Harrisburg area adopted by House
Rep. David Madsen October 8, 2024 | 3:04 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 - Steelers fans in the Harrisburg region may be able to cheer on their favorite team without restrictions, thanks to a recently adopted resolution, introduced by state Rep. Dave Madsen and co-sponsored by Rep. Justin Fleming, both D-Dauphin.
“This is a huge win for the Steeler Nation in central Pennsylvania,” Madsen said. “Our fans have been asking for this change for years, and now we’re finally going to make it happen. It’s about fairness—making sure our local TV stations can air the games people here want to watch and giving our bars and restaurants the chance to fill up with excited fans on Sundays.”
“Steelers fans have been watching their favorite teams in this market for decades before Baltimore was granted a franchise,” Fleming said. “It’s well past time for the National Football League to consider input from the fans before making decisions that have major impacts on the fans’ viewing experience. Sundays in Harrisburg should be for the Black and Gold.”
House Resolution 358 calls on the Federal Communications Commission and the NFL to reconsider outdated secondary market broadcast rules that have long denied fans in Harrisburg access to Pittsburgh Steelers games.
Currently, the FCC allows NFL teams to claim television broadcast markets based solely on geographic boundaries. For years, this has allowed the Baltimore Ravens to claim Harrisburg as part of their market, despite the overwhelming local support for the Steelers.
“To accommodate our many fans in the central part of Pennsylvania, mainly Harrisburg and surrounding markets, it would be beneficial to show our games to the Steeler Nation in that area,” said Burt Lauten, Pittsburgh Steelers communications director.
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