The Sports Technology Alliance, a group comprising MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, The PGA Tour and ESPN, have asked the FCC to consider the interests of sports producers in settling the dispute over introducing unlicensed devices in TV “white spaces.”

The group’s comments said: “Sports programming relies extensively on wireless microphones and related audio equipment in its production and distribution. In addition, these wireless communications systems have become an important infrastructure element in the conduct of the games themselves. Any interference caused by new devices operating in the “white spaces” spectrum will seriously impair U.S. sports event programming and deny the American public full enjoyment of their passion for sports.

“As a first step towards ensuring protection for existing services, we urge the Commission to limit its action in this proceeding to “fixed” TV band devices for rural broadband services. The location of these fixed devices should be known to incumbent users. The radio frequency environment in the TV channels is already difficult for frequency coordinators and producers and to add millions of portable new TV band radio devices in the same spectrum would make interference conditions intolerable. New portable TV band devices should not be permitted to operate on the so-called ‘white spaces.’

“We also strongly encourage the Commission to conduct both laboratory and field testing of the ability of all devices to protect wireless microphones and related audio equipment. It is particularly important to conduct field tests that assess the interference cases in real-world conditions.

“We urge the Commission to adopt effective interference avoidance measures. In particular, we support requirements that would prohibit these new TV band devices from operating in spectrum adjacent to assigned TV channels and in some modest number of channels in rural areas. We also support the adoption of other measures that may be necessary to meaningfully protect wireless microphone operations from interference in super-scale venues such as major televised sporting events. New TV band devices will need to be located in areas where they will not interfere with incumbent users. A system based on using geolocation to locate fixed base stations in areas where there will be no interference appears to be the best approach.”