▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ) ▁and ▁later ▁joined ▁by ▁compet itors ▁such ▁as ▁N BC SN ▁and ▁Fox ▁Sports ▁ 1 , ▁carry ▁packages ▁of ▁ass orted ▁major ▁professional ▁and ▁college ▁sports . ▁The ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁ML B , ▁N HL ▁and ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁( N BA ) ▁games ▁are ▁carried ▁through ▁regional ▁sports ▁networks , ▁however ▁the ▁NFL ▁only ▁perm its ▁pr ese ason ▁games ▁to ▁air ▁on ▁R SN s ▁on ▁a ▁limited ▁basis ▁( the ▁league ▁otherwise ▁prohib its ▁regular ▁season ▁and ▁play off ▁games ▁from ▁air ing ▁on ▁regional ▁sports ▁networks , ▁but ▁does ▁permit ▁national ▁cable ▁networks ▁to ▁ac quire ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁air ▁them ); ▁the ▁le agues ▁( as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁NFL ) ▁restrict ▁the ▁broadcast ▁of ▁their ▁sports ▁on ▁regional ▁networks ▁to ▁specific ▁territ ories ▁and ▁require ▁any ▁person ▁outside ▁those ▁territ ories ▁to ▁purchase ▁an ▁out - of - market ▁sports ▁package ▁to ▁watch ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁their ▁fav ored ▁team ' s ▁games . ▁Regional ▁sports ▁networks ▁can ▁also ▁provide ▁out lets ▁for ▁minor ▁league ▁sports ▁to ▁broadcast ▁their ▁events . ▁Un like ▁in ▁some ▁other ▁countries , ▁public ▁television ▁does ▁not ▁own ▁any ▁sports ▁rights , ▁nor ▁has ▁it ▁ever ▁been ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁in ▁sports ▁television . ▁ ▁Import ed ▁programming ▁While ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁programs ▁broadcast ▁on ▁American ▁television ▁are ▁produced ▁dom est ically , ▁some ▁programs ▁carried ▁in ▁synd ic ation , ▁on ▁public ▁television ▁or ▁on ▁cable ▁are ▁imported ▁from ▁other