"Blackout Blues"

[moochman]

Title stolen from USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-08-31-nfl-tickets_N.htm

Two teams — the San Diego Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars— say it's likely they will have home TV blackouts this season due to an inability to sell out their stadiums. At least 10 other teams could also face blackouts.

One of those teams, surprisingly enough, is the Detroit Lions.
Being a Lions fan blackout fears are common, both on Sundays and draft-days (see Matt Millen draft record) Last season there were threats of blackouts for every game in the second half, and several blackouts. This year we open up with a game at New Orleans in a game that were it a movie would be titled: “There will be blood”.
There is a very real possibility that a dismantling in the Delta will have fans harkening back to the gory years of 0-16 and we won’t sell out a single game this year. I cannot stand the thought of being punished for Lions owner William Clay Ford’s incompetence and the NFL’s archaic, moronic, poorly thought-out blackout rule. An easy solution, methinks, would be for the league to lift the blackout rules during the economic hardships that are facing our country. A better solution would be for the league to mandate that owners buy unsold tickets, distribute them to local charities or schools shown to have excelled. Fine the owners exponentially for every unsold ticket. Its time the league stopped talking about accountability and start owning it. Make the owners pay the price for not providing a product that is worth the money they are charging, not the fans.

How many of you fear that some of your team’s games will be blacked out this season and is the league doing right by its fans with the continuance of the out-dated blackout rule?

[Yoda]

I heard this on the radio the other day and frankly, I don't understand the reason behind it anymore. San Diego has faced blackouts the last few years and I think the corporate sponsors buy up the tickets so the game would always be televised. Otherwise, the advertising suffers and in turn businesses suffer, fans suffer, the team suffers, and it creates a never ending problem. Not sure how it will go down this year but I don't see how anyone benefits from a blackout. It won't force people to buy up tickets. It will turn off more casual fans than anything else.

[joejlitz]

That's a good point. I don't think the black out rule forces people to buy tickets either. I'm not sure what the incentive of a black out is, except to get corporate sponsors and TV stations to buy the remaining tickets.

The Eagles had some tough times in the 90s (Ray Rhodes, Richie Kotie - need I say more?) and I don't think we were ever blacked out, but we often had to get the TV stations to buy the rest of the tickets.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

That's a good point. I don't think the black out rule forces people to buy tickets either. I'm not sure what the incentive of a black out is, except to get corporate sponsors and TV stations to buy the remaining tickets.

The Eagles had some tough times in the 90s (Ray Rhodes, Richie Kotie - need I say more?) and I don't think we were ever blacked out, but we often had to get the TV stations to buy the rest of the tickets.

It does happen. I remember a season opener against the Cards years back that was blacked out. But it's so rare; usually the tickets just get bought up by sponsors, TV stations, the team, etc... it's true that it's hardly worth reporting...

[moochman]

That's a good point. I don't think the black out rule forces people to buy tickets either. I'm not sure what the incentive of a black out is, except to get corporate sponsors and TV stations to buy the remaining tickets.

The Eagles had some tough times in the 90s (Ray Rhodes, Richie Kotie - need I say more?) and I don't think we were ever blacked out, but we often had to get the TV stations to buy the rest of the tickets.

It does happen. I remember a season opener against the Cards years back that was blacked out. But it's so rare; usually the tickets just get bought up by sponsors, TV stations, the team, etc... it's true that it's hardly worth reporting...

The original intent of the blackout was to encourage people to buy tickets instead of watch it on TV when the game was new and struggling. None of that applies now, since going to a game and watching on TV are vastly different experiences.
This year, with the economic downturn calling for more corporate and company responsibility, in addition to the lack of spendable income of the average Joe, there may be more unsold tickets and less sponsors, local businesses, and TV stations willing to buy. We could see enough blackouts that it could embarrass the league. And maybe in the long run that is a good thing. It may get the league to look more closely at the way it is doing business and change the archaic systems that are currently inplace.

[Yoda]

The belief that people will fork over $35+ per ticket to head over to the stadium due to a blackout is severely flawed: "Oh crap the Chargers are not going to be on TV so I need to drive one hour down to the stadium and fork over $100+ for my family to watch the game." Mmmk... I'm sure that this happens like never. People are staying home and watching the game for a reason. I'm sure most people would love to watch every game at the stadium if given the choice.

[Dan Lambskin]

The belief that people will fork over $35+ per ticket to head over to the stadium due to a blackout is severely flawed: "Oh crap the Chargers are not going to be on TV so I need to drive one hour down to the stadium and fork over $100+ for my family to watch the game." Mmmk... I'm sure that this happens like never. People are staying home and watching the game for a reason. I'm sure most people would love to watch every game at the stadium if given the choice.

i actually prefer to watch football at home...better view of the action, can flip to other games and fantasy stats, can pause action to use the facilities go get more food/beer

[2ksports]

The belief that people will fork over $35+ per ticket to head over to the stadium due to a blackout is severely flawed: "Oh crap the Chargers are not going to be on TV so I need to drive one hour down to the stadium and fork over $100+ for my family to watch the game." Mmmk... I'm sure that this happens like never. People are staying home and watching the game for a reason. I'm sure most people would love to watch every game at the stadium if given the choice.

i actually prefer to watch football at home...better view of the action, can flip to other games and fantasy stats, can pause action to use the facilities go get more food/beer

I prefer to watch a football game live where my players are playing, especially from behind on MNF, where my players decide the outcome.

[joejlitz]

I prefer to watch a football game live where my players are playing, especially from behind on MNF, where my players decide the outcome.

I like going to a game when my fantasy players are playing, too. But regardless, I just love being in NFL stadiums where the intensity is just so electric. From the parking lot to the crowds inside to the cheering and chanting and name-calling and smack talking and beer swilling. The right venues like Philly, New York, and New Orleans. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Now I went to a game in STL 3 years ago and that felt like being at the morgue.

[Yoda]

The belief that people will fork over $35+ per ticket to head over to the stadium due to a blackout is severely flawed: "Oh crap the Chargers are not going to be on TV so I need to drive one hour down to the stadium and fork over $100+ for my family to watch the game." Mmmk... I'm sure that this happens like never. People are staying home and watching the game for a reason. I'm sure most people would love to watch every game at the stadium if given the choice.

i actually prefer to watch football at home...better view of the action, can flip to other games and fantasy stats, can pause action to use the facilities go get more food/beer

I wonder how you would respond if someone offered you 50 yard line tickets for free.