Week 3 NFL Blackout Roundup

[cferraro]

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Chargers say enough tickets were sold by Thursday's deadline to lift the local television blackout for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Last week, the Chargers needed a 24-hour extension to sell enough tickets to lift the blackout for its home opener, which they lost 31-26 to Baltimore.

Both of their exhibition games were blacked out, and the team has warned that there may be regular-season blackouts. The team hasn't had a regular-season blackout since 2004.

Raiders-Broncos game blacked out in Bay Area

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- The Oakland Raiders' home game against the Denver Broncos will be blacked out locally because the team did not sell out the game in time.

Games need to be sold out 72 hours before kickoff to avoid a blackout in a 75-mile radius. The Raiders got a one-day extension to sell out the opener against San Diego but were unable to avoid the blackout against the Broncos.

The Raiders have had two games blacked out each season since taking over ticket sales from Alameda County before the 2006 season. This marks the first division game blacked out during that time.

Blackout: Redskins-Lions game won't be on local TV

DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Lions failed to sell all their tickets for Sunday's game against the Redskins, meaning there will be a TV blackout in some local markets.

Team spokesman Bill Keenist said Thursday the game will be blacked out in the Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw-Flint and Toledo, Ohio, markets.

More than 10,000-plus tickets were available on Wednesday.

Last week, the Lions were able to sell 1,700 tickets for the home game against Minnesota. No such luck this time.

The Lions have lost 19 games in a row, matching the second-longest skid in NFL history.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/09/24/blackouts.ap/index.html?section=si_latest#ixzz0S52xDeHM

[Midget Love 20]

I wouldn't go outta my way to watch the Lions vs. Skins if I had a chance. Zorn's getting called out by talk show radio hosts about his terrible play calling and the Lions well, are the Lions. I think the most excitement going on at Lions games happens in the stands......

[serphnx]

Question: Why don't teams that see a blackout coming just not give tickets away? Give them away to charities, or maybe children in hospitals with cancer etc.? You'd avoid the blackout plus do something good, and it's not like those tickets were getting sold anyway hence why they had to be blacked out anyway. The NFL doesn't differentiate between "given away" and "sold" anyway.

Instead of blaming the NFL for a rule that's very easy to get around, these teams need to take action themselves and figure out solutions. Which I already listed a way.

[Blackout]

redskins lions does not NEED to be shown on TV, what a waste of electricity and camera's

[cferraro]

[quote name='Blackout

[cferraro]

Question: Why don't teams that see a blackout coming just not give tickets away? Give them away to charities, or maybe children in hospitals with cancer etc.? You'd avoid the blackout plus do something good, and it's not like those tickets were getting sold anyway hence why they had to be blacked out anyway. The NFL doesn't differentiate between "given away" and "sold" anyway.

Instead of blaming the NFL for a rule that's very easy to get around, these teams need to take action themselves and figure out solutions. Which I already listed a way.

I don't know if giving them away counts as a sell-out. I have read that typically the networks will buy the remaining tickets and give them to charity to prevent blackouts. Obviously the networks wouldn't do that for 10,000 seats at a Lions game, but you can bet they would do it for a Giants or Jets game.

Teams also have the option of closing sections for a game to prevent the blackout. However, those sections must remain closed for the remainder of the season. you would think the Lions would have used this option by now knowing they would never sell out. Then again, they would probably only have fans sitting in the first three rows of the lower level.

[Jetsfan1015]

Question: Why don't teams that see a blackout coming just not give tickets away? Give them away to charities, or maybe children in hospitals with cancer etc.? You'd avoid the blackout plus do something good, and it's not like those tickets were getting sold anyway hence why they had to be blacked out anyway. The NFL doesn't differentiate between "given away" and "sold" anyway.

Instead of blaming the NFL for a rule that's very easy to get around, these teams need to take action themselves and figure out solutions. Which I already listed a way.

I believe since the NFL gets a share of the ticket sales that any ticket given away is deemed "sold" and the owner of the team would have to take money out of his pocket to give the NFL its share of the "sold" ticket. If they just let the tickets sit there, then the owners lose nothing. As always, its all about the money.

[Klecko73isGod]

The same could have been said during our "dark years" also. The fact is that these teams have fans and they are unable to see their team's games. Whether they suck or not is not the point.

I could personally care less about any team other then the Jets, but this rule could cause problems in large markets just as easily. Not that I think that it will happen, but if PSL sales for the Jets don't go well, we would be at risk of not seeing the game in our market next season.

Winning is the cure-all.

Winning teams sell out. It really is that simple.

If the Jets are a winning team this year and look like they will be a winning team next year, you'll be amazed how quickly the remaining PSLs get sold.