3 NFL Playoff Games Face Blackout

[hawksfansinceday1]

If taxpayers pay for part or all of the stadium, it should be illegal to black them out.

If owners want to black out games to entice people to buy tickets, they should have to pay for their own stadiums 100% with their own money, no public subsidies, kickbacks, tax breaks, etc.

AWESOME idea and AWESOME post!! Agree 100%

 

[253hawk]

Without clicking on the link, something does not add up here. There is no WAY the Green Bay game isn't going to sell out. Not conceivable.

I bet a lot of Packer fans spent all of their extra money on xmas stuff this year after Rodgers broke himself and it didn't look like they were going to the playoffs at all. Also, -16 degree weather is projected -- before wind chill. So there goes your ticket sales to the well-off casual fans.

 

[Sports Hernia]

So does redzone get blocked too when it shows their team about to score?

 

[TalontedNoseRider]

If taxpayers pay for part or all of the stadium, it should be illegal to black them out.

If owners want to black out games to entice people to buy tickets, they should have to pay for their own stadiums 100% with their own money, no public subsidies, kickbacks, tax breaks, etc.

Well put--totally agree.

 

[Joey13091]

Come on its the playoffs. All of the games will be on tv. It won't get blacked out.

 

[253hawk]

They'll get blacked out locally, not nationally.

 

[duckypoo]

If taxpayers pay for part or all of the stadium, it should be illegal to black them out.

If owners want to black out games to entice people to buy tickets, they should have to pay for their own stadiums 100% with their own money, no public subsidies, kickbacks, tax breaks, etc.

Agreed. I'd go further and say that any stadium/venue paid for with a majority of public funding should be obliged to air all events (games, events, concerts) on free OTA broadcasts. Someone wants a truly private venue for major events they can pay for it on their own dime - but the public should enjoy what they pay for.

That said - I'm shocked at the state of ticket sales.

 

[Hawkstorian]

Ticket sales are slow because it's going to be 5 degrees.

 

[candyman4881]

I think the NFL has a real attendance problem. I do believe the NFL and the cities will find a way to get the games on TV to avoid a blackout, this is a real problem in the NFL.

This all came to a head when Pittsburgh played Cincinnati in Week 15 on Sunday Night Football in Pittsburgh. Should be a great matchup right? Divisional rivalry game, Pittsburgh still fighting for a playoff spot, national TV, Sunday night, decent weather for Pittsburgh in December (no precipitation), yet it was still the smallest crowd in Heinz Field history with only 45,873 people there. When two football meccas in Pittsburgh and Green Bay are struggling to sell tickets, there is a problem.

 

[VivaEfrenHerrera]

Ticket sales are slow because it's going to be 5 degrees.

Current forecast for Green Bay, Wisc., on Sunday is for a *high* of 0 degrees. That's the warmest it's going to get alllllll day. Lovely.

 

[AbsolutNET]

I think I read that the blackout rule is due to FCC rules and the NFL is working on changing that (turns out I am wrong about that part)

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-foo ... ckout-rule

You might not ever have to go another NFL game again because you'll be able to watch them all on TV. The Federal Communications Commission took the first step on Wednesday towards repealing its highly unpopular sports blackout rule. The rule has been in place since 1975 and prevents sporting events from being televised live if the event isn't sold out.

The FCC's five-member commission voted unanimously in favor of repealing the rule, however, that's just the first step in the process. The FCC will now invite public comment on the issue and then a ruling should be handed down sometime in the first half of 2014.

Why change the sports blackout rule after 38 years? In voting to repeal the blackout rule, the FCC basically acknowledged that it's an outdated rule.

"The sports blackout rules were originally adopted nearly 40 years ago when game ticket sales were the main source of revenue for sports leagues," the FCC wrote in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. "Changes in the sports industry in the last four decades have called into question whether the sports blackout rules remain necessary to ensure the overall availability of sports programming to the general public."

But, it goes on to say the NFL is against changing the blackout rule. Naturally. Looks like the leagues could still negotiate blackouts into TV contracts, though.

 

[ivotuk]

People are broke, especially this time of year. I don't think the cold has anything to do with it in Green Bay, just like here in Alaska, they are used to it. I think those that say it's because they didn't/don't think GB will win is more of the reason although the temperature should give the Packers an advantage.

That football is going to be hard as a rock and Kap and his receivers have very little experience in that kind of weather.

The colder it is, the better for Green Bay. Too bad their defense sucks, but they might be really fired up with Aaron back and being humiliated before. Eddie Lacy with a lot of yards would really help.

 

[AbsolutNET]

People are broke, especially this time of year. I don't think the cold has anything to do with it in Green Bay, just like here in Alaska, they are used to it. I think those that say it's because they didn't/don't think GB will win is more of the reason although the temperature should give the Packers an advantage.

That football is going to be hard as a rock and Kap and his receivers have very little experience in that kind of weather.

The colder it is, the better for Green Bay. Too bad their defense sucks, but they might be really fired up with Aaron back and being humiliated before. Eddie Lacy with a lot of yards would really help.

Personally, the cost of tickets would probably be prohibitive, but couple that with the weather and it makes it easy for me to stay home. If it was a championship game, maybe, but a divisional game the pack will most likely lose for a weeks pay while losing your toes and fingers?? I don't think it's fair weather to want to sit that one out.

 

[loafoftatupu]

The media will guarantee the sellout and by the time the game starts the tickets will be all but gone. GB will surely sellout before kickoff. I would be very surprised if Fox were left with any responsibility.

 

[twisted_steel2]

Ticket sales are slow because it's going to be 5 degrees.

Current forecast for Green Bay, Wisc., on Sunday is for a *high* of 0 degrees. That's the warmest it's going to get alllllll day. Lovely.

Potentially -30 with windchill. I honestly don't think I'd go to a game in that weather.

I don't even notice 45 and raining, but windy and that kind of cold? No thanks.

 

[253hawk]

Imagine the horror if all of their beer taps freeze again.

 

[Cyrus12]

haha have fun with the weather Krapperdick! Damn I wish we had tickets available! Guess the Hawks just have better, more dedicated fans....

 

[AbsolutNET]

MINUS 47.

Why in gods name would leave your house? I can't even imagine how miserable it would be sitting in the stadium at -30. Hopefully those that go are smart about it.

 

[OrFan]

Electric socks, good gloves, and a nice warm wool hat. If your feet, head and hands are warm, you will be fine. Even though I hate the cold, I'd take that any day over rain.

 

[lsheldon]

Packers and Colts avoid blackouts, Cincinnati is still at risk: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ear ... -blackout/

“Sports have got to be the only business where the consumer gets blamed for poor sales,” Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star writes. “Any other business, we’d look at the numbers and say, “Well, their price point is too high,” or “The service stinks,” or “They don’t carry a good selection of inventory.” And it’s ridiculous. NFL fans are the most loyal fans we have in this country. If they’re not purchasing playoff tickets, that tells me it’s an NFL problem, not an Indy/Cincy/Green Bay problem.”