NFL eases blackout rule

[Auggie]

Huffington Post

The biggest change to the NFL's blackout policy in 40 years reportedly happened recently when owners voted to allow games to be shown in a local market if the stadium is only 85 percent full. The previous policy required 100 percent of non-premium tickets to be sold before the game would be shown locally. Here's what The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday (June 30th, I believe):

Team owners have passed a resolution that starting this season will allow for local broadcasts of NFL games even when as few as 85 percent of tickets are sold. Under the new rule, each team has more flexibility to establish its own seat-sales benchmark as long as it is 85 percent or higher. To discourage teams from setting easy benchmarks, teams will be forced to share more of the revenue when they exceed it.

The NFL is not responding to media inquiries on the change. Still, it's a huge victory for Sports Fans Coalition and others who have been calling attention to the unethical and counterproductive nature of these blackouts. And it's welcome news in cities like Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Oakland, and San Diego.

SNIP

Clearly, (the blackout rule) wasn't serving the NFL well. Perhaps they finally read what nine top sports economists wrote in their February filing with the FCC: "Blackouts have no significant effect on ticket sales in the NFL."

MORE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-frederick/score-nfl-hears-noise_b_1641506.html

About time ...

[bluedigger]

1. Good deal.

Now to get rid of those damn Thursday NFL Network games!

[Upton]

2. Why?

I like watching them. The more sports that's on..the better.

[bluedigger]

4. Because I don't get the NFL Network.

Was that really that hard to figure out?

[Upton]

6. Oh, it's not too hard to figure out..

You don't get to see the games on the NFL Network, so nobody else should either..

[bluedigger]

7. Yeah, because if they weren't carried on NFL Network they wouldn't be played.

[Auggie]

8. I'm on the fence about Thursday Night Games

If we have to have them, I think any team playing should be coming off a bye -- it's a big toll on players to play Thursday following a Sunday game.

It's a no-brainer they should be nationally televised. There's more money to be made, of course. Since when did the NFL ever turn down more money?

I get the NFL Network as part of my cable package but hardly ever watch it except for live games. I think the Thursday contests only exist to keep this fledgling operation alive.

Finally, if they do have to have Thursday games, can we get some decent match-ups?

[bluedigger]

9. The scheduling issues is a whole nother ball of wax.

Obviously, they carry the games to sell the package. There's no other reason.

[El Supremo]

10. The Donkos Thursday night games are on a local station.

Did your county finally switch over to Denver games like La Plata did?

Oh wait! You don't like the Broncos.

[bluedigger]

11. I'm honestly conflicted on Thursday night schedules.

As a NFL fan, from a viewer's perspective I like the extra games to watch, or I would, if I didn't have to pay a premium to see them. Heck, I'd watch the NFL seven nights a week. As noted above, though, there are some real problems from a fair competition perspective that make the Thursday night games less attractive.

I'm not sure what my local cable (Baja) is doing. I'm watching the Rocks and Nats right now on something called "Root sports". I haven't been out here for an NFL season yet, as I was in New Orleans until just before Xmas last year, when I got laid off. I'm going to miss going to Ryan's in the FQ to watch the games...

And yeah, I hate the Broncos.

[El Supremo]

12. OK. You get NBC from Denver and CBS from Durango.

I'm pretty sure your CBS carries Denver football now. There was a big stink in Durango about them carrying the New Mexico broadcasts.

[bluedigger]

13. All I know is I watch the Albuquerque news on NBC, I think.

And I still can't spell it.

[El Supremo]

14. The internets say you also get KUSA in Denver.

On channel 10. KUSA is now "The home of the Broncos".

[bluedigger]

15. You're right.

I wonder when that changed...

[Jamaal510]

3. This is good.

Would be better if they get rid of the blackout rule completely, especially since many stadiums are built with taxpayer dollars.

[Auggie]

5. Yes. But it's a start.