Blackouts

[Squirrel]

Although Raleigh may not technically be in the "zone" it's affiliates network area may penetrate that zone. The two downtown areas are only 168 miles apart so even if both affiliates were in their respective downtowns and only had a perfect 75mile radius of coverage the two circles would only be 18 miles apart. It's not beyond reason for the two to converge, which would cause anyone within the Raleigh affiliate to have a blackout.

When I lived in Winston salem we never had a blackout that I remember.

[iamcline]

The last blackout I remember was the Panthers/Ravens game in 02...then again maybe my rabbit ears didn't pickup CBS lol.

[woody]

So are the games going to be blacked out in Raleigh? Couldn't tell if it was a yes or no

[iamcline]

I wouldn't bet on it. FOX hasn't had a Panthers blackout in...well recent memory...only CBS would have a problem, but I wouldn't worry about a blackout.

[Doyle]

..only when I drink jaeger

Thats funny. I thought I was going to get a chance to discuss my drinking problem.

[Happy Panther]

http://nfl-facts-and-rumors.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22475988/24397391

This season, 11 teams, including ’09 playoff clubs San Diego, Cincinnati and Arizona, could be facing blackouts. Tampa Bay is expected to lead the league in ’10 blackouts; their first could come in the Season Opener against Cleveland. Leahy writes, “Last year the Buccaneers took advantage of blackout loophole by which teams can buy back unsold tickets at a reduced rate in order for the game to air locally. This season, (Bucs spokesman) Jonathan Grella said the team won't do that.

For games to be on TV, Grella said, "people need to understand that it's not a given."

It’s worth noting that the blackout problems are generally impacting only the less established teams. Classic organizations like Pittsburgh, Chicago, Dallas, Green Bay, San Francisco, Miami, Washington, etc. have either already sold out all eight games in 2010 or are on the cusp of selling out all eight games. And popular teams like Philadelphia, New England, Indianapolis, Minnesota and Baltimore are selling out, too.

That said, the blackout problem will get worse if changes aren’t eventually made. Think about it: going to a game costs hundreds of dollars. You’re stuck in traffic for hours beforehand and after. You usually wind up committing eight hours of your day to the experience. The game is exciting, except for the frequent commercial breaks where you sit around and look at nothing. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a good view of the field. And, if you’re even luckier, you won’t be sitting next to a noisy moron or drunkard.

On the other side of the equation…for roughly the cost of taking your family to an NFL game, you can order DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket and see every game for the entire season. You watch from home (likely on a big HD screen) and determine the nature of your own environment. You see more than you would have seen at the game live (better view, replays, close-up shots of players and coaches), and it only costs about three hours of your day. No driving home, no facing traffic and no standing in line at the restroom. Better yet, if you’re a hardcore NFL fan, you aren’t limited to watching just one game.

With the Collective Bargaining negotiations on the horizon and owners needin

g to figure out how to distribute revenue, the league needs to take special notice of the blackout markets. If blackouts become the norm for lower-echelon teams (especially lower-echelon teams in newer NFL markets like Tampa, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Phoenix, etc.), the NFL could start to develop its own versions of the Kansas City Royals or Pittsburgh Pirates.

[SCP]

lower-echelon............

[ckad79]

I try to go to about 2 or 3 Panther games a year, even though I'm reduced to buying tickets at StubHub and paying 50% over face value for them!!!

I do feel that more and more people like the idea of sitting on their couches and having an amazing view of the action and not paying to pay to park or drop $8 on beers! Who can blame them? I on the other hand, enjoy the experience of being around the fans... even during a game where I'm shivering in the upper-deck on a Sunday afternoon in November! haha

I think Carolina fans are loyal but much more loyal when we're winning! duh! I doubt that like the Redskins, we'll have a waiting list for season tickets... in my lifetime!! Fans will come out but their fair-weathered and will only show when the going is good. Going 1-3 in the preseason and showing no signs of life on offense, isn't going to get any Panther fans to rush to the ticket booth! Plus, ownership raised the price of tickets which seemed like a weird move.

[natty]

Something has to change with blackouts. Think about it - JR has cut millions out of the roster while raising ticket prices in a depressed economy with record unemployment. Then if enough people don't buy those tickets they blackout the area. That's piss poor business imo.

[SCP]

Something has to change with blackouts. Think about it - JR has cut millions out of the roster while raising ticket prices in a depressed economy with record unemployment. Then if enough people don't buy those tickets they blackout the area. That's piss poor business imo.

Unfortunately, Goodell does not want to budge one bit on this policy. And this is an NFL policy, not a team policy.

At least I'll be at all the games.

:party:

[Jase]

I think the last time we blacked out was in clemson.

I think we sold tix even in 01.

[GRWatcher]

I think the last time we blacked out was in clemson.

I think we sold tix even in 01.

That was because the PSL owners didn't have to buy tickets for the year at Clemson. After that, it was mandatory that they buy the season tickets.

That season at Clemson has always been one of my favorites.

[Longbeachisland]

The NFL shouldn't blackout games, if they only showed the games in standard definition, then it would get a rise out of the home audience for not buying tickets.

It was actually cheaper to fly down to tampa in 2007, get a hotel, and watch the giants play the buccaneers in the playoffs than go to a home game.

[Proudiddy]

Funny we were called a 'lower echelon' team, when every single Forbes list and other NFL rankings for franchises has us in the high-middle to top-level teams. 14th and higher in everything I've seen.