colts at Chargers “very likely” to be blacked out on Monday night

[BlueShoe]

Just read that the game will likely be blacked out in San Diego. 

 

They need to sell like 9,000 more tickets by tonight.

 

If Blacked out it, will be the first on Monday Night Football since 1999.

[T Y Goodbye]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/11/chargers-very-likely-to-be-blacked-out-on-monday-night/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

 

I made a status update on this very issue earlier this week. I live over 3 hours away in LA, and if the Chargers are blacked out in San Diego, they are blacked out all the way up here. I swear myself and a lot of fans in California will be ticked if the game is blacked out.

[oldunclemark]

They'll sell those tickets late and the blackout will be lifted++

[coltcub64]

Still though. For a Monday night game. Its not like the team is that bad.

[MAC]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/11/chargers-very-likely-to-be-blacked-out-on-monday-night/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

 

I made a status update on this very issue earlier this week. I live over 3 hours away in LA, and if the Chargers are blacked out in San Diego, they are blacked out all the way up here. I swear myself and a lot of fans in California will be ticked if the game is blacked out.

That hardly seems fair. I'm not surprised that you get their games regularly in the absence of an LA team, but it's obviously not the same tv market.  Who considers it normal to drive three hours to see a football game?

 

I was going to post about the fact that there doesn't seem to be any reason for any game to be blacked out because the team can always "buy" the extra tickets. Considering the percentage of the gate receipts that go to the team anyway, it should be a trivial formality. Then I read the link, and it's obvious that the Chargers want the game blacked out if they can't sell the tickets. A MNF game? How embarrassing would that be!

[Insert Colts Pun Here]

That hardly seems fair. I'm not surprised that you get their games regularly in the absence of an LA team, but it's obviously not the same tv market.  Who considers it normal to drive three hours to see a football game?

 

I was going to post about the fact that there doesn't seem to be any reason for any game to be blacked out because the team can always "buy" the extra tickets. Considering the percentage of the gate receipts that go to the team anyway, it should be a trivial formality. Then I read the link, and it's obvious that the Chargers want the game blacked out if they can't sell the tickets. A MNF game? How embarrassing would that be!

 

I don't understand.

 

The game will be blacked out if they don't sell 9,000 more tickets? Why is that?

[SLILLINGTON10]

huh i never thought they blacked out sunday night or monday night games since those are prime time slots or whatever? o'well AFN will play it all the same... just starts at like midnight

[MAC]

I don't understand.

 

The game will be blacked out if they don't sell 9,000 more tickets? Why is that?

Long standing NFL rules designed to strong-arm people into buying tickets. "We aren't going to let you sit in your living room nice and comfy and watch the game for free if enough of you don't drag yourself down here and give us cash".

 

It's the only league that I'm aware of that does this, and it's a testament to their popularity. The vast majority of games are close to being sellouts.

 

However considering that the leagues popularity is built entirely on it's massive tv ratings, I'm not sure that it makes a lot of sense. They could make money playing without an audience at all.

 

---

 

Perhaps it's a calculated effort to perpetuate an illusion. If all that anyone ever sees on tv is a packed house, that would tend to make attending games (and watching them) seem more desirable. Perhaps the bad press from a blackout is less than the bad impression left by empty seats.

[Insert Colts Pun Here]

Long standing NFL rules designed to strong-arm people into buying tickets. "We aren't going to let you sit in your living room nice and comfy and watch the game for free if enough of you don't drag yourself down here and give us cash".

 

It's the only league that I'm aware of that does this, and it's a testament to their popularity. The vast majority of games are close to being sellouts.

 

However considering that the leagues popularity is built entirely on it's massive tv ratings, I'm not sure that it makes a lot of sense. They could make money playing without an audience at all.

 

---

 

Perhaps it's a calculated effort to perpetuate an illusion. If all that anyone ever sees on tv is a packed house, that would tend to make attending games (and watching them) seem more desirable. Perhaps the bad press from a blackout is less than the bad impression left by empty seats.

 

It's not free when you watch it at home though, right? I paid £130 for GamePass this year! The NFL still makes billions from TV deals and the like.

 

I think you're right about the bad publicity a franchise gets from empty seats though. A packed house definitely makes attending live games seem more desirable. 

[T Y Goodbye]

That hardly seems fair. I'm not surprised that you get their games regularly in the absence of an LA team, but it's obviously not the same tv market.  Who considers it normal to drive three hours to see a football game?

 

I was going to post about the fact that there doesn't seem to be any reason for any game to be blacked out because the team can always "buy" the extra tickets. Considering the percentage of the gate receipts that go to the team anyway, it should be a trivial formality. Then I read the link, and it's obvious that the Chargers want the game blacked out if they can't sell the tickets. A MNF game? How embarrassing would that be!

 

 

Every time the Chargers play at home, (they rarely sell out) it is blacked out in LA..I agree its around 150 miles to SD from where I live and I rarely got to see them..even with Direct TV..it would be blacked out on both regular and Direct TV...I don't know what the problem is with what is considered a viewing area.. but 150 miles is a bit much.

 

My hunch is that they won't buy the tickets up, and the game will be blacked out...guess I'll just have to watch wrestling, and listen to the Colts on 1070 over the internet..

 

This would be the first Colts game I missed in well over 15 years...Even when I was in the hospital before my transplant, I made sure that I got to see the Colts play...This is just total bull.

[BlueShoe]

Every time the Chargers play at home, (they rarely sell out) it is blacked out in LA..I agree its around 150 miles to SD from where I live and I rarely got to see them..even with Direct TV..it would be blacked out on both regular and Direct TV...I don't know what the problem is with what is considered a viewing area.. but 150 miles is a bit much.

 

My hunch is that they won't buy the tickets up, and the game will be blacked out...guess I'll just have to watch wrestling, and listen to the Colts on 1070 over the internet..

 

This would be the first Colts game I missed in well over 15 years...Even when I was in the hospital before my transplant, I made sure that I got to see the Colts play...This is just total bull.

 

Is it possible for you to drive 50 miles or so away from San Diego and hit up a bar somewhere? Sounds silly, but it is what I would probably do. I too have not missed a game in a long time (1984). Don't lose the streak. 

[jameszeigler834]

Just read that the game will likely be blacked out in San Diego. 

 

They need to sell like 9,000 more tickets by tonight.

 

If Blacked out it, will be the first on Monday Night Football since 1999.

I think that's crap you shouldn't black out a Monday night game due to the lack of tickets sold.

[Devildog]

So the Jaguars home games are always blacked out in Jacksonville? Lol.

[MAC]

It's not free when you watch it at home though, right? I paid £130 for GamePass this year! The NFL still makes billions from TV deals and the like.

 

I think you're right about the bad publicity a franchise gets from empty seats though. A packed house definitely makes attending live games seem more desirable. 

It's free to those within the local market.  The billions in tv deals is largely because the networks make billions of their own in advertising. This goes back to the pre-cable days. People became fans of the local team because they could see every one of their games for free, but could only rarely see any of the other teams.

 

Thus Monday night football used to be even more HUGE than it is now because it was a free prime time game that the whole country could see (ABC for decades - they only shifted it to sister cable station ESPN recently). It was the matchup of the week and every football fan in the country tuned in. And when YOUR team made it that alone was a source of pride. It meant the team was probably doing something right.

 

ESPN and the NFL network, etc have changed the dynamic, but there are a substantial number of people who still only get over-the-air signals, and even more who only get basic cable without those stations (although ESPN forces it's way into being considered basic in a lot of places I think). Ironically this means that lots of people who could always watch MNF can't now, but it still has the lingering reputation as "the" game of the week. (Personally I think that designation shifted to Sunday Night Football because the MNF broadcast team essentially moved there with the game. It's still free over-the-air to the entire country, and they're still the best broadcast).

 

We can't get gamepass. Directv? It's expensive and with 4 games each week being available free to everyone, and 2 more for a modest fee, I doubt that there are many who subscribe to Directv just for the love of the game. It's because they are desperate to follow a specific team - like I used to.

 

In any case, the point was that a linchpin of football's success is that EVERY game is televised, and EVERYONE gets the free broadcast of their local team. UNLESS they don't sell out.

 

9,000 too few buy tickets, and millions suffer as a result. I could watch the game in NJ with a pretty generic cable tv subscription, but a lifelong diehard Chargers fan in SD - imagine one too old to be comfortable going to games any more - can't watch. Even if they subscribe to Directv it will be blacked out.

[OffensivelyPC]

I have a hard time believing that the game will be blacked out in one of the largest sporting markets in the country.  It's one thing if there were multiple MNF games, but there's only one.  But if it is blacked out, I feel bad for the SD and LA areas.

[BoltNation]

IF you live in LA you will be able to watch this game. The blackout is only a 35 mile raidus from SD... So just us San Diegans wont be able to watch..

[Slick_Rick]

I don't like the blackout rules. They are so dumb.

[Coltswarriors]

Chargers have always had poor attendance at games, and I don't really understand it. It's been a while since their team has been terrible, ya they're not great, but they're competitive.

 

Just surprising.

[Smonroe]

I don't like the blackout rules. They are so dumb.

 

Ridiculous.  The NFL is shooting itself in the foot with rule.  All the advertisements that sponsors paid millions for won't be seen by millions of people.  The networks have to love that!

 

Plus, they're punishing the fans who can't afford to go to the game.  Plain stupidity.

[LUCKy]

A charger fan sent me this for what it is worth:  http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2013/10/8/4817738/stop-worrying-about-the-chargers-colts-game-being-blacked-out

[Devildog]

A charger fan sent me this for what it is worth:  http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2013/10/8/4817738/stop-worrying-about-the-chargers-colts-game-being-blacked-out

 

Good to know.

[RomanianColtsFan]

It's not going to happen.

[T Y Goodbye]

IF you live in LA you will be able to watch this game. The blackout is only a 35 mile raidus from SD... So just us San Diegans wont be able to watch..

 

I have had Ryan Matthews as my fantasy running back last year and the year before. I try to switch stations so I can see my fantasy team perform, unless the Colts are on at the same time. Every Charger home game that wasn't sold out, was blacked out both on regular TV and Direct TV..I live just north of LA. I thought there was a 35 mile radius, but I guess it doesn't apply here. I live exactly 153 miles from the Stadium in San Diego, and Charger games have been blacked out up here for at least the past 2 years when not sold out.

 

 

Is it possible for you to drive 50 miles or so away from San Diego and hit up a bar somewhere? Sounds silly, but it is what I would probably do. I too have not missed a game in a long time (1984). Don't lose the streak. 

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have a lot of health issues, so I'm basically stuck at home...I used to go to sports bars, before I got Direct TV..but its not the same..My wife gives me DTV as a present, so that I can be more comfortable, and because she knows how much I love the Colts. She's given me the 2 greatest gifts a Colts fan could ever ask for previously, and, even though she's no a sports fan, she knows how much the Colts mean to me. During my 16 day hospitalization from my transplant, she brought in some of my pictures, and memorabilia in my room, even though it wasn't football season..I've been blessed by having her in my life, as well as being a fan of the best Football team, organization, and fellow fans of our beloved Colts...

 

I'll find some way to watch it..but if not, I can still listen on the radio over the net...

 

 

I Just saw this from that article about not worrying about the blackout...this is why it get blacked out up here as well

 

(games being played in San Diego, which claims Los Angeles as part of its "territory" due to L.A. not having an NFL team of their own)

[lollygagger8]

Wait, what happened? I blacked out

[HarryTheCat]

It's still not as bad as in the "olden days", when ALL home games were blacked out, sold out or not.  All we had was the play-by-play on the radio.

[shakedownstreet]

the indy 500 is blacked out in the indianapolis market regardless of tickets sold. it's ironic i live just a few miles from the speedway & have never watched it on tv

 

yeah they re-air it that night, but who wants to watch a race that's already happened

[dw49]

Is it possible for you to drive 50 miles or so away from San Diego and hit up a bar somewhere? Sounds silly, but it is what I would probably do. I too have not missed a game in a long time (1984). Don't lose the streak. 

 

 

It's not that simple. I remember trying to watch a Bills -  Colt game when I lived in Syracuse. Even though Syracuse is 140 miles or so from Buffalo , it was blacked out . I even got in my car and traveled 50-60 miles south hoping that the stations down there would have a different "feed." It just doesn't work like some of you are saying as areas outside the 50 mile radius often have the same station as the one blacking the game out within the 50 mile readies. That's why guys are saying they get blacked out in LA. I Live in Huntington Beach which is probably 100 miles fro SD and I do not get the SD blacked out games either. So the 50 mile radius thing is not always the case.

[buccolts]

the indy 500 is blacked out in the indianapolis market regardless of tickets sold. it's ironic i live just a few miles from the speedway & have never watched it on tv

 

yeah they re-air it that night, but who wants to watch a race that's already happened

Really?

That's pretty funny, er, odd.

[buccolts]

Chargers have always had poor attendance at games, and I don't really understand it. It's been a while since their team has been terrible, ya they're not great, but they're competitive.

 

Just surprising.

 

I'm guessing it's the same reason there's no team in L.A.

Weather's too good, so too many other things to do.

Therefore, too many passive fans.

[Guest TeamLoloJones]

I'm guessing it's the same reason there's no team in L.A.

Weather's too good, so too many other things to do.

Therefore, too many passive fans.

Maybe it's because of the historic meltdown in the last year's MNF game vs. the Broncos....Actually they had another epic meltdown vs. the Texans on MNF this year too.  

[Valpo2004]

I'm just glad the Colt's sell out their tickets and can see every game except when there is an NFC conflict with the Bears. 

 

The thing I don't understand is if this is really in the NFL's best interest.  TV is what really makes them the most money. . . And do they really think that ticket sales would go down if everyone could see the game on TV for free?  

 

Does seeing a few empty seats, especially in the stadium of a team that sucks really create that bad of an impression??

 

Would this sellout policy apply to playoff games??  (not that it's ever likely to happen that a team couldn't sell all their tickets for a playoff game)

 

Would it apply to the Superbowl (which would never happen but theoretically speaking.)

 

I think it would be freaking hilarious if they had to blackout the superbowl.  

[Valpo2004]

I'm guessing it's the same reason there's no team in L.A.

Weather's too good, so too many other things to do.

Therefore, too many passive fans.

 

Might also be time thing too.  MNF here comes on at about 8:30 eastern time.  The west coast is 3 hours behind us so that means the game starts at about 5:30.  

 

It might not be easy for a lot of people to get off of work at 5 pm and make into the stadium for a 5:30 kickoff.  They would likely have to find a way to get off of work early or take the day off.

 

Whereas someone in Indy going to a MNF game gets off at around 5, has plenty of time to get dinner and make it to the stadium without taking the day off work.  He/she might have to sacrifice a couple hours of sleep that night, but that's about it.  

[JoKeR]

So the Jaguars home games are always blacked out in Jacksonville? Lol.

Nope fans at home put tarps over their TVs.

[backshoulderfade]

Being from across the pond, the NFL blackout rules completely baffle mE.

[bestQBever]

I wish bill gates just walked in and bought all 10000 tickets for us.

[Indygal1218]

I'm just glad the Colt's sell out their tickets and can see every game except when there is an NFC conflict with the Bears.

Are you talking about northern Indiana? Because I don't think there's been a blackout in Indy since Peyton became a big thing. I think there'd be a riot at the local station if the Bears were aired instead of the Colts.

[braveheartcolt]

That hardly seems fair. I'm not surprised that you get their games regularly in the absence of an LA team, but it's obviously not the same tv market.  Who considers it normal to drive three hours to see a football game?

 

I was going to post about the fact that there doesn't seem to be any reason for any game to be blacked out because the team can always "buy" the extra tickets. Considering the percentage of the gate receipts that go to the team anyway, it should be a trivial formality. Then I read the link, and it's obvious that the Chargers want the game blacked out if they can't sell the tickets. A MNF game? How embarrassing would that be!

Geez MAC, spot on. Driving three hours for a game. No decent fan would embark on such a short journey.

I know, I know, I'm milking it now.....if I used those kiddy symbols I'd wink.

[Poster X]

the indy 500 is blacked out in the indianapolis market regardless of tickets sold. it's ironic i live just a few miles from the speedway & have never watched it on tv

yeah they re-air it that night, but who wants to watch a race that's already happened

At least they replay the Indy 500 late at night on tv here in Indy... listening to it on the radio brings back that old time feel which I enjoy more so.

The announcers in both sports for the most part are terrible, but I like to be able to see the game too. 9,000 tickets seems like a lot to sell before game day. If they don't snap them up fans can always enjoy the game here on the forum. Game day threads are always epic.

[grmasterb]

Really?

That's pretty funny, er, odd.

It's true. The Speedway will not allow the 500 to be broadcast live in the Indy market. We get the replay that night.

[dgambill]

I remember many Colt games in the old RCA dome getting blacked out. It really sucked. As a kid not being able to see the games and forced to watch the Bears with my father....ughh. lol