NFL: Blacked-out games will be available online

[Auggie]

Associated Press, 9-10-9

NEW YORK -- NFL fans whose local teams' games are blacked out will be able to watch replays online for free -- though not until after midnight.

The recession has left several teams in danger of having games blacked out this season. The league announced Thursday that home fans will be able to view the delayed broadcasts on NFL.com for 72 hours, except during "Monday Night Football."

A game is not aired in the home market if it does not sell out 72 hours in advance.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league understands the economy is limiting some fans from buying as many tickets as they had in the past.

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4462104

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Just televise the damn games

[michreject]

1. They why buy a ticket

Why buy a cow when you can get the milk for free.

[Auggie]

2. Answer: the average price of an NFL ticket is $75.00

The average price of an NFL ticket rose 4% this season to $75. The increase was fueled largely by the steep prices at the Cowboys' new stadium, Team Marketing Report's survey of NFL ticket prices said. (See the full survey in a pdf here.)

Dallas surpassed New England and now has the most expensive tickets in the league. They average $160, an increase of 90% from last season. Twenty-four teams kept their ticket prices stable.

The sticker shock doesn't end with the cost of tickets, however. The Fan Cost Index -- what it takes to bring a family of four to a game -- is $759 in Dallas, by far the highest in the league.

The Patriots check in with the second-highest FCI at $597, and the league average is $412.

The biggest bargains in the NFL can be found in Buffalo, where tickets average $51 and the FCI is $304, and in Jacksonville, $57 and $310.

LINK: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2009/09/nfl-average-ticket-prices-rise-thank-the-dallas-cowboys/1

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Too rich for a lot of folks.

[michreject]

3. No argument from me

But they can't give the product away for free. Eli Manning just signed a 100 million contract. Somebody gotta pay it.

[Auggie]

4. I expect advertising to accompany on-line replays

We'll have to shift through banner ads and sit through commercials

on-edit

I also expect we'll have to log-in some way. The data the NFL collects will be worth something to someone.

[JonLP24]

9. All NFL teams get shared revenue on top of the revenue they get

for parking, advertising, sponsorship, ticket sales, high priced beverages and food. I'll tell you as a fan of a consistent black out game no one wants to see their team play if they can't see them on TV. Not being able to see a local team on TV certainly doesn't increase popularity which is why tickets sell-out. As well as have a winning team which doesn't affect the Giants. Also the radius is 75 miles. You can't expect fans to take the drive even if they want to but they still punish them anyways. Blackout rules suck and most professional sports doesn't have them.

[trotsky]

5. Insane.

As ESPN's Tuesday Morning QB likes to say, there is no law saying the NFL must remain the most popular sport in the country. Out-of-control salaries (esp. for unproven rookies), greedy owners, and short-sighted management could very well bring it right down. If no one can afford your product, how much do you think you're gonna sell?

[michreject]

6. It will change for 2011

The NFL will have the same style rookie pay scale as the NBA.

[MrSlayer]

7. I have Sunday Ticket. No game is ever blacked out.

Beside that, I don't think there has been a blacked out game in Philly since the 70's.

[JonLP24]

8. Blackout rules for hometeams still apply on Sunday Ticket

It is something teams that sell out don't have to worry about.