nfl blackout rules
The NFL is kinda funny when it comes to television. [1]
OLYMPIA — State House members sent Seattle football fans a sweet Valentine: they passed a bill yesterday to end NFL blackouts of Seahawks games. [2]
..Obviously, the success of the NFL says the league has done a good job of marketing the product, and this (blackout) is part of that,” Raiders executive Bruce Allen said. [3]
Since then, NFL broadcasts have become among the most-watched programs on American television, and the fortunes of entire networks have rested on owning NFL broadcasting rights. [4]
A league spokesman said that the NFL was merely trying to “operate within the spirit” of a 1961 federal law on sports broadcasting. [5]
These are broadcast under a special “flexible schedule ” that allows Sunday games (on the last seven weeks of the season that contain a Sunday night game) to be moved from the normal start time of 1:00 p.m. [4]
If your TV provider does not broadcast within 75 miles of a city with an NFL team, these rules do not apply and your local affiliates can show any of the games available from their parent network. [6]
If it is blacked out on your local broadcast station, it will also be blacked out in your area on NFL SUNDAY TICKET. [7]
For example, Edmonton Eskimos home games are not broadcast in Edmonton or the immediate surrounding area to ensure that fans buy tickets. [8]
Now, the NFL rarely doesn’t sell out a game, but in markets like Detroit and Buffalo, this is a real issue. [1]
Rule Number One: If the home team is playing at home, and does not sell out by 72 hours prior to game time, then the local affiliates cannot show this game. [6]
A regular-season, Sunday afternoon home team game will be blacked out in a home team’s territory if the game fails to sell out at least 72 hours before the game. [7]
And thus for the third time this season, but only the eighth time in league history, all the games played this weekend will be broadcast in their home markets. [9]
The purpose is theoretically to generate more money by obligating certain actions from fans, either by making them buy tickets or watch other games on TV. [8]
The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 clearly states that professional football games cannot be telecast on the days traditionally reserved for high-school and college contests, at least for the lion’s share of autumn. [5]
Sources:
[1] NFL Blackout Rules, Cold Cuts and Cheerios by Football Frontier
[2] House passes bill banning NFL blackouts
[3] Blackout Policy Counterproductive For NFL
[4] NFL on television - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[5] Why you can’t show the NFL on Saturday. - By Brendan I. Koerner - Slate …
[6] CleverDonkey.com ” The NFL Should Bench Its Blackout Rules
[7] DIRECTV - NFL SUNDAY TICKET Blackouts
[8] Blackout (broadcasting) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[9] SportsBiz: NFL blackouts tackle weakest teams - Oct. 14, 2002