Are Blackouts Supposed To Make Me A Fan?

[dophin26]

So I try to root for my hometown Lions. I know, I know...

I was a season ticket holder for years and then they moved the stadium another 40 min south of where I live, so no more season tickets. Detroit isn't selling out (surprise, surprise), so they are blacking out the game. I happen to live about halfway up the lower peninsula, but my Fox affiliate is out of Flint, which falls in the blackout zone and goes far enough north that it covers Bay City too, so therefore it is blacked out for me too.

So, I'm too far away to go to the games now, but close enough to live in the blackout area. I can't watch the team at all. How am I supposed to be a fan of the Lions when I see the Packers and Vikings twice as much as my hometown team? I think the logic is bass ackwards. You aren't enticing me to go to the game. You are actually losing me as a fan.

[sb24]

i agree.

[JBH3]

Quote: Originally Posted by dophin26

So I try to root for my hometown Lions. I know, I know... I was a season ticket holder for years and then they moved the stadium another 40 min south of where I live, so no more season tickets. Detroit isn't selling out (surprise, surprise), so they are blacking out the game. I happen to live about halfway up the lower peninsula, but my Fox affiliate is out of Flint, which falls in the blackout zone and goes far enough north that it covers Bay City too, so therefore it is blacked out for me too. So, I'm too far away to go to the games now, but close enough to live in the blackout area. I can't watch the team at all. How am I supposed to be a fan of the Lions when I see the Packers and Vikings twice as much as my hometown team? I think the logic is bass ackwards. You aren't enticing me to go to the game. You are actually losing me as a fan.

Yea...it just puts the Lions further and further out of the consciousness of a Lion fan.

Oh the economy is bad, the Lions suck. I can't GO to the game. Now I can't watch the game. Now I don't really care about Lions football anymore.

Why can't the NFL see that?

The game is only blacked out for Lions fans though right? How does it work for the opposing teams fanbase? Could I perhaps be in for a treat of NOT being subjected to Redskins football on Fox at 1, and possibly get to watch KC @ PHI?

[SPTO]

It's an antiquated rule. it's basically to get you to go to the game rather then sit on your butt and watch it on TV.

[J0nnD0ugh]

So what is the affect? Team sucks. People don't want to pay for sucky games. League doesn't want to give sucky games away for free. Fans don't want to see for free another team in place of their sucky team. Therefore, fan loses. League loses. Network loses.

What has been accomplished?

[Vince]

Imagine if there were blackouts in the NBA, NHL or MLB...geez.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by J0nnD0ugh

So what is the affect? Team sucks. People don't want to pay for sucky games. League doesn't want to give sucky games away for free. Fans don't want to see for free another team in place of their sucky team. Therefore, fan loses. League loses. Network loses. What has been accomplished?

It'll never happen in the NFL but the CFL had a similar blackout policy in the '70s and '80s because the Argos and the Ti-Cats weren't so good in those years they didn't air a lot of the home games. It created a situation where the CFL lost a whole generation of fans. The Hamilton market has largely regained their fanbase but Toronto has never gotten back to what it used to be.

Like I said that will never happen to the NFL but some teams will have a very hard time regaining a fanbase once they get good again.

[lonewolf371]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

It'll never happen in the NFL but the CFL had a similar blackout policy in the '70s and '80s because the Argos and the Ti-Cats weren't so good in those years they didn't air a lot of the home games. It created a situation where the CFL lost a whole generation of fans. The Hamilton market has largely regained their fanbase but Toronto has never gotten back to what it used to be. Like I said that will never happen to the NFL but some teams will have a very hard time regaining a fanbase once they get good again.

So many cities want an NFL team to the point where if fans stop going to a team's games, the team can simply move to another city and sell-outs will start up again. Yeah, I'm talking about Oakland, San Diego, and Jacksonville. Everything I've heard about Detroit says the Lions have an extremely loyal fan base, and once they get over their current losing streak they won't have any trouble selling out again. And they will get over this losing streak; they're starting to do things with the draft and such the right way. Johnson also has a great future.

[Burns11]

Games are only blacked out for their respective market, not nationally.

Blackouts are not intended to make you a fan, blackouts are meant to get the fans to go to the games. If you are hurt by a blackout, good they are serving their intended purpose. Can't afford to attend the game? Tough, the NFL is in the business of making money, not enforcing your sense of entitlement.

Quote: Originally Posted by dophin26

I was a season ticket holder for years and then they moved the stadium another 40 min south of where I live, so no more season tickets.

If 40 minutes is keeping you from going to a game, you are not really a fan. I can only dream of an NFL stadium that close, never mind the Dolphins being that close. As it is I travel probably 8 times a year to either Indy (4 hours round trip), Cincinnati (3 hours round trip) or Chicago (10 hours round trip).

[J0nnD0ugh]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

It'll never happen in the NFL but the CFL had a similar blackout policy in the '70s and '80s because the Argos and the Ti-Cats weren't so good in those years they didn't air a lot of the home games. It created a situation where the CFL lost a whole generation of fans. The Hamilton market has largely regained their fanbase but Toronto has never gotten back to what it used to be. Like I said that will never happen to the NFL but some teams will have a very hard time regaining a fanbase once they get good again.

I wouldn't say never. I;m not saying teams will go under. But this is a day & age where there is alot more entertainment that comes right into the home. NFL has a foothold now, but let these situations continue & people will drift away. That "necessity" to be involved w/the team will disappear as other pastimes fill the void.

Look @ places like Arizona. They still sweat out the deadline & couldn't sell out the NFC title game. Everybody is looking to get a dollar out of their nickel & paying out the nose for a mediocre product is no longer going to seem necessary anymore.