Tribal Warfare
08-25-2008, 11:35 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/766498.html
Chiefs likely OK with blackout possibility this week
A re Chiefs fans safe from the dreaded “blackout” word for this Thursday’s home game and preseason finale against the Rams?
It would appear.
“We can’t say anything for sure,” said Chiefs public-relations director Bob Moore, “but if nothing else changes in terms of the rate of ticket sales, we should be OK (for local television). The game is not sold out, but I think we’ll be OK.”
Moore said he didn’t know how many tickets have been sold for Thursday’s game but added that the game didn’t need to be completely sold out to be televised on Channel 5.
For the Chiefs’ previous preseason home game against Arizona, the team announced slightly more than 70,000 tickets sold (capacity with current construction is about 77,000). And that game was not blacked out.
Obviously the rules governing blackouts of preseason games are slightly different than for regular season games.
“In preseason, it’s more of an agreement between the teams and the local television stations,” Moore said. “We don’t have a deadline 72 hours prior to game time, like the league requires during the regular season.
“But then again, we don’t want to wait right until game time to make a decision to televise it, either. That wouldn’t be fair to local TV.”
Moore said a decision on televising the game probably will be made in the next 48 hours.
But Chiefs fans probably need to get used to hearing the word “blackout” when talking about television coverage as this season progresses.
The first two regular-season home games in September against Oakland and Denver would appear to be safe. But after that, home games with the Titans, Bucs, Saints, Bills, Chargers and Dolphins all could be in danger of being blacked out locally.
“We haven’t sold out Oakland and Denver, but those are our biggest rivals and we wouldn’t think that would be a problem,” Moore said. “It’s hard to say after that.
“It’s a tough economy, people are having to make hard decisions. But we’re obviously hopeful.”
Means nothing
We all know fans who get a little too excited when teams do well in preseason (hey, the Lions are 3-0!) or when their team struggles (Patriots are 0-3, think they’ll miss the playoffs?).
Perhaps with that in mind, the NFL Network points out that since 2005, the Colts have the NFL’s worst preseason record at 3-13. The Colts also happen to have the league’s best regular-season record, 39-9, during that span.
Parker cut
The Broncos have made their first cuts of the preseason and have let go former Chiefs receiver Samie Parker.
Parker played very little in preseason and had just one catch for 9 yards.
Chiefs likely OK with blackout possibility this week
A re Chiefs fans safe from the dreaded “blackout” word for this Thursday’s home game and preseason finale against the Rams?
It would appear.
“We can’t say anything for sure,” said Chiefs public-relations director Bob Moore, “but if nothing else changes in terms of the rate of ticket sales, we should be OK (for local television). The game is not sold out, but I think we’ll be OK.”
Moore said he didn’t know how many tickets have been sold for Thursday’s game but added that the game didn’t need to be completely sold out to be televised on Channel 5.
For the Chiefs’ previous preseason home game against Arizona, the team announced slightly more than 70,000 tickets sold (capacity with current construction is about 77,000). And that game was not blacked out.
Obviously the rules governing blackouts of preseason games are slightly different than for regular season games.
“In preseason, it’s more of an agreement between the teams and the local television stations,” Moore said. “We don’t have a deadline 72 hours prior to game time, like the league requires during the regular season.
“But then again, we don’t want to wait right until game time to make a decision to televise it, either. That wouldn’t be fair to local TV.”
Moore said a decision on televising the game probably will be made in the next 48 hours.
But Chiefs fans probably need to get used to hearing the word “blackout” when talking about television coverage as this season progresses.
The first two regular-season home games in September against Oakland and Denver would appear to be safe. But after that, home games with the Titans, Bucs, Saints, Bills, Chargers and Dolphins all could be in danger of being blacked out locally.
“We haven’t sold out Oakland and Denver, but those are our biggest rivals and we wouldn’t think that would be a problem,” Moore said. “It’s hard to say after that.
“It’s a tough economy, people are having to make hard decisions. But we’re obviously hopeful.”
Means nothing
We all know fans who get a little too excited when teams do well in preseason (hey, the Lions are 3-0!) or when their team struggles (Patriots are 0-3, think they’ll miss the playoffs?).
Perhaps with that in mind, the NFL Network points out that since 2005, the Colts have the NFL’s worst preseason record at 3-13. The Colts also happen to have the league’s best regular-season record, 39-9, during that span.
Parker cut
The Broncos have made their first cuts of the preseason and have let go former Chiefs receiver Samie Parker.
Parker played very little in preseason and had just one catch for 9 yards.