Chiefs Teicher: Sunday’s Chiefs game won’t be on local TV

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-18-2009, 12:10 AM

Sunday’s Chiefs game won’t be on local TV
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Chiefs fans have gotten accustomed to watching home games on live television for the past 19 years.

They’ll have to find something else to do this Sunday afternoon.

The Chiefs had 5,500 tickets left to sell at midweek to ensure a sellout, but they couldn’t get it done before Thursday’s noon deadline. That means Sunday’s game against Cleveland at Arrowhead Stadium will be blacked out locally — the first Chiefs TV blackout since Dec. 16, 1990.

Instead, KCTV-5 in Kansas City will show Miami at Tennessee at noon.

“That’s as bad as it gets when you can’t even watch your team on TV,” Matt Stutzman said Thursday night at Willie’s, a sports bar on Grand Boulevard. “It just shows you how bad the Chiefs are. When the Chiefs are good, that never happens.”

The Chiefs were in the same boat last week for their home game against Buffalo, with 3,500 tickets remaining at midweek. But when the Thursday deadline came, they received a 24-hour extension from the NFL and managed to reach the number they needed, extending their sellout streak to 156 games.

During the last few years, as the Chiefs’ fortunes on the field have faded and the season ticket base has waned, corporate sponsors and whichever TV station had the local rights to the game would pick up the remaining seats to ensure a sellout when needed.

Every week of the season, Chiefs telecasts are the highest-rated show in Kansas City, which justifies the stations’ decision. That’s true even for this sorry season.

But the combination of a 3-10 record, the tough economy and the busy weekend before Christmas didn’t serve the Chiefs well for their final home game of 2009-10.

Sunday’s Chiefs game will also be blacked out on the CBS affiliates in Topeka and St. Joseph and on satellite systems within a 75-mile radius of Arrowhead.

Dedicated Chiefs fans have options to find the game on live TV. CBS affiliates in Wichita, Omaha, Jefferson City/Columbia, Springfield, Pittsburg, Dodge City/Hays and Sioux City will show the game live.

If you can wait, the CBS broadcast will be available on NFL.com beginning at midnight Sunday, but only to ZIP codes within the 75-mile radius of Arrowhead Stadium.

The game, as always, will be carried live on radio by KCFX, 101.1 FM.

Still, that’s small consolation to fans such as Steven Brown, who thinks Kansas City should support the Chiefs even when they’re bad.

“I hate it,” Brown said about the blackout. “I’ve been loving the Chiefs since the day I was born. I was born the day the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. No matter how bad or how good they’re doing, I’ll always be a Chiefs fan. They’ll get it back. It’s only going to get better.”

12-18-2009, 12:10 AM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2997187	Teicher: Sunday’s Chiefs game won’t be on local TV Sunday’s Chiefs game won’t be on local TV By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star Chiefs fans have gotten accustomed to watching home games on live television for the past 19 years. They’ll have to find something else to do this Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs had 5,500 tickets left to sell at midweek to ensure a sellout, but they couldn’t get it done before Thursday’s noon deadline. That means Sunday’s game against Cleveland at Arrowhead Stadium will be blacked out locally — the first Chiefs TV blackout since Dec. 16, 1990. Instead, KCTV-5 in Kansas City will show Miami at Tennessee at noon. “That’s as bad as it gets when you can’t even watch your team on TV,” Matt Stutzman said Thursday night at Willie’s, a sports bar on Grand Boulevard. “It just shows you how bad the Chiefs are. When the Chiefs are good, that never happens.” The Chiefs were in the same boat last week for their home game against Buffalo, with 3,500 tickets remaining at midweek. But when the Thursday deadline came, they received a 24-hour extension from the NFL and managed to reach the number they needed, extending their sellout streak to 156 games. During the last few years, as the Chiefs’ fortunes on the field have faded and the season ticket base has waned, corporate sponsors and whichever TV station had the local rights to the game would pick up the remaining seats to ensure a sellout when needed. Every week of the season, Chiefs telecasts are the highest-rated show in Kansas City, which justifies the stations’ decision. That’s true even for this sorry season. But the combination of a 3-10 record, the tough economy and the busy weekend before Christmas didn’t serve the Chiefs well for their final home game of 2009-10. Sunday’s Chiefs game will also be blacked out on the CBS affiliates in Topeka and St. Joseph and on satellite systems within a 75-mile radius of Arrowhead. Dedicated Chiefs fans have options to find the game on live TV. CBS affiliates in Wichita, Omaha, Jefferson City/Columbia, Springfield, Pittsburg, Dodge City/Hays and Sioux City will show the game live. If you can wait, the CBS broadcast will be available on NFL.com beginning at midnight Sunday, but only to ZIP codes within the 75-mile radius of Arrowhead Stadium. The game, as always, will be carried live on radio by KCFX, 101.1 FM. Still, that’s small consolation to fans such as Steven Brown, who thinks Kansas City should support the Chiefs even when they’re bad. “I hate it,” Brown said about the blackout. “I’ve been loving the Chiefs since the day I was born. I was born the day the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. No matter how bad or how good they’re doing, I’ll always be a Chiefs fan. They’ll get it back. It’s only going to get better.”
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