NFL to suspend TV blackout policy

[TTK]

If the Bolts decide to bolt, at least we'll get to watch them this year in an empty Q.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12545081/nfl-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote

NFL to suspend TV blackout policy

NFL owners voted Monday to suspend the league's local TV blackout policy for the 2015 season.

The blackouts will be suspended for preseason and regular-season games. The league expects to evaluate the move after the season.

Games are routinely not shown in local markets if the local team does not sell a specified number of tickets.

There were no local blackouts during the 2014 regular season and only two blackouts in 2013.

[richpjr]

If they didn't do this, I'd bet that most Charger, Raider and Ram games would have been blacked out.

[TTK]

If they didn't do this, I'd bet that most Charger, Raider and Ram games would have been blacked out.

Yeah, I suspect this had to be a motivating factor.

[richpjr]

Yeah, I suspect this had to be a motivating factor.

How about this more devious angle: they will review the policy to see the effects after a year and could try and claim that without the policy, attendance plummeted in some cities and use that as a reason to claim it is needed.

[sandiego17]

How about this more devious angle: they will review the policy to see the effects after a year and could try and claim that without the policy, attendance plummeted in some cities and use that as a reason to claim it is needed.

Fairly transparent if its only the Bolts, Raiders and Rams that struggle. If it's other teams as well, that's another matter.

[bonehead]

so do the Raiders still have to cover 20,000 nose bleed seats up to hide the fact that the Raider Nation thinks they suck balls??

[6025]

Without the FCC to hide behind, it's now a game of PR.