In what has to be the most depressing storyline of the nascent 2009 NFL season, the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union reports that the Jags’ home opener versus the Cardinals will be blacked out. For those who need a refresher on the NFL’s blackout policy: if a team does not sell out all of its premium seats at least 72 hours before kickoff, then the game will not air on local television. If a team is close to selling out, they can request the deadline be extended. Apparently, the Jaguars were so far from selling out (they have at least 17,000 available seats) that they did not even ask the league office for an extension.
Jaguars: Looking for 17,000 Fans
↵Let’s recap: if you don’t have enough fans, the NFL punishes your city by preventing fans from watching the games on television. Kind of alienates your fan base, no? And makes it hard to get new fans. With the economy still slumping and NFL ticket prices still rising (thanks Jerry Jones), it would seem like the NFL would realize their blackout policy no longer makes any sense. But this is the NFL - a league that fines players for not wearing the proper chin strap.
↵So what happens if the Jags don’t get hometown hero Tim Tebow next year? Hello London?
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