Other NFL News

[KenFSU]

NFL owners have just done a masterful job in the last decade shifting the blame for poor ticket sales away from themselves and onto their respective cities.

I really dislike the criticizing of fan bases for not buying more football tickets, as if it is somehow the civic obligation of local citizens to provide NFL owners a free backdrop for their $27 billion in television contracts, regardless of the quality of the on-field product. If the stadium isn't full, the "blame" should rest squarely on the organization, not on the city. Current NFL ticket prices demand an extraordinary on-field product, and if people aren't buying what the Colts are selling, perhaps "prudent" and "discriminatory" are better word choices than "fickle."

Looking at Stubhub, the cheapest available tickets for the Colts game are priced at $90. The cheapest parking pass is also $90. That's an extraordinary amount of money for a family to spend, and far out of reach for most blue collar workers. If a few thousand families would rather watch the game on TV and instead use that money for a family vacation, a new big screen screen TV, or four years of Netflix, all the power in the world to them.

The more blackouts we see, the more likely the NFL is to reexamine its pricing structure. As the home theater experience continues to improve, these prices have got to come down. And cities need to come together to demand a piece of those television contracts, as there would be no $27 billion TV deal without the use of city stadiums and infrastructure.

Jags prices are fairly reasonable relative other cities, but let attendance decline league-wide until owners have no choice but to lower ticket prices enough to return the game to the working class.

[duvaldude08]

NFL owners have just done a masterful job in the last decade shifting the blame for poor ticket sales away from themselves and onto their respective cities.

I really dislike the criticizing of fan bases for not buying more football tickets, as if it is somehow the civic obligation of local citizens to provide NFL owners a free backdrop for their $27 billion in television contracts, regardless of the quality of the on-field product. If the stadium isn't full, the "blame" should rest squarely on the organization, not on the city. Current NFL ticket prices demand an extraordinary on-field product, and if people aren't buying what the Colts are selling, perhaps "prudent" and "discriminatory" are better word choices than "fickle."

Looking at Stubhub, the cheapest available tickets for the Colts game are priced at $90. The cheapest parking pass is also $90. That's an extraordinary amount of money for a family to spend, and far out of reach for most blue collar workers. If a few thousand families would rather watch the game on TV and instead use that money for a family vacation, a new big screen screen TV, or four years of Netflix, all the power in the world to them.

The more blackouts we see, the more likely the NFL is to reexamine its pricing structure. As the home theater experience continues to improve, these prices have got to come down. And cities need to come together to demand a piece of those television contracts, as there would be no $27 billion TV deal without the use of city stadiums and infrastructure.

Jags prices are fairly reasonable relative other cities, but let attendance decline league-wide until owners have no choice but to lower ticket prices enough to return the game to the working class.

I read that they are going to a flex pricing structure. Which means the match up would determine the price of the ticket. I'll have to find the information on it again. They say it may start in the 2014 season.

[Keith-N-Jax]

There were empty seats all over the NFL and teams with playoff implications. So you just cant say it was the product on the field.

[Wacca Pilatka]

The colts have had ticket problems since peyton left. Last year they had almost 10,000 ticket holders drop their tickets. So I dont think they are used to it, they fan base has just become fickle now that Peyton's gone.

They were never that great.  In '03 they had two or three blackouts and that was in the heart of the Peyton era, when they still played in a 56,000-seat tin can.

They also must be the least creative fan base in football history.  E.g., fans with signs reading just "LUCK" or (in the Harrison years) "MARVIN," and the numbing repetitiveness of everyone in the stands wearing an 18 or a 12 jersey.

[tufsu1]

Really? Let the Jags hit the playoffs with home field avantage and I can guarentee we wouldnt have this problem. Indy has been flakey ever since Peyton Manning left.

sure...but that's mainly because there hasn't had a home playoff game in Jax. since 1999....once things like that happen with regularity, they aren't as special anymore.

The colts have had ticket problems since peyton left. Last year they had almost 10,000 ticket holders drop their tickets. So I dont think they are used to it, they fan base has just become fickle now that Peyton's gone.

Really?  The report I saw today says the Colts have sold out 137 of their last 138 games. And while they have been granted an extension until tomorrow to sell their remaining playoff tickets, so have the Bengals AND PACKERS!!

[BridgeTroll]

The more blackouts we see, the more likely the NFL is to reexamine its pricing structure. As the home theater experience continues to improve, these prices have got to come down. And cities need to come together to demand a piece of those television contracts, as there would be no $27 billion TV deal without the use of city stadiums and infrastructure.

Another more likely possibility... moving all TV broadcast to a pay per view or "Sunday Ticket" format...

[thelakelander]

This just made my day! Five years too late but I'll take it.



Jeff Ireland no longer Dolphins GM
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10259808/miami-dolphins-gm-jeff-ireland-part-ways

[I-10east]

^^^I know that you're glad he's finally gone.

Roger Goodell is cool with Jerry Jones' foolish ideas of expanding the playoffs, further watering down the league. Jerrah wanna do it only better the chance of his mediocre Cowboys making the playoffs, and of course the extra money, SMH...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/07/goodell-says-theres-momentum-for-expanding-the-playoffs/

[duvaldude08]

^^^I know that you're glad he's finally gone.

Roger Goodell is cool with Jerry Jones' foolish ideas of expanding the playoffs, further watering down the league. Jerrah wanna do it only better the chance of his mediocre Cowboys making the playoffs, and of course the extra money, SMH...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/07/goodell-says-theres-momentum-for-expanding-the-playoffs/

Nothing will help the cowboys until they get a new GM, oh no! wait!! 

[BridgeTroll]

Happy 80th Birthday to Bart Starr... 

http://www.youtube.com/v/C3s284_8JvQ

[Keith-N-Jax]

That was a poorly officiated NFC Championship game.

[spuwho]

That was a poorly officiated NFC Championship game.

Did you mean the call where the SF punter nearly has his ankle broken and the best the refs could do was a 5 yard "running into the kicker" penalty?

How about when Bowman picks up the fumble, tears his ACL in the process, is down by contact and that last man on the pile takes the ball away and gets credit?

How about 3 intentional groundings before the refs finally call one and then every toss thereafter explain why it isn't?

How did you like that post game interview with Richard Sherman and Erin Andrews?  High levels of class, sportsmanship and fortitude in that one, eh?

I hope either Peyton absolutely crushes them, or if the Hawks win, it will stop the incessant "we are disrespected in Seattle rant" that has been going on since their last Super Bowl in Detroit.

If Peyton does crush them, interview Richard Sherman then. Lets see what level of deep thought he can produce then?

Funny thing is, I used to live in Seattle and have disliked the 49ers most of my sport watching life.

But the refs couldn't save Kaepernick from his blunders.

[duvaldude08]

That was a poorly officiated NFC Championship game.

Did you mean the call where the SF punter nearly has his ankle broken and the best the refs could do was a 5 yard "running into the kicker" penalty?

How about when Bowman picks up the fumble, tears his ACL in the process, is down by contact and that last man on the pile takes the ball away and gets credit?

How about 3 intentional groundings before the refs finally call one and then every toss thereafter explain why it isn't?

How did you like that post game interview with Richard Sherman and Erin Andrews?  High levels of class, sportsmanship and fortitude in that one, eh?

I hope either Peyton absolutely crushes them, or if the Hawks win, it will stop the incessant "we are disrespected in Seattle rant" that has been going on since their last Super Bowl in Detroit.

If Peyton does crush them, interview Richard Sherman then. Lets see what level of deep thought he can produce then?

Funny thing is, I used to live in Seattle and have disliked the 49ers most of my sport watching life.

But the refs couldn't save Kaepernick from his blunders.

Sherman didnt bother me so much. It was actually hilarous. He scared the hell out of poor Erin LMAO I mean its professional sports. Its a violent, competitve sport. Trash talking is what makes football, football. No one complain when wrestlers do it, and that shit isnt even real. 

[I-10east]

Sherman didn't bother me so much. It was actually hilarous.

I agree!!! No one didn't go all highbrow when Bart Scott said 'Can't Wait!!!' and Sherman's tirade was probably more 'clean' than that. Sherman didn't say anything profane at all. Crabtree isn't exactly innocent like many think; According to PFT, Crabtree tried to fight Sherman at a past charity event. That both have bad blood with each other for a long time now. Sherman may come off arrogant, but he definitely backs that smack talk up. The 'approval & disapproval' with Sherman's acts seem to be split 50/50. I'm with you, I think that he's funny as hell!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/20/report-crabtree-tried-to-fight-sherman-at-a-charity-event-last-year/

[copperfiend]

That was a poorly officiated NFC Championship game.

Did you mean the call where the SF punter nearly has his ankle broken and the best the refs could do was a 5 yard "running into the kicker" penalty?

How about when Bowman picks up the fumble, tears his ACL in the process, is down by contact and that last man on the pile takes the ball away and gets credit?

How about 3 intentional groundings before the refs finally call one and then every toss thereafter explain why it isn't?

How did you like that post game interview with Richard Sherman and Erin Andrews?  High levels of class, sportsmanship and fortitude in that one, eh?

I hope either Peyton absolutely crushes them, or if the Hawks win, it will stop the incessant "we are disrespected in Seattle rant" that has been going on since their last Super Bowl in Detroit.

If Peyton does crush them, interview Richard Sherman then. Lets see what level of deep thought he can produce then?

Funny thing is, I used to live in Seattle and have disliked the 49ers most of my sport watching life.

But the refs couldn't save Kaepernick from his blunders.

I grew up in Seattle and was a Seahawks fan for most of the 80's and 90's. I have been a Jaguars fan since 95 but generally want the Seahawks to win if they are not playing the Jags. But I just have a hard time rooting for their current squad. No issue with Russell Wilson. But guys like Sherman bug the hell out of me. It's like every time they make a tackle they have to talk trash or flex their biceps or make some gesture. It's annoying. And that post-game performance was embarrassing. I don't care if he went to Stanford and maybe he's a bright guy. But he looked like a complete moron.