Blacked Out Jags Games

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I know that the national media has been hammering J'ville about shoddy ticket sales & blackouts.  Every once in a while you'd hear talk about Oakland, San Diego, St. Louis, etc....  This article caught my attention, and I'm willing to be that it is happening in more cities than are letting on.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/18/bucs-finally-admit-they-bought-unsold-tickets-in-2009/
Bucs finally admit they bought unsold tickets in 2009
Posted by Mike Florio on August 18, 2010 8:48 AM ET
Last year, an odd dynamic emerged in Tampa.  Buccaneers games consistently were sold out, and thus televised locally.  And at most of the supposedly sold out games, vast expanses of empty seats routinely filled the upper deck of Raymond James Stadium.

On Tuesday, the Buccaneers confirmed what many had believed.  The team in 2009 took advantage of the rule that allows the franchise to buy unsold tickets at 34 cents on the dollar.  Per PewterReport.com, Bucs director of communications Jonathan Grella said that the team will no longer engage in that practice.

Grella blames the phenomenon on the team's competitive struggles, and on local economic challenges.

"While on-field success surely affects ticket sales, the economic downturn has proven to have a dramatic influence over ticket sales in this and other sports," Grella said.  "Tampa is suffering from the League's largest unemployment increase (9.3 percent) in the past five years and the second-worst overall unemployment rate (13.3 percent). So when that's the case, you can't take anything for granted. We've redoubled our efforts to stay connected with our fans through free events and more affordable seating options ($35 per game season tickets, $25 youth tickets, long-term payment plans and no more club seat deposits or contracts)."

Consequently, the team also acknowledged that its preseason home opener will be blacked out.  The second preseason home game likely also won't be televised locally.

In Week 1 of the preseason, three teams failed to sell out their home stadiums:  the Bengals, the Rams, and the Chargers.

The broader reality is that the league's previously little-known loophole for avoiding blackouts has gained plenty of exposure in recent months.  And in some markets teams could face fan, media, and/or sponsor pressure to buy up, at 34 cents on the dollar, any unsold seats in order to permit the games to be televised locally.

Then again, for some of the bottom-feeding teams, it may actually be better to not have their home games on television.  Or, for that matter, their road games.

Talk amongst yourselves.

[Shwaz]

Interesting article... I didn't know teams could buy tickets at a discounted price. It's been said over & over that Weaver will no longer bailout the fans. Maybe the tv fans could fly to Washington and please their case for a federal bailout

[duvaldude08]

Of course this is goingo n in other cities. The media just deicded to hammer Jacksonville, which is quite odd. Some teams struggled for years, worse than Jacksonville, and never got put on blast. When the commissioner visited Jacksonville, I would have asked specifically why Jacksonville is being hammered and other team were not in the past. He would have crapped his pants out of shock that I asked that question. THe way we have been treated has been totally unfair. But I think were going to shut them up this year. Go Jags!!

FYI- we sold OVER 1,000 just last week alone.

[Dapperdan]

Has anyone been able to find the fuel page on jaguars.com? I can't find it anymore. As far as I know, we are about 3,000 season tickets away from avoiding blackouts all season.

[Lucasjj]

I have friends that work for the food company that handles the Bucs, and they were telling me during last season that the Bucs were using this loophole to sellout. I guess it all comes down to cost for the ticktes Vs the TV revenue. But it does suck that Jacksonville has been taking heat for not selling out, and the NFL doesn't defend them, even though they know that the Bucs were not truly selling out.

[Basstacular]

Has anyone been able to find the fuel page on jaguars.com? I can't find it anymore. As far as I know, we are about 3,000 season tickets away from avoiding blackouts all season.

Per the TU, that is correct Dapper.  However WW will be picking up the slack to make sure the two preseason home games are on TV.  The team was hoping to get the season sold out on a season ticket basis, which would have to be done by this Saturday.  After this Saturday, we will have to rely on half packs and single game tickets. 

However, team teal has far exceeded my expectations this year, as I truly thought this would be a multiple year re-build for the fan base.  When all is said and done, we should have approx. 15K new season ticket holders, which almost makes uo for the 17K lost in 09.  The fact that we are only 3K away from selling out makes the first four home games virtual sellouts because of the game attractiveness for each.  If the team plays well early through the first half of the season then the remaining four games have the possibility to sell out as well.

All in all, it's a tremendous effort and we could be like the Chargers who are a playoff team, sexy SB pick and 8K tickets away from avoiding blackouts.

Section #205 all day long baby!

[duvaldude08]

I have friends that work for the food company that handles the Bucs, and they were telling me during last season that the Bucs were using this loophole to sellout. I guess it all comes down to cost for the ticktes Vs the TV revenue. But it does suck that Jacksonville has been taking heat for not selling out, and the NFL doesn't defend them, even though they know that the Bucs were not truly selling out.

It is still there. Type www.jaguars.com/fuel. However the gauge does not reflect the 5,000 that are being bought by the team. Be we sold around 1300 tickets last week so that puts us at 3,000 remaining.

[Shwaz]

Regardless of other teams situations it's been 10x worse here. Weaver used Winn Dixie and the loop hole over multiple seasons and still couldn't give away the tix. Attendance last year was atrocious... and while other teams had blackouts, they also had thousands more in the stands than us. It's do or die here and bad press from other cities isn't going to make it go away.

[duvaldude08]

Regardless of other teams situations it's been 10x worse here. Weaver used Winn Dixie and the loop hole over multiple seasons and still couldn't give away the tix. Attendance last year was atrocious... and while other teams had blackouts, they also had thousands more in the stands than us. It's do or die here and bad press from other cities isn't going to make it go away.

I beg to differ, after doing my research, over the past 20-30 years, just about every team has had their share of troubles. Heck before Tampa moved into their new stadium, they were barely pulling a crowd of 30,000. EVERY team has struggled at one point or another. Regardless, it is unfair to single us out PERIOD. Let us see the local media single everyone else out this year, and more than likely they wont.

[Shwaz]

Regardless of other teams situations it's been 10x worse here. Weaver used Winn Dixie and the loop hole over multiple seasons and still couldn't give away the tix. Attendance last year was atrocious... and while other teams had blackouts, they also had thousands more in the stands than us. It's do or die here and bad press from other cities isn't going to make it go away.

I beg to differ, after doing my research, over the past 20-30 years, just about every team has had their share of troubles. Heck before Tampa moved into their new stadium, they were barely pulling a crowd of 30,000. EVERY team has struggled at one point or another. Regardless, it is unfair to single us out PERIOD. Let us see the local media single everyone else out this year, and more than likely they wont.

What would you expect media to talk about when 7 of 8 home games are blacked out? I was at every game last year. It was unbelievable how empty the stadium was. When LA is pushing for a team you can throw out any research about the past.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I can imagine that Winn Dixie promotion is one of the things Weaver regrets the most.  He basically 'gave' everyone the Jaguars and in turn, hurt himself because we were used to watching it on TV and not having to go to the stadium to see the jags.  

On a personal note, no season tix this year, but next year (if we play) is looking better.  This is my second year without tix, but it wasn't in the budget, but I will make a game or two.

Just to put it out there:  Does anyone else believe that Gator Nation doesn't buy tix because they travel to Gainesville every weekend or they are so used to sitting home and watching football on TV, they're just to lazy to go to the stadium on sundays?

[kramer2k]

Has anyone been able to find the fuel page on jaguars.com? I can't find it anymore. As far as I know, we are about 3,000 season tickets away from avoiding blackouts all season.

Here's the fuel gauge: www.jaguars.com/fuel

As of August 12...

[jandar]

Oakland had 7 of their home games blacked out last year (and less in the stands every game), yet Jacksonville is a better candidate for relocation to LA than Oakland?

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

There are many other nuances to your comment, Jandar.  I agree, if you already have a team in CA that isn't doing it's part then it seems to make more sense to move that team - that already has 'a' fan base, not just a big one.  If you move in another team, then you're really saturating the market.  I understand that all of this is really of TV rev, but if the games are blacked out in 3 of 4 cities in california..... (assuming the Jags are in LA)

I think the NFL understands this and that's why there hasn't been a PUSH from the NFL to move any teams, just threats - to sell tickets and get the games on TV.

[Shwaz]

Oakland had 7 of their home games blacked out last year (and less in the stands every game), yet Jacksonville is a better candidate for relocation to LA than Oakland?

I would check the accuracy of this.

It's true according to wikipedia. However I never said anyone was or wasn't a better candidate for LA.

Things to keep in mind... The Raiders have a terrible stadium, an extremely bad team and 2 other major league teams competing for the entertainment dollar.

Jacksonville is a 1 horse town and no excuses.