http://www.multichannel.com/distrib...bill-includes-aereo-friendly-provision/143163 "It would also do away with the FCC's sports blackout rule, according to multiple sources. That rule prevents cable or satellite providers from carrying an NFL game when the over-the-air broadcast is blacked out due to lack of attendance at the game." Would be interesting to see how many people would buy tickets if they knew they could just stay home and watch the game on tv no matter what happens. Also I believe this would get rid of that pesky home team market blackout that prevents some of us from getting doubleheaders every other week or so. Meaning at least for me that I can watch the Jets game it's on FOX while the Pats game is on CBS at the same time or vice-versa.
Looks like the government has a personal stake in everyman sitting there drooling in front of the television all day long, and especially on church day.
Good. Blackouts are stupid. Many folks can't afford to go to games and prefer to watch it on TV. There's no valid reason to punish them or the team for it. TV ads make the NFL and the owners TONS of money. So what if people don't want to get ripped off paying an outrageously inflated 5X+ rate for bottles of water and other food / beverages, plus parking and other nonsense to watch over paid athletes perform. No thanks. You don't hold fans of your team hostage, I'm sorry.
You make a good point. For me personally, were I in New York(and if I had the income), I wouldn't buy season tickets from the team. Especially when I can get them individually on Stubhub for a lot cheaper. As for watching on TV, part of it is on the NFL. They make it so enticing to sit at your home/go to a bar with Sunday ticket and redzone that it makes dealing with drunken idiots not worth the trouble.