NFL To Offer Blacked-Out Games Online On Delayed Basis

Blacked-Out Games Will Be Shown For Free On NFL.com On Delayed Basis

The NFL Thursday announced that games blacked out in home TV markets will be shown for free on NFL.com on a delayed basis. Fans can view the games in their entirety beginning at midnight after the day of the game for 72 hours, except during ESPN's "MNF" telecasts. All other games will be available for delayed viewing on NFL.com via the new Game Rewind subscription service (NFL). NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that when he was "confident that the Game Rewind service could specifically 'geotarget' fans in blacked-out markets, he chose to make it available." Goodell: "This is attractive because it's an innovative solution that uses technology and doesn't compromise the overall blackout rule." NFL Network President & CEO Steve Bornstein added in creating Game Rewind, the league "never planned to offer individual games, but Roger asked could we waive the fee for these blacked-out games and we found out we could" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/11). NFL Exec VP & CFO Anthony Noto: "We still want to give the fans the access to the product that they’re not able to come to the stadium" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 9/10).

NOT FAR ENOUGH? In Oakland, Cam Inman writes making blacked-out games available is a "gesture to frustrated fans who can't afford to shill out money for game-day tickets, but, come on, this isn't strong enough." Inman: "Those blackouts should be lifted. The NFL will survive, and could thrive even more. Instead, the league is sticking its collective nose at markets where blackouts are likely to occur" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 9/11). In Detroit, Nicholas Cotsonika wrote, "At least the league has relented a little bit, but only to a point." Cotsonika: "It's good business to give customers a break under certain circumstances. ... The NFL can do better in tough times for folks who just want to watch some football" (FREEP.com, 9/10). In L.A., Tom Hoffarth: "Thanks for the cold left-overs and the fake Band-Aid on this one. We'll just get the 2-minutes worth of highlights on the 11 o'clock news" (INSIDESOCAL.com, 9/10). In K.C., Randy Covitz wrote as fans will "have to wait a while to see the game," one "can call them brown outs" (KANSASCITY.com, 9/10). However, PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote while some will "still claim that the NFL should remove the blackout rule entirely, the significance of this concession should not be underestimated." Florio: "The league zealously guards its game footage; the fact that the NFL is willing to re-broadcast the blacked-out games via NFL.com at no charge represents an unprecedented gesture" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/10).

Bengals Have Until Friday Afternoon To Sell Out Season Opener Or It Will Be Blacked Out

THREE TO GO: NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy said the Cardinals, Bengals and Raiders could still face local blackouts for their season openers. The league "granted the Cardinals and Bengals 24-hours extensions" until Friday afternoon to sell out their games, while the Raiders have until Friday night to sell out their Monday opener against the Chargers (USA TODAY, 9/11). NFL CMO Mark Waller: "We're trying to be as flexible as we possibly can to give teams the time to sell out" (Fox Business, 9/10). Cardinals VP/Media Relations Mark Dalton noted the possibility of a blackout does exist, but said, "Cardinals fans have always stepped up to support the team and we're certainly hopeful that they will again" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/11). NFL Senior VP/Events Frank Supovitz said the blackout rules "were put into place for a very specific reason, and that was to make sure that our stadiums are full. That's what our teams count on in order to do their business" (Fox Business, 9/10). But FanHouse.com's Kevin Blackistone noted, "NFL has become America's pastime and as such, I think it should be a little more sensitive to what America is going through right now" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 9/10).

ECONOMY NOT THE PROBLEM: Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said, "Don't tell me about the economy and all of those things. Is the economy worse in Jacksonville or in New Orleans? Do the Saints have to worry about their games being blacked out? No, because they have loyal fans." Cowlishaw: "If you're a bad organization and you don't know what you're doing … you deserve whatever you get" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 9/10). ESPN.com's Bill Simmons wrote blackouts are not "about the economy," but instead are "about the fact that it's more fun to stay home and watch football than it is to sit in crappy seats to watch any team ranging from 'lousy' to 'mediocre.'" Simmons: "It's a blue-collar sport with white-collar ticket prices. This blackout trend would have happened whether the economy was suffering or not" (ESPN.com, 9/10). ESPN's Colin Cowherd: "Television has gotten so exceptional with the NFL with HDTV. You start allowing people to sit home and watch those games on HDTV, they're not coming back" ("SportsNation," ESPN2, 9/10).

WHAT NFL GAMES MEAN TO LOCAL AFFILIATES: In Baltimore, David Zurawik in a front-page piece reports WJZ-CBS' coverage of 13 Ravens games this season "means monster ratings -- and a heavy flow of advertising revenue amid the worst economic downturn since the 1930s." WJZ GM Jay Newman: "Nothing on television in the fall comes even close in terms of the magnitude of audience and the value for advertisers to what a Ravens game delivers." Zurawik notes during Ravens broadcasts, the Maryland State Lottery (MSL) is "one of the biggest advertisers, based on the buy made" by the MSL "this year and in seasons past." Maryland State Lottery Dir Buddy Roogow: "No one can give us the kind of reach we get with the Ravens. We've seen the ratings, and the ratings are monstrous" (Baltimore SUN, 9/11).