The Chargers' home game against the Bengals on Sunday "was the first television blackout across the NFL this season," and they are now looking "to avoid their second blackout in as many games," according to Michael Gehlken of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The Chargers yesterday said that they have "about 4,500 general tickets unsold for Sunday's game against the Giants." That puts them "ahead of last week's pace" of 6,100 unsold tickets for the Bengals game as of Wednesday (UTSANDIEGO.com, 12/2). In San Diego, Nick Canepa wrote, "The biggest problem is that the NFL's blackout TV rule is antiquated and should be abolished." The league has "made it incredibly attractive to stay home and watch games," and they "can't lie about these sellouts forever." The NFL wants to "look good with this sellout thing, but hardly every game has been sold out." Canepa: "It's a joke" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/1).
CRYING FOR NEW DIGS: A SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE editorial states Qualcomm Stadium "simply no longer cuts it." To say that it is "well past its prime is an understatement." Union-Tribune ownership "believes it is time, for the benefit of residents countywide, that a new multipurpose stadium be built in a private-public partnership." The U-T editorial board in coming weeks "will publish commentaries making the case for a new stadium." They will "examine potential sites and the combination of facilities that should be built in conjunction with the stadium." The editorial board also will "explain in broad terms how a stadium might be financed without breaking the backs of taxpayers" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/1).
