The Buccaneers for the second year in a row are "making the commitment to casual fans that there will be no local TV blackouts, with all 2014 home games available for local TV broadcast," according to Greg Auman of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. The NFL's blackout rules state that a home game cannot be shown locally if less than 85% of the non-premium seats have been sold, but a team "short of that threshold can 'purchase' unsold seats at a fraction of the price to lift the blackout." The Bucs said "the majority" of the team's '14 home games are projected to reach that 85% minimum. Auman noted the team "might not have to write a large check to the league at all to assure no blackouts" (TAMPABAY.com, 8/11). In Florida, Beasock & Fredericksen note the Bucs "also are ensuring that the two preseason home games against Miami on Saturday and against Washington on Aug. 28 will also be broadcast by the team's official preseason broadcast partner" WFLA-NBC. Individual game tickets, in "most price categories, remain available for all games except for" the Week 16 matchup against the Packers, "which is sold out" (Lakeland LEDGER, 8/12).
