Why NFL Blackouts Don’t Work

The Detroit Lions are 0-everything. (see, this post works whatever week you read it) Combine that with the fact that Michigan’s unemployment rate is almost in double digits, and it’s no surprise that the Lions were about 7,000 tickets short of selling out again – for the 3rd home game in a row.

So, per NFL rules, the game won’t be showed within 75 miles of the stadium. If you’re unfamiliar with Michigan that means the game is only on TV on the far west coast, and near the UP. Nobody’s watching it.

If I turn on Fox right now, they’re showing an infomercial for some weight loss smoothies.

This policy clearly doesn’t work for a variety of reasons:

1.) I guarantee you Fox will get more ratings and advertising revenue showing a losing team instead of an infomercial. I know the ads were already sold, but this will impact future ad sales when people realize their Fox ads won’t be seen in select markets.

2.) Nobody drives 75 miles to go see a Lions game – period. Most Lions fans come from within 25 miles of the stadium. That’s where most of the people here in Michigan live. The radius is way too big, and you’re just hurting fans who live up north and can’t get to games anyway.

3.) Not showing the game hurts attendance. Seriously. TV is the NFL’s biggest marketing device. When kids and parents see other kids and parents having a great time at a game they decide to buy tickets. Hell, even watching games increases people’s interest in it. The team also gets a chance to show ticket packages and deals during the broadcast. When you take games off of TV, casual fans completely forget about the team. Those are the fans you’re after to buy tickets – the die hard fans already have them and aren’t giving them up because the team sucks.

Come on NFL, get with the picture and ease up the blackout rules – it will help you in the long run. Just look at the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. For as long as I can remember their owner has blacked out games near the stadium. When he died and his son ended the blackouts he noticed that attendance went up. Way up.

Building awareness of your teams is the best ticket seller there is. Hiding them away to just a Monday morning box score won’t put more fans in the seats. It will sell more weight loss smoothies though.

1 comment November 23rd, 2008

Lions vs Wings – Who Will Lose More?

With 11 games down and 71 more to go the Detroit Red Wings are 9-2.

With 7 games more to go the Detroit Lions are 0-9.

If the Wings continue to lose 2 out of every 11 games, they’ll finish the season with 18 losses.

Anybody want to take bets that the Red Wings finish with less overall losses than the Lions this year? What are the odds of that in Vegas? I’d take that bet.

3 comments November 12th, 2008

Screw It, I’m Out.

Somebody just stole the spare tire cover off of my jeep – while it was parked in my driveway – with 2 other cars behind it.

That marks the 7th time in the last year that somebody has tried breaking into my car, stole something off of my car, or wrote on one of my friends cars with marker while they were all parked in my driveway.

I can’t take it anymore. I’ve made up my mind that I’m moving away from all of the trash that lives here.

Allen Park used to be a nice suburb of Detroit, but with the housing market tumbling it’s nothing but low income families moving in – and I’m noticing a huge difference.

On a side note, anybody want to buy a very affordable house? Allen Park is a nice suburb of Detroit….

2 comments November 8th, 2008

The Liberals Are Coming

It’s official. Obama has won the white house, and the Democrats have won control of the house and the senate. While I voted for Obama, I don’t think it’s ever a good idea for one party to control the house, senate, and presidency. It makes it too easy to push through legislation.

So what legislation are we going to push through? Here’s our plan:

1.) Forced abortions for stem cell research (and a few for eating)
2.) Mandated gay marriage for straight people.
3.) Tax straight marriage
4.) Tax mandatory abortions.
5.) Join the war on Israel.
6.) A complete dismantling of the US army.
7.) A tax to pay for the dismantling of the US army.
8.) Take away your health care. (just yours)
9.) Ban all guns – even those used by local police.
10.) Ban local police.

Seriously, I’ve heard at least one conservative mention all of these things throughout the election. It’s not going to be that bad.

2 comments November 5th, 2008