Blackout!
September 6th, 2012
The season-opener Sunday between the Panthers and Bucs is blacked out for those living in the Tampa and Orlando TV markets.
Joe is not surprised, as the Bucs warned last week that some 9,000 tickets needed to be sold in order to reach the 85 percent threshold on non-premium seats to meet the NFL standards for broadcasting the game live locally.
Those living outside the Tampa/Orlando TV markets will be able to enjoy the game via NFL Sunday Ticket.
(Joe will display a map tomorrow showing which FOX TV affiliates will be broadcasting the game, but Joe cautions that because the Green Bay-San Francisco game is played in the same broadcast window and was deemed the national game, scant areas will see the Panthers-Bucs game.)
As of 2:30 p.m. Friday, available single game tickets on Tickmaster.com start at $51.00. Secondary market sites like StubHub.com and TiqIq.com have seats in the $35 range.
The game can be viewed in its entirety on a tape-delayed basis after midnight Sunday night on NFL.com as well as via NFL Sunday Ticket.
And no, this is not on Team Glazer. They spent like drunken sailors on free agents. They brought in a new coaching staff. They are offering some free parking, plus half-off concessions for Sunday’s game. There’s a giveaway for Ronde Barber’s 200th start. Team Glazer has been no less than gracious with their generosity in trying to lure fans back to the stadium, especially the season-opener.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
What a lose/lose. 🙁
September 6th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I feel dumber after watching that video associated with “blackout” wholly crapploa Joe. Dont tell me you are a fan…..Coolio Englasius
September 6th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
No clue who that is.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Good news in the midst of grim alerts:
The 49ers-Packers game has been picked up by WTVT-TV Channel 13 in lieu of the Bucs. That should be a helluva game.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Hell yea! The only “good” Blackout! Scorpions, BABY!
September 6th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Bummer..
September 6th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Good thing I got NFL rewind this year again. And I thought I wasn’t gonna need it.
Well Joe… looks like your comment section will be peaking come Sunday.
Joe, if you get any interesting news about the 2012 consequences of pirating NFL games, that would be an interesting read.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
We’re going to get it up here in SC (obviously). Sorry guys.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
I always thought that song said BREAKOUT! lol oops.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
I’ll be watching it in Vegas at my local casino sports book, it’s a real shame we can’t sell 85% of our seats for at least opening day!!
I guess there is one positive for not living back home! That sucks!
September 6th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
85%…seriously 85% and the fans can’t show up. I’ll be there, too bad the rest of the fans don’t show up.
September 6th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Bucpride, you buy me a ticket I’ll be there. A $45 ticket isn’t exactly a smart investment when you’ve been laid off.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
This sucks!! After last years debacle people have better things to do wth their hard earned cash.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
This is sad.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Pathetic. Crap economy or not, it’s still a joke. I just hope all of those ‘fans’ crying for the shopping spree are in attendance for the home opener. No more excuses.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
It’s too Hot, I lost my job, my kids are sick, I’d rather go fishing, I’d rather get drunk and watch the Cowboy and/or Packers all season, ad infinitum. This is undoubtedly the absolute WORST NFL fanbase in the country. Ah Well, I’ll be there for the turnaround!
September 6th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
Good thing I have NFL Sunday ticket in Houston. Go Bucs!
September 6th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
I’ll be there, because I have the disposable income to waste money on football entertainment. I have nothing bad to post about anyone that decides to save their money and use it on something important, like their electric bill, gasoline, food, or rent. If you really think about it, the price of football entertainment is outrageous, no matter how much the billionaire Glazers want you to believe otherwise.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Free parking and half off concessions….I’ll see you guys there!
September 6th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Joe,
This is and is not on the Glazers. Yes, they accepted the 85% of non premium seats to be considered a blackout.
However,
They abused this fan base starting in 2003 with this win now and we’re not rebuilding BS. They played around for 10 years after winning the superbowl. They hired a position coach as HC after firing a SB winning coach. Cooked the books to make it look like the were spending up to the salary cap with contracts that were multi millions on paper but in reality they were only for verteran minimum. These incentivers were for Patrick Chuckwurah and I can’t remember the other name. But the player or players had to reach something like 6 punt blocks in the season each to earn that rediculous contract.
Now lets talk about the NFL and its rediculously archaic blackout rules. Those stupid rules were created when they needed butts in the seats. With the amount of TV money they are receiving now, sellouts are no longer required but wanted to not make the NFL look bad by having an empty stadium even though everybody know with the technology today, the home experience is far, far better than the game experience. With DVR’s and HDTV who wants to sit in 100+ degree weather around a bunch of druken idiots all the while paying outrageous ticket prices, parking and concessions. Did I forget to mention the 85% of non premium seat BS also. The 85% rule is complete and total Bull spit. If it were 85% of the entire stadium that would make it like they actually want to show the games on TV. Go look and see how many premium seats are actually available. Here’s a hint, not very many are actually available in the premium seats. Who in their right mind would pay nearly $80 to sit in the upper deck. Not me as I’m petrified of heights.
I was a season ticket holder until 2008 when my license for the new stadium expired. When the Glazers decided that my season ticket price went up nearly 30% in 2008 I had to let them go because I work in the auto industry and I’ve see 2 raises in the last 6 years. With my ticket going from $60 to nearly $100 a game for a terrible product that was my breaking point. I could no longer justify the cost of taking my family to a game because the product no longer no longer lived up the expense of going to the games.
I love the bucs and the NFL but this may be my last season as a fan of the NFL and bucs if the archaic blackout rules are not eliminated. I love to play golf way more than watch football and I love college football so I may just say F U to these greedy SOB’s.
I can no longer afford to attend football games as I’ve not seen many raises in the last 6 years with the price of everything going up. My wife has been underemployed for 4 years now and I’ve had to give up nearly all discretionary spending.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
The NFL blackout rules arent going to change because of Tampa Bay. There are enough employed people in the Tampa area that can afford a $45 dollar ticket. They are practically giving away tickets. That with the cheap food, free parking, free wifi, money spent in the offseason, and Ronde’s 200th people should show up. Since they didn’t it is very telling.
If you only show up when the Bucs win, you’re just not a true fan. You’re no better than a patriot fan. All the complaining I hear about heat, or I hate the owners or its too expensive is ridiculous. I wish I was able to go to these games but I grew up in North Carolina and currently work overseas. I don’t understand how a true fan who lives in the tampa area just wouldn’t show for at least the season opener honoring Ronde.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Not on team Glazer? They did incredible damage to the team / fans relationship by being mizers for the last ten seasons while they spent like “drunken sailors” on their pet project – the kickball club. That kind of damage is not repaired in one off-season of free agency spending. Let them show some kind of on-going commitment to making the Bucs competitive again, and the fans will respond by buying season tickets again.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
rdbucfan:
Understand where you are coming from but Joe’s not going to swallow the “archaic blackout rule” line.
Hell, the NFL loosened up the rule this year. No one knows how to squeeze hundred dollar bills out of penny investments better than the NFL. if guys who have degrees from the Wharton School of Business, et al, really believed the blackout rule was “archaic,” there wouldn’t be a blackout rule.
Completely agree with the “at-home experience.” The NFL has all but admitted they have made staying home better than going to the game. There’s a reason teams and the league are putting in WiFi at every stadium and upgraded instant replay boards/adding more replays.
Fantasy football/NFL Sunday Ticket/Red Zone Channel has done more to dent attendance than a depression could.
September 6th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Totally agree.
It seems those hollering the most are those wanting others to spend their hard-earned money so the loud crowd can sit at home in air conditioning and watch the game.
September 6th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
If the game is broadcast in Ft Myers the sarasota bars will show it via amplified antenna signal carried by airwaves. All legal. If the Bucs win, sales should improve each week if they keep it going.
September 6th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
The Glazers have done their part and the season ticket base (about 35,000 to 40,000) always does their part. The remaining fans choose other ways to spend their entertainment dollars and should (but certainly WILL) complain about blackouts. It is they themselves who are causing them by making other choices. We all know there are many who simply cannot afford to go but enough can that have made their choice.
I’m done even hearing about it because it really IS pitiful.
September 6th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
The majority of people have some disposable income. It often boils down to priorities such as cigs, beer, sodas, unnecessary trips to places, cookies, fast food and the list goes on. There are also people that don’t want to work more than 40 hrs or 1 job. Some of us find ways to make more money so we can do things like going to the games without cutting in to our wives money. I just like the game experience and I see more than those that stay home, just not close ups of players butts. I don’t really care either way because it’s not my problem.
September 6th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Well i for one am not goning to support the nfl by having my tv tuned in to the packers/49ers game, or any other game they put on besides the bucs. If they won’t put the bucs on tv , i’ll set my tv on the home shopping network and watch the bucs on my phone!
September 6th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
I think its a combination of the Glazers and the media’s fault. Glazers havent spent much the last few years which in theory supports the media when they continually use to bash the Glazers for having the lowest payroll year after year. I’m fairly new to this site and have not seen Joe continually harp on the issue but just about everywhere else it was depressing to see numerous articles almost daily repeating the same old crap about the Glazers being cheap, yada yada. Which to me is is a major reason why there is so much hate for the Glazers these days, combined with the bad economy it just makes sense that for right now most people rather not spend there money on tickets until this image of the “cheap” Glazers goes away.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
They will sell about the same amout of tickets either way if the game sells out or not so why punish tru buc fans that for whatever real reason they cant go by blacking out the game, this sucks.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Bad Economy???
4 More Years!!!
Yeah baby! The Rich always get much richer when a Democrat is in the Whitehouse. Yeah sure, I’m a conservative, with my money, but not yours. But hey, I like making money at everyone else’s expense. Raise my taxes and I’ll just stop working. No Problemo.
See you guys at the game Sunday. 1’st beer is on me…… or should I say you. Poor bastards, sorry about your luck. Go ahead and keep the change.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
buco:
Remember the blackouts is an NFL and the NFL actually relaxed the rule and it still didn’t matter.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
From 1990-2010 I estimated that I’ve spent around $50,000 going to Bucs games. Worth every penny, but it does give you perspective on how expensive it really is and why it is hard on some people. Having worked two jobs most of my life; I’ve always had disposible income. Since my family is just too young to go and actually enjoy the games at this moment it makes no sense to keep my season tickets. Like I’ve said in previous posts; the damage has been done. They are going way out of their way to correct it, but it will still take two or three seasons to gain back trust.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
LMAO at the people on this site saying that your not a true fan if you dont go to every home game. Maybe if half the population of this town wasnt from Boston/NY/Philly/any random northern town than maybe attendance would be up. Win games and attendance will go up. Sandwich two putrid seasons around a nice 10-6 effort and watch it go down.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Of course it is on “Team Glazer”.
Rediculously to say otherwise.
September 6th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Gracious? OMG have you been living on mars?
September 6th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Joe, true what u said Im just so mad that the game is a blackout,This is my one and only year I cannot afford to go,but I remember when the bucs games were always on and I seen so many new buc fans fall in love with the team becacause they could watch them thats what made them want to go to the game.When you see them on tv at home and u just moved here u cant but help liking the team and wanting to go to a game.
September 6th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
The blackout rule…doesn’t work! It doesn’t accomplish anything and in fact distances more fans. The NFL knows this buy they don’t like to admit they are wrong. The 85% rule is them starting to cave.
If I were the Glazers why would I buy up the remaining seats. I make a ton off the tv deal. Buying up remaining tickets cost me money. I make more money leaving it as it is.
September 6th, 2012 at 8:55 pm
So I can’t lay up on my only day to rest, after working 45 hours, M-F, working Friday night until 3 AM, working Saturday 5 pm – 3 am, and then turn around and do it again M-F? Just to keep my damn roof over my head.
I know it isn’t on the Bucs. This is the NFL’s stupid rule. Go suck a lemon NFL.
September 6th, 2012 at 9:34 pm
I lived in Tampa for 10 years. There are enough folks in the area with disposable income to sell out the game. The issue isn’t the economy, isn’t the heat, and isn’t the Glazers. It is apathy in the area… plain and simple.
I’ll be making the 3.5 hour drive there and back on Sunday because I love the feeling of being in the stadium for a win. From my perspective, it’s much better than the in home experience.
Joe, out of curiosity… If 20 percent of your weekly unique visitors bought tickets to the game, how many tickets would that equate to?
5,000 tickets–Joe
September 6th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
I like to screw around on here, but in all honesty, I feel for you guys and wish it was on TV too. I 100% agree with your posts, that keeping it off TV alienates fans and causes more harm than good. It totally sucks, the whole situation, so many fans from elsewhere, sucky economy that hasn’t improved at all, housing prices still sucking, working harder for less. $4 gas. This all sucks.
We just need to pray to the Holy Govt for a Buc win, and then again, and again and hopefully the fans will return. The 85% reduction idea was a nice try but definitely No Seger Bob.
September 6th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
One offseason of acting like an actual NFL franchise makes up for the last 6 when they haven’t? The fans are just supposed to forgive and forget all that?
September 6th, 2012 at 11:35 pm
Last night’s game is already on ITunes for $2.
Double header Mondays for me 🙂
September 7th, 2012 at 1:02 am
well im doing my part i got my tickets and im taking a friend, im fired up for sunday go bucs
September 7th, 2012 at 2:06 am
BigMacAttack Says:
September 6th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
“Bad Economy???
4 More Years!!!
Yeah baby! The Rich always get much richer when a Democrat is in the White house.”
I spent over 35 years as a Republican Party member…it’s not the democrats that keep the rich wealthy. If you believe that you have completely bought into the lies our own party has been spewing. Documented obvious lies in record numbers. I’m NOT voting for my own party this year because of it.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:08 am
As to the blackouts…
…I was watching ticket sales before I wasted my money this time around. I would have bought my ticket (even though I cannot attend) just to help avoid the blackout, but we were not even close.
So, because of this horrible fan-base, I saved some money. Yippeee…
September 7th, 2012 at 2:10 am
In theory though, now that the NFL has shown they will bend on the rule, by not showing up at games NFL fans might actually force the complete lifting of the blackout rule entirely.
The problem is a lack of football on TV for home teams.
September 7th, 2012 at 6:29 am
Fringe fans won’t show up to games until the stadium becomes the “place to be”. The snobs from other parts of the country are too quick to revert back to their former loyalties as soon as the first sign the Bucs aren’t favored to win. When the team starts winning, the fans will find a way to get the $ to be there. When businesses can buy tickets for marketing purposes and actually have clients seeking them, they will make the investment. In spite of the positive moves this off season, fans are still in a “show me first” mindset. There is too much apathy right now. Win a few games over quality opponents, be competitive, be talked about on national media outlets, have a few stars emerge and the fans will arise from their comas and get excited about the team again. I’ve never missed a home game since 1976 and have 2 Club seats and 6 lower bowl seats so I do my part.
September 7th, 2012 at 6:59 am
So because the Glazers FINALLY did what they should have been doing the past 4 years Bucs fans should drop to their knees and say ‘Thank you sir…’
I THINK NOT!
Blackouts for the preseason – now THAT may have actually helped because the Bucs were atrious against the Skins.
Just win and that fans will show up. Forget the 1/2 price concession,
JUST WIN
September 7th, 2012 at 8:00 am
Ive been to almost 200 buc games through 2008. But when the Glazers fired Gruden and hired that mush mouth idiot of a coach just to save a dollar before the lockout, I cancelled my season tickets. I might return to the games one day but it will be on my terms, not because some tampon thinks I need to support the team.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:08 am
I do not see a point in bashing people for not going to a game if they choose not to…what is the point? Are you guys trying to scare people into going to games. If they are not going, they are not going for a reason. It could be anything. Maybe they want to spend their money on beers and cigarettes; maybe they need to use their money to pay bills; maybe they want to save their money just in case they need it later; maybe they are not a fan of the Bucs and would rather watch RedZone or NFL Ticket so they can watch their favorite teams (most like teams that have recently won the Super Bowl–Giants, Steelers, etc).
I try to go to one Bucs game, a handful of Rays games, and a couple Lightning games a year. I would go to more but I like to save my money. In fact, my A/C went out two years in a row and I do not know what I would do if I spend my money on sporting events and not have that money saved for situations like $1000 A/C repair bills, etc.
Just because someone may have a job and make decent money does not mean they are going to spend it when there are more important things to spend money on.
As many have also mentioned, the home experience is better, especially if your favorite team plays like crap getting blown out every game. Hard to compete with HDTV, cheap beer, food, soft relaxing couch and being able to watch Sunday Ticket ( or if you don’t have Sunday ticket, the Fox and CBS have been starting to show better games over the last couple of years….49ers v. Packers this Sunday), pre-game, Sunday night game vs. The Bucs getting blown out 38-3. Yes, it is a different year and things are different but the last memory in an up in the air fan is that the Bucs get blown out and are a bad team.
There is also no point getting on casual fans as they are the ones that make a difference. Yes, you will find many casual fans that are fans of other teams–NY, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh. Funny, when you think about some of the teams I have mentioned, they are all head and shoulders above the Bucs. I think the Bucs will have to do some winning to win back many of the fans of those teams. They were able to do it in the late 90s and they will be able to do it again.
You just cant do it when you haven’t won a playoff game in 10 years, been the the playoffs in about 5 years, and have ended the previous seasons with a 10 GAME LOSING STREAK!!!
That is all casual fans and fans of other teams now….that the Bucs are not good and that they lost the last 10 games in a row. Once the Bucs start winning consistently, the casual fans will come.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:24 am
Well stated. I agree w/ what you’re preaching, Mitsurugi.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:27 am
Joe, It’s not team Glazer’s fault? I guess you forget all the bad moves that “team Glazer” has made since Malcolm has not been at the helm. The Bucs went from a large “waiting list” for season tickets to “Blackouts” because of their tightfisted ways & Bad moves. We Long time fans will not forget the “not spending any money after the SB”, firing of a Superbowl winning Head Coach, total dismantling of our favorite players in one sweeping move, ManU, and the hiring of an amateur to be Head Coach, all of which resulted in the fan apathy that we have today. “Team Glazer” should have weighed the Long Term affects of all their bonehead moves before they implemented them. Yes Joe, this is all on “team glazer”.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:46 am
The Glazers raped the fans when they required a seat deposit in OUR stadium after the voters approved a 1 cents sales tax hike. They raped the fans when they handcuffed Gruden and Allens hands preventing them from spending money they wanted directed to ManU. And they raped the fans when they fired a super bowl winning coach and hired that baffoon Morris to save money pre-lockout. Now the NFL is raping the fans with replacement officials. IT IS GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A HALF PRICE HOT DOG, which buy the way is still way overpriced, FOR ALL OF ONE GAME to win back the fans. Contrary to the pen and mic club, I guess fans in Tampa Bay are not the dumb asses we are portrayed to be in the media.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:52 am
Sorry for typos, I entered my response using a phone (small screen, tiny keyboard).
September 7th, 2012 at 9:16 am
Well I’m so broke, I’m being sponsored by some kid in Africa!
Seriously, I’ll go to the one’s I can manage to go to without upsetting my cost of living capabilities, which seems to be rising as fast the summer heat! As a past season ticket holder, I can tell you the economy is a major factor. Other reasons to add to it were not finding a competent replacement for Gruden or the handling of Brooks, as many of friends and family agree.
And, Pete thanks for wasting my vote!
September 7th, 2012 at 9:21 am
Joe, while I will acknowledge that the the Glazers have done there part this season I don’t agree with your statement that this is not on the owners. I don’t think that spending money on free agents in one off season will make up for all the past years that they spent no money. I do believe in building your football team through the draft but not adding a veteran here and there on both sides of the ball each offseason when there is good value on players available is negligent on there part for the simple reason that all these young guys are to immature to handle everything that is thrown at them on and off the field being an NFL player. And as result of there way of thinking they put a bad product on the field and lost the fans. The economy definitely plays apart in all of this too but with that said wins will fill that stadium back up.
September 7th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Glazers need to step up and provide the remainder.
It would be a tremendous gesture and may go a long way towards redefining their image.
It would show them putting faith in the fans to attend.
This would also serve as a sample for the new “Buc Ball” under Schiano. The team is desperate to go out and Sunday and end the 10 game losing streak, and it is a darn shame we can’t watch it.