Blackouts a thing of the Past?

I still black out almost every night.  You meet a lot of interesting people that way.

NFL has huge TV contracts in place with all the networks and DirecTV- those were all based on the blackout rule being in effect. Wonder if the contracts pondered this scenario ?

Interesting ?, would there be some type of general clause, that the networks would look to re-negotiate?  

 

...The FCC’s decision will not change that commitment for the foreseeable future." Foreseeable sort of an ominous adjective here

 

 

Wow, I know the NFL had Lynn Swann lobbying the FCC.  Their argument was something like, if you get rid of the blackout rule, then our tv contracts won't be worth as much, so we'll have to look at other ways to get revenue, which could include putting all games on a subscription basis.  

 

If the NFL does that, I think they'll see a huge backlash, bars might like it, but it's hard to see making everyone pay for your local game.  

The foreseeable future isn't very long in a league that's grown more shortsighted.

Eventually, the league is going to be broadcast on a subscription basis.  A tele-co or an ISP is going to purchase the broadcast rights, and they're going to offer packages to consumers.  Those packages could include things like ordering every game for the whole season like what Direct Ticket is now, ordering an entire weekend of games, ordering a batch of games or ordering every game for a certain team.  All you need is an internet connection and a screen and you can watch the games wherever you happen to be.  That's where we're headed.

 

It'll mean billions for the providers in ad revenue, billions for the league and the death knell to things like sports bars that don't have the same lobbying power.

Not sure it will kill the sports bar as there are some who won't ever figure out it is cheaper to drink at home with the Team subscription than drinking $4 beers and watered down cocktails. In the very least it would alter how they promote/present the games in their establishments. Strippers at halftime? Punt/Pass/Kick competitions before the games? Fantasy leagues sponsored by the bar? I think this is already happening.

 

 

If the NFL does that, I think they'll see a huge backlash, bars might like it, but it's hard to see making everyone pay for your local game. 

and old farts (how did I get here) like me will be done watching altogether.  I will never pay for TV.  Yes, I'm leaving myself behind - it's a better view.  I feel bad enough supporting this league and its millionaires by having season tickets and paying $7.50 for a 16oz beer.  I ain't paying to have them market to me in my home.

The next generation watches/consumes football differently than the old ****ers like us

They want a video feed, a twitter connection, facebook updates, instagram, fantasy stats and whatever the next cool thing is all hooked up to their ADD minds.A football game is a multi-device event. They need to know what adam schefter thinks of that last TD.

 

Its just different, but its a huge revenue stream as noted by JJSD. The modern NFL can't survive on old people plopping down in front of their set when their are myriad revenue streams to be tapped

Just for an example, look at what the app/download traffic was for futbol this summer during the World Cup.  It added millions of viewers, many of whom were at work or not home since the games were on during the day and during the week.  Ratings exploded because a lot of functionality was available this summer that hadn't been perfected in 2010.  

 

Imagine what the viewership for the Super Bowl would be if you could watch it on your tablet in Indonesia...  I bet Rog likes those projections.

 

Tdog makes a fair point, but IMHO folks like him will be pissed about this type of model, complain about it and then pay it.  And if they don't, as Satan says dust farters are an easy demo to dismiss for obvious reasons.

I'm not pissed about the model.  It will just be the straw that breaks this camel's back.  Have been losing interest for years.  Thanks goodell.

Interesting take.  

No it won't be the proverbial straw.  You'll get the itch on that first Saturday before the opening game.  That itch will turn to the shakes an hour before the first game.  By the time it's 15 minutes before kickoff, you'll be pulling out that credit card and buying the GBP package.  

 

It's heroin.  

I'd pay to have it streamed into my home if I have access to replays on demand with the different camera angles and the All-22. NFL Game Rewind is there now, just about 12-18 hours after the game is over. 

drip drip drip

I'd rather pay for heroin than TV

And you'll get that, H5.  Basically anything the innerwebs can do, you will most likely be able to buy for your Packer football.  

I'd like to be able to pipe in the GBP game and have Wayne and the Rock do the audio that's properly synced.  

The blackout is tossed and the broadcast rights become LESS valuable?

 To me it seems removing the blackout makes the broadcast MORE valuable. It was the whole rationale behind the blackout in the first place-People might stay home to watch instead of going to the stadium. More people watching, more ad revenue.

I don't see the logic here. Even when games were blacked out the networks couldn't show another game.

It's a television show, and advertisers are paying attention.  The hardcore fans are going to watch regardless of the optics, but the casuals (thanks, Al) will tune out if every stadium is half to a third full and about as loud as a museum at midnight.  The stadium experience is being figured out as a ripoff by fans slowly but surely, which is why you see attendance dropping.  Empty houses = bad TV optics, which leads to less interested advertisers.

 

That's really the biggest problem here - there will always be new ways to deliver the product to paying consumers all over the world, but they have to protect their full houses.  Not because gate revenue means that much anymore, but because it has to be compelling TV.

Its is an interesting take, but unfortunately we are all already paying for all of it

Every product you buy, car you drive, flight you take, beer you consume etc has a markup that includes the significant advertising budget. It doesn't matter if you drink the official swill of the NFL, your choice of beer plays in that market and spends big bucks on marketing to win consumers. SG&A ( Sales, General and Administrative) is part of everything we consume in the US of A

 

Some of the old farts may remember when cable TV was a new thing and the attraction was- no commercials. So people signed up to pay for TV with the caveat that you didn't have to watch the drivel. Now you pay a subscription AND you pay for the marketing crapola too

 

I do enjoy watching the DirecTV "shortcuts", an entire game in 30 minutes with no interruptions. But I doubt I could wait until 11pm on Sunday to watch GB, I would get the shakes at kickoff time and crumble as noted above

 

 

More & more....I'm becoming less & less interested.

 

Packers play Thursday. Of course I'll be watching the game.

 

On Sunday? I'm headed over to the in-laws to chill out. That's pretty much the extent of my "watching" football now. Last Sunday I was at an art & wine festival after watching the Packers score 7 total against the Lions. 

 

Yes, I really care about the NFL now...honest

 

I just have better things to do than watch the Niners play the Chiefs. It's not interesting anymore

 

Just hire a bunch of extras. SAG wages for 50,000 with the craft services is drop in the bucket compared to advertising revenues.

 

Will the extras pay for beer, food, merchandise, parking, PSLs and stadium tours ?

 

On the serious side, the league will have a balancing act to keep the stadiums full as JJSD noted while their fan base will be happy to pay-per-view.

 

 

This is the way I look/approach games/NFL.  God forbid,  a few years ago, I would DVR the Packers games, and then watch them, depending on score/meaning of the game.  Maybe it's a fact of getting older, and wanting to do more than just watch football on Sunday?  Maybe the product has become so watered down, it's boring to watch?  

Or maybe we all just miss Brett Favre.  He was such a kid out there.

You gotta admit that those Forrest Gregg teams sure were good TV.  You honestly weren't sure whether or not one of the turds on that terrible team was going to pull a knife out of his pants and just start chasing guys around trying to stab them.

 

Now THAT'S drama.

the black out rule was an old rule instituted when we had only free over the air tv. Now, we pay for sunday ticket we pay for pay per view, etc. there shouldn't be any blackouts. I don't care IF the stadium is full... half full, 80% full whatever.

I've been saying it for the last 5 years my home is the best place to watch the football game. who's coming over this thursday?

Do you have better wine than Blair Kiel?

The BS move they do now is if the game is on a local station & its the 2nd game that day they'll blackout the game on NFL ticket & show the game that's running late!!! Twice last year I missed 2/3 of the 1st quarter of the PACKER game that was the 2nd game. Wanted to see the 2nd game of a different & missed 6 minutes of the 1st quarter cuz the 1st game ran late.

"we had a blackout here the other day, fortunately police made him get back in the car"

 

- Emo Philips

Denny's has a better wine list than I do.

I'll pickup a bottle of Screaming Eagle for you Kiel

Don't forget the Sprite.

 

Spritzers don't make themselves.

You have to get Kiel some of this, too:

NFL statement on FCC ruling: "the NFL is the only sports league that televises every one of its games on free, over-the-air television...

 

Umm...Monday Night Football is on ESPN. 

MNF is still rebroadcast by local stations in the markets of the teams playing.