Here is some information on the blackout policy in the NF (not recent)...
Blackouts- Have they out lived their usefulness?
History of the Blackout Rule
The seeds of the blackout rule were planted in the early 1960’s as television became more popular. Then Commissioner Pete Rozelle feared that football would become a studio game, where fans, if given a choice of coming out to the stadium, or watching on TV at home, would opt for the comfort of their sofas, in effect, killing the sport. This line of thought seemed reasonable at the time. Baseball was still our number one past time, and the NFL was competing with the AFL in different markets for its fans. Rozelle knew another thing as well, and it was that television was a double-edged sword. On one hand, it was a new medium, and not everyone owned one. On the other, football, with its slow paced high drama, was tailor made for television, and certainly was an opportunity to grow the sport that was not to be passed up. So Rozelle compromised. He would allow every team’s road games to be televised back to the team’s home market, but would allow absolutely no local broadcasts of home teams. That’s the way it stayed until 1973.
In 1971, the Washington Redskins hired Head Coach George Allen away from the Los Angeles Rams. Allen had great success in Los Angeles throughout the 1960’s, and instantly turned the fortunes of the Redskins around. This of course, sent interest in the team skyrocketing, and being in the nation’s capital, the Redskins became a hot ticket with the politicians who set up residences there. Unfortunately, 55,004 seat RFK Stadium wasn’t large enough to accommodate the demand. Those without tickets could not see them play. Period. Demand reached a fever pitch in 1972, when the team went 11-3, and earned themselves a spot in Super Bowl VII. The natives were angry. The best season in the Skin’s forty-year history, and most fans were blacked out for half the season, as well as the playoffs. Congress immediately went to work, and threatened to pass legislation that eliminated blackouts completely. Upon meeting with politicians and hearing their intent, Rozelle capitulated and instituted the seventy-two hour rule, which would take effect in the fall of 1973. That meant that if a team sold out their home game seventy-two hours before their scheduled kickoff time, the blackout could be lifted, and the game broadcast locally. This is where the NFL has stood for thirty-two seasons.
Conclusions
So why does the NFL, especially in this day and age of satellites, and subscriber only NFL Sunday Ticket still cling to it’s antiquated blackout rule? It’s difficult to understand the rationale. It certainly does nothing to improve attendance, as evidenced by the 49ers, and Jaguars. San Francisco has been terrible, yet continues to sell out, while Jacksonville, a relatively new and successful franchise, continues to struggle to sell tickets. So the question remains…why does the NFL consistently try to limit the exposure of its product by applying a blackout policy, that has varying levels of unfairness to different clubs? Don’t the owners realize that by limiting exposure they’re tuning out the next generation of fans? At the very least, they’re cutting deeply into their own merchandise market.
What must be considered, are the economics of the blackout. They’re very short term. Yes, the fan in the stadium will buy the seven-dollar beer, and the five-dollar hot dog. Unfortunately, in-stadium advertising is only seen by those actually in attendance at the game, resulting in pro rated ad fees, and the team losing out on much needed revenue. The same goes for the ads on television. Rates are pro rated due to the uncertain number of games that will be telecast on the local affiliate. Broadcast a game locally, and the local companies line up to purchase ad time.
There are also intangibles to think about as well. In today’s instant gratification society, if you’re not on the tip of everyone’s tongue, you’re very easily forgotten. Madonna and Britney Spears understand this, why doesn’t the NFL? Like Madonna, television is an ad medium in its own right. The game should be it’s own marketing tool. Show how much fun it is at one, and people will want to go. Showing Elvis in the stands, or showing the group of guys dressed as lady hogs, is a better sales pitch than any marketing person could ever dream of.
The reality of the situation is that those who wish to attend games, and have the means to, want the entire package. They want to be in the stadium, they want to tailgate, and they’re going to do it, no matter the cost. Displaced Bills fans are notorious for planning their vacations in the fall, around home games. The bottom line is, the NFL’s logic is terribly flawed on this issue. The blackout rule, which might have been instrumental in building the league in the 1960’s, is now chocking it, and that can’t be good for any business, much less one where the competition for the entertainment dollar is so fierce.
