Blackouts & Changes … Thursday Cup O’Chiefs
The NFL said Goodbye Orlando on Wednesday, as the league wrapped up its annual March meetings. Much was voted on and even more was discussed.
One of those subjects was television blackouts, which should be on the minds of all Chiefs fans as the month of March comes to an end and the 2010 season is now less than six months away.
Nobody within the Chiefs will go on the record when it comes to how many season tickets are spoken for with this fall’s home schedule. But a little birdie told me the number at this point is less than 40,000. It’s the lowest number of season tickets for the Chiefs since the 1988 season.
Obviously there’s a lot of time to sell tickets, but with a 10-38 record over the last three seasons and a very ordinary lineup of teams coming to Arrowhead Stadium, the potential for blackouts will be there each and every week.
That was also the case last season, but the Hunts bought enough tickets through the season to put nine of the 10 games on local television. They reached their limit for the final home game against Cleveland, thus breaking the club’s streak of TV blackouts that dated back to 1991.
Last season, there were 22 local TV blackouts around the league, up from nine in the 2008 season. Bad teams, bad economy and too-high ticket prices led to the growth in games that were not sold out to qualify for complete television coverage.
It’s something that Commissioner Roger Goodell said the owners talked about during the week in Orlando.
“I think everybody in that room understands what our fans are going through in the general economy,” Goodell told the media in a wrap-up press conference on Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort. “The good news is there are some signs that there is improvement. On the other hand, there are a lot of people who are still suffering and still having challenges.
“We have to be responsive to that as the league and as clubs. Our clubs did an extraordinary job with that last year. There was significant turnover in our season ticket holders and they had to work harder and spend more resources to get more fans back into the stadium. We are always focused on that and our clubs are focused on it.
“We spent a lot of time over the last three days about what we can do from a ticket sales standpoint. Also what we can do to improve the entertainment value. That’s really what it is. It’s about value. How do we create greater value? How do we create a more quality product that our fans want to be a part of? The good news in all these challenges we are facing is we have a high quality product and people still want to come. ”
MORE RULES CHANGES AS OWNERS SCATTER AROUND THE COUNTRY
Obviously, the change in overtime has drawn the biggest response of all the league decisions this week, or at least those that were made public. More was decided by the owners in votes that came down on Wednesday morning.
The rules change that will draw the most attention involves player safety. It bars a defenseless player from being hit in the head or neck by an opponent who launches himself and uses his helmet, shoulder or forearm to make contact. Previously, those kind of tackles were banned against receivers who couldn’t protect themselves, but now it will apply to everyone. This change will eliminate more of the plays that the NFL used to highlight with NFL Films footage. It will also leave a lot of players and coaches who get flagged on these calls pleading their innocence.
Here are some of the other changes and additions to the rules:
NO HELMET, NO YARDS – When a player running with the ball loses his helmet, the play will be whistled stopped at that moment. The ball will be placed at the spot where the player lost his lid. So no more plays like those often-played NFL Films clips of QB Steve Young and TE Jason Witten running for big yards without their football hats.
PROTECTING THE SNAPPER – During a FG or PAT kick, no player can be positioned on the line of scrimmage directly across from the snapper. Previously, a player needed to have his helmet outside the snapper’s shoulder pads.
WALK OFF PENALTIES – A dead-ball personal foul on the last play of the second or fourth quarters will lead to a 15-yard penalty at the start of the second half or overtime. Previously in those situations, no penalty was enforced.
BUTTER FINGERS ON PUNT RETURNS – If a punt returner makes a fair-catch signal and muffs the ball, he is entitled to what the league is now calling a “reasonable opportunity” to catch the muff before it hits the ground without interference of the coverage team. The ball will be rewarded at the spot of the interference, but there will be no penalty yardage marked off.
JERRY JONES WORLD RULE - When a ball strikes a video board, guide wire or sky cam, the play is whistled dead and replayed. The game clock is reset to when that play started. The replay judge will be allowed to initiate a review if he believes there was some sort of interference with the ball. This is the only case outside of the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters and overtime that the booth can order a replay. Coaches can also challenge whether there was interference with the ball. All this is tied to the giant video board that hangs over the field at Cowboys Stadium.
END OF HALF REPLAY REVIEW – If the clock is stopped in the final minute of either half for a replay review, but would not have stopped without the review, officials will run off 10 seconds before resuming play. Either team could take a timeout to void the 10-second runoff
UNIFORM NUMBERING CHANGES – The league has pretty hard and fast rules when it comes to the numbers that players can wear, but they tweaked some of those standards on a vote by the owners. Centers can now choose any number between 50 and 79. Defensive linemen can now pick numbers between 60 to 70 and 90 to 99. Linebackers have to wear 50 to 59 or 90 to 99.
Changes now permit a player to move from one position to another and keep his number, if he played the prior position for at least a year and if he is moving from a position that is eligible to receive passes to another eligible position, or if he is moving from one ineligible position to another ineligible position.
THE NFC COACHES HAVE THEIR SAY AS WELL
The first item on the Wednesday’s agenda at the last day of the league meetings was a breakfast where NFC head coaches were available to the media. By the time this session was over, most of the media was talking about Super Bowl winning coach Sean Payton (right) of New Orleans and Philadelphia’s head man Andy Reid.
Here are some of the news worthy items from the coaches:
PAYTON ON THE TIMING OF THE VOTE ON THE CHANGE IN OVERTIME RULES: “One of the best things that we do is discuss, debate, give thought to a rule such as this, which is significant. I think what was most disappointing is the process had begun, then all of a sudden there was a quick … was sitting next to what I thought were seven ‘No’s’ (on the golf course). “Then it was 28-4. And I felt, I don’t know how it was 28-4.”
WASHINGTON’S MIKE SHANAHAN ON THE OVERTIME VOTE: “I don’t think it would have passed with the coaches. Not many things do. Coaches don’t like change. If it was up to us, we’d still be watching 16 millimeter film. It was Roger (Goodell) just saying, ‘This is what I want. Owners, you get together. Let’s go get it done. And they got it done. I’m kind of looking forward to doing something different. I like when someone who’s in charge of the league makes a decision with the owners.”
REID ON HIS THREE QUARTERBACKS, THE POSSIBILITY OF TRADING ONE OF THEM AND THE OFFERS THEY’VE RECEIVED: “We’ll go back and look through those [talks] and think through them a little bit once we’re away from this situation here. (There is) nothing that, right now, that I can jump up and down about. But there has been some interest … I’m listening to things out there. I’m not saying I’m doing anything. I’m just keeping my ears open, which we do on every player. This is no different. I’ve got a great situation at that position right now. That’s a good position to have three guys who all can start and win at a championship-caliber level. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
DETROIT COACH JIM SCHWARTZ AND THE LIONS INTEREST IN PACMAN JONES (left): “Not only did we send someone down there to work him out, but also someone to spend some time with him. I wouldn’t say anything’s imminent, but we’re definitely interested and gathering information. The workout was just to see what kind of conditioning he was in, I would say from a commitment standpoint. I can’t speak from where he’s at. We know where he’s at from a physical standpoint. He had a good workout. I think that where we are at is we’re evaluating all our options.”
GREEN BAY COACH MIKE MCCARTHY ON QB AARON RODGERS DEVELOPMENT: “I look for him in his responsibility to get the ball out. Throwaways are OK; when a quarterback throws the ball away in our system that’s a plus. That’s a plus decision. That’s the way I’ve always graded it. I worked at a place that followed a system where the quarterback was taught to take the sack rather than force the throw. That’s kind of an old-school theory but it has existed in this game. I think as I sit here today we’ll be much better in that area. We better be. I can’t go through 50 sacks again. That was unbelievable. I’ve never been through anything like that.”
SEATTLE COACH PETE CARROLL ON HIS APPROACH TO OFFENSE AND THE QB POSITION: “I don’t care what anybody else is doing, I have always believed in balance. I’ve talked a lot about our running game. I believe the quarterback has to build off that and have the pieces around him to be successful. I know it’s a quarterback-driven league but the quarterback has to play well. This is how you help him to play well.”
HARD KNOCKS GOES TO THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF BROADWAY
NFL Films knows a good character when it sees or hears one. That’s why Steve Sabol and his team have tabbed the New York Jets led by head coach Rex Ryan as the 2010 team that will be featured in Hard Knocks the HBO reality series done during training camp and the pre-season.
The selection of the Jets will be announced at a press conference Thursday morning. Ryan and his outgoing, say just about anything personality likely will be one of the stars of the episodes.
Last year, the Bengals were the subject team on Hard Knocks, with the Chiefs (2007), Ravens (2002) and Cowboys (2002-2008) starring in previous shows.
UPDATING PERSONNEL: THE OFF-SEASON DAY #20
The Chiefs were the busiest team on the quietest day for new contracts so far in the new league year. A pair of restricted free agents (RFA) signed their tender offers: ILB Derrick Johnson and OL Ikechuku Ndukwe. Plus, exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) FB Mike Cox signed his offer as well.
- BRONCOS – RFA G Chris Kuper signed tender offer.
- CARDINALS – RFA TE Ben Patrick signed tender offer; signed WR Darren Mougey.
- CHARGERS – released WR Demetrius Byrd.
- CHIEFS – RFAs ILB Derrick Johnson and OL Ikechuku Ndukwe sign tender offers; ERFA FB Mike Cox signs offer.
- GIANTS – RFA DE Dave Tollefson signed tender offer.
Given the outlandish sums the NFL receives from their broadcasting partners, it seems foolish for the owners to not pay more attention to blackouts.
If a team loses its home audience because of blackouts, do the broadcasters receive a rebate?
Pro football is more particularly suited to television than is baseball or basketball, so why would the owners not do everything possible to preserve their audiences at home?
There should be some tinkering with the cost of tickets, parking and concessions to generate the largest crowds possible. The local fan base senses better results are very near for the Chiefs; the front office needs to do whatever it it takes to keep blackouts from happening this season.
re: What to do about diminishing ticket sales and avoiding TV blackouts.
Most all businesses have to grapple with unsold inventory and some have been creative in getting a little bit of something which beats 100% of nothing. Hotels and unsold rooms are a good example. The airlines and unsold seats on a flight are another.
Now, some NFL teams are joining the challenge. What to do? The marketing people of each franchise have to create instruments to entice business owners to buy blocks of seats for a deeply discounted price by using specific group presentations and actually selling them on the value.
Consumers would be the next wave. Sitting back and waiting for the economy to turn around or the team to be a winner again could prove expensive and a luxury few teams could afford.
Adopt the old mantra picturing two buzzards talking to one another with one of them saying, “Patience, my ass! I’m going to go kill something.”
Sorry Mr Hunt had to purchase tickets to prevent blackouts last year. That said he may need to be aware of just what it takes to operate a franchise and that the salad days are over for owners who were not involved in their operations and did not do enough to put a “good” product on the field.
Want to fill the seats? Then lower the damn ticket prices. It’s as simple as that. They’re going to have to make the games affordable to the hard-working fans out there that simply cannot afford to blow hundreds of dollars to go see a game. Easy fix. Too bad it will never happen…and my son and I will be stuck watching most of the home games on TV.
Lower prices? Really think that will happen, could I guess, you can get a pizza for 10 bucks now. I believe the Chiefs are the model franchise for an absentee owner with no strong personality to demand game success because of the monetary success. It may change with Clark but it will take time to prove he has separated from his father’s view of how to operate the Chiefs. Until then prices may be lock in place, but reduced? I doubt it.
Want to make the blackout rule a little more fair? Quit punishing the teams with the bigger stadiums. Right now they go by the percentage of your stadium that is sold. That hurts the teams that decided to have a bigger stadium. Why should the Chiefs have to sell more to avoid a blackout in an 79,000 seat stadium and the Bears only have to sell 61,000.
They should take the smallest stadium in the NFL, which I believe is Chicago at 61,000, and make that number the goal that every team has to sell. Each team has to sell 61,000 or blackout.
As I see it there are only 3 things that can be done concerning black outs. A. you live with it as is, which I doubt the networks like. B, you rescind the practice of black outs and televise the games regardless of ticket sales, owners to date haven’t been willing to do this, an example would be Oakland which has most games blacked out. And C, the owners could lower the cost of tickets to the point where they can fill the stadium, I’m not holding my breath on this one.
I would say there is some real pressure on Pioli and the gang to field some contenders or big names this off season to give the fan base some hope or excitement for the coming season. With the draft get some play makers not guys who will contribute hopefully at a high level three or four years from now. I wouldn’t be surprised if we picked up Dez Bryant at number five overall. Maybe they will sign T.O. for one year. I don’t really think two explosive personalities will work for longer than one year though. These two would sell tickets I think maybe even more than Eric Berry weather that be good or bad. What would sell tickets?
(Note I didn’t say I agree with this if it did happen this is just from the business perspective it would seem logical)
Mark, that is untrue. Bob has stated in an article that the teams actually make up how many seats in their stadium will be available for sale for each game, they dont have to list all 79,000 seats if they feel they aren’t going to sell that many tickets. They could say they are going to sell 50,000 for each game, then at that point the team would have to sell 50,000 not to be blacked out.
Also, I believe the contract that is signed between the tv networks and the NFL is written so that the teams still get there money from the networks even if the games are blacked out. This is the same as if they have a locked out season next year, the NFL still will make there money from the networks.
I really wouldn’t mind if the chiefs would make a play for McNabb, considering they don’t trust Brodie to start and really Cassel hasn’t shown much thus far to deem him the second coming of Lenny…
Interesting thoughts on the blackouts guys. I agree with Mad Chief. Lower the ticket prices, as well as parking prices. Hunt would probably make more money in the long run by doing this because he won’t have to spend money out of his own pockets buying up tickets. When a game is blacked out, the owner loses hundreds of thousands in advertising revenue.
Fans in KC have had extraordinary patience Mr. Hunt. Lower the prices in appreciation for all of us who have put up with your subpar product for the last decade!
Guys,
eventhough ticket prices are high, and I agree with ya espectially prime seats, you could get nose bleed seats for 35.00 each last year. To me thats not a bad price to pay, eventhough you have to take your binoculars. I think Free parking should be the first step, and maybe half of concessions and beverages.
arrowhead1978–
Dude, McNabb, Never going to happen. Why???
Id probably start “break my bones brodie” over mcnabb. IMO, and Cassel will be much better this year, because the talent around him is increasing!! Just wait
gorillafan says:
“Id probably start “break my bones brodie” over mcnabb.”
You would start Matt Cassel or Brodie Croyle over Donovan McNabb? I’m glad you’re not our Head Coach, gorillafan.
Mad chief,
Not necessarily, some sarcasm in above statement, but I dont see the benefit of signing another high $ qb, and McNabb would sign on just to sit the bench at #2 qb. Our QB is Cassel whether people like it or not, atleast this year or so anyway…
Sorry, McNabb would NOT sign on for #2 spot
I was just giving you crap. I know there’s no way in hell that we would sign McNabb. But if he was on our roster, I would make him the starter IMMEDIATELY.
I don’t think it is that simple. Seriously do you think lowering the ticket prices (all prices for that matter) is going to bring more people to the stadium when the Chiefs field a very poor team? And what are people willing to pay to watch a Championship team? With some of the rationale that I am hearing prices should be directly related to the product on the field. Which is fine but that means that those who can’t afford to take their kids to a professional football game need to pray for a really bad team to go watch. The whole economics of this game seems out of control and headed for disaster if you ask me.
The owners must get the contract with the players adjusted so that there is more of a balance between the two sides. NO other business has the employees taking that much of the income. IF they could get that fixed, then work on affordability of tickets could start. In Phoenix they have a few sections where tickets are $10, but the buyers must pass a few income tests to get them. I do feel the $ pain as I remember when my $87 seat was only $18!!!! AND please do not try to make the game an “experience”. If I wanted that I could stay home and watch it on the big screen. Just make the team competitive and the stadium will begin to fill again, and the 12th man will return!!
God, I cant wait till Arrowhead has “the” 12th man again, “the” 12th man that every team feared. NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR THE MAN NEXT TO YOU SCREAMING, NOT THATS WORTH THE TICKET PRICE!!
as far as mcnabb, I wouldnt bet mcnabb would be much better than cassel with the o-line we had anyway.
I need to check my spelling before I submit my post. “NOW THATS WORTH THE TICKET PRICE”
Afraid McNabb would be all name and no production, why waste time. If Cassel is not the man, trade him to Seahawks for #1, eat the money difference, then pick the best available QB from college draft. I know that is nutz also.
With Pioli/Haley aboard, no change in costs. Want to know why – look in the mirror. Anyone and everyone who “want to give them a chance” or “wait til next year” or “got to be positive about what is going on” (listening Mad Chief??) support the view of management “what a wonderful product we are giving the public so the product can carry the prices”. Take away government money and make them earn respect from their fans, victories on the field, then and only then might the gravy train slow down.
Yeah, el cid…I’m “listening”. I still believe Piloi has a plan, and I’m willing to give him more than a year to put it into effect. Am I 100% convinced his plan is THE plan? No. But, it still deserves a chance. I’d take the Piloi/Haley “way” a hundred times over the Edwards/Peterson plan, anyday. Pioli inherited an organization in shambles. To expect dramatic results in one year is unrealistic, I think.
As far as the QB goes? Some “mock” drafts have Bradford falling to us. If he did (which isn’t likely), and I was the GM? I’d take him in a New York minute. I defended Cassel all last season…I know everyone here knows that. In the end, though…I was underwhelmed. Could he still turn it around? Sure. I really hope he does. Especially considering that he’s “da man”. But, as much as I wanted Cassel to prove that he was an NFL “caliber” QB last year? He didn’t. And anyone that says differently…has some pretty low expectations from our QB.
Missed the point big time. If the Chiefs’ management “think” everything is progressing just fine, there is not need to change how you run the business. No need to review how you make your money. Why do fast food chains have $1 menu? Because that is the only way to get people in the building. They do not make a ton of money on $1 but it keeps the crowds coming. Same with the Chiefs, do not make up anything but to blindly support what is happening THEN costs will not change. You like the “way” then prices stay the same or increase a little until you get vocal enough.
“I think everybody in that room understands what our fans are going through in the general economy,” Goodell told the media in a wrap-up press conference on Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort.
That statement rings hollow with me. I’m a technical professional in manufacturing who is still looking for meaningful work. I’d like to keep paying for my very modest house. Thank God my 10 year old car is paid for.
Go CHIEFS!