Why does Jax only have to sell 59K tix to avoid blackout?

[maddogkf]

Why does Jax only have to sell 59K tix to avoid blackout? I heard this on the radio this AM & it is on KFFL.

How can they get 59K people in a stadium that holds just under 77K & avoid the blackout? Seems to me that we should look into this! What the hell are "non-premium seats?"

Jaguars | Ticket Sales Increasing - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 17 May 2004 10:02:30 -0700

Vito Stellino, of the Florida Times-Union, reports as of last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars have sold 6,469 new season ticket packages. The Jaguars think they may be able to match last year's total of more than 12,000, despite the team's fourth consecutive losing season in 2003. The Jaguars are on a pace to increase their season ticket base from 53,000 to about 55,000 this year, but still must sell about 59,000 non-premium seats each game at Alltel Stadium to avoid television blackouts.

 

[NFL_FAN]

I don't know if this helps....

Jacksonville Business Journal Nov 2001

Jaguars blacked out again
Devan Stuart

Weaver last week nixed the idea of blocking additional seats to lower the team's sellout requirements -- a tactic used successfully by several other NFL teams.

The Jaguars already cut 2,400 military, handicapped and obstructed-view seats from those counted toward a sellout. Suite and club seats also are not counted, bringing the number needed for a sellout to 57,000 seats.

Blocking more seats is tantamount to breaking the community's guarantee to the NFL that it could support a team.

"We acquired the NFL franchise based on that manifest," Weaver said.

 

[maddogkf]

Jacksonville Business Journal Nov 2001

Jaguars blacked out again
Devan Stuart

Weaver last week nixed the idea of blocking additional seats to lower the team's sellout requirements -- a tactic used successfully by several other NFL teams.

The Jaguars already cut 2,400 military, handicapped and obstructed-view seats from those counted toward a sellout. Suite and club seats also are not counted, bringing the number needed for a sellout to 57,000 seats.

Blocking more seats is tantamount to breaking the community's guarantee to the NFL that it could support a team.

"We acquired the NFL franchise based on that manifest," Weaver said.

so if we took out the loge seats, the HC seats, & the suite seats, that would give us maybe high 60s K???

 

[maddogkf]

thanks for the info NFL FAN

 

[Duckjake]

so if we took out the loge seats, the HC seats, & the suite seats, that would give us maybe high 60s K???

We shouldn't have to count any seat that exceeds 145 degrees at kickoff.

I've always thought the blackout rule was unfair to fans of teams with large stadiums. They should take the league average stadium size and if you exceed that the game's on TV.

 

[sundevilscott]

And how often have we passed that number lately?

 

[seesred]

I've always agreed with the idea of taking the average NFL stadium and calling that number a hit number for tv purposes. Our new stadium I believe will hold around 60k. That will be a much better number to hit in this area. Without the heat, without the lousy ASU stadium stands, with bigger bathroom areas and with a competing team we should do well.

GBR
40

 

[vikesfan]

The irony is teams could play to empty stadiums and still do okay moneywise. The real money is the tv money, everything else is just gravy.

8 games + a couple preseason games and maybe playoff game or two...

 

[Cardinal Bob]

Apparently, club seats and premium seats don't count towards calling a game a sellout. When I was living in Arlington, VA, the Redskins were never blacked out, and called every game a sellout, but still had almost 4,000 of the clucb seats - which were bright yellow and stood out on TV - unsold. I guess Jax is utilizing this loophole.