Truth & Rumors > NFL

Cards, Vikings playoffs may be blacked out

Views
5845
Comments
130

Many N.F.L. fans are consulting on-line auction sites, casual acquaintances and possibly their bank managers in the pursuit of playoff tickets, but the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings are still struggling to fill their stadiums for this weekend's wild-card games. If they fall short, the games will not be shown on local television. The Vikings said Thursday night that they were 8,000 tickets short of a sellout, and the Cardinals need to sell 3,700. Normally, a team must register a sellout 72 hours before kickoff to have its game broadcast locally. But because of factors like the New Year's holiday and the distressed economy, the league has granted extensions to both teams. The Vikings, who play the Eagles on Sunday, have until Friday afternoon, and the Cardinals, who play the Falcons on Saturday, required a second 24-hour extension Thursday.

New York Times

Kurt Warner, AP Kurt Warner, AP
January 2, 2009  07:05 AM ET

The NFL should have a heart and wave the blackout restrictions for the remainder of this season.

January 2, 2009  07:16 AM ET

That is pathetic if you can't fill your home stadium for a playoff game.

January 2, 2009  07:24 AM ET

If I had the money I'd buy a ticket to see the Vikings; and I live in Massachusetts!

Could it be their fans are still shocked their team made the playoffs?

GO VIKINGS!

January 2, 2009  07:31 AM ET

can't blame the cards fans for not buying tickets, half of them still think its a hoax.. and the other half of cards fans are still wondering what the word "playoff" means..

vikes on the other hand, its hard for their fans to buy into coach walrus, the one trick qb, and the iffy d-line. the vikes fans know this ain't their year. AP can only carry a team so far, and the vikes have already arrived to that destination.

Comment #6 has been removed
January 2, 2009  08:08 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

HA! I think you answered it by saying "if you had the money". NFL tickets are so expensive... I coudln't afford them.

Hey trixi, how are you this morning?

Say, maybe former Governor Jesse Ventura can buy all those tickets so his former constituents can get to see the game from their lazy-boy chairs. I'm pretty sure he could even get a bulk purchase discount. haha

January 2, 2009  08:16 AM ET

Lower the dam ticket prices. I need to see Philly play. Im hoping that Eagles fans can get out there make it less of a home game for MIN.... LETS GO EAGLES.

Comment #9 has been removed
January 2, 2009  08:34 AM ET
QUOTE:

Not so surprising that the Cardinals haven't sold out, seeing as how they stopped showing up for games after they won their division a month or so ago. I think Vikings fan already knows what's around the corner this weekend and is content to watch it from the comforts of their own sofa.

Can't say I blame them...why risk injuries...that team is gonna need everything they got to pull out some wins. That said, I'm behind them 100 percent.

gogogo Kurt Warner!

January 2, 2009  08:41 AM ET

Im a Jets and I would pay 100 dollars to go see them because it might be the last time you see those fatties in the middle on defense before they explode.

January 2, 2009  08:43 AM ET

How on earth can the NFL even think about blacking the playoffs. That would be the epitomy of callousness. Unbelievable that they are even thinking about it. Hey NFL, you do realize that the majority of your fan base are just working class joes who can barely afford the tickets they can buy? Or the cable to watch them on TV? Do they work for the GM? Or AIG?

Comment #13 has been removed
January 2, 2009  08:48 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

I'm pretty good. TOugh loss last night, but I'm happy with PSU's season. They did pretty darn good....all things considered and basically the system, themselves, the refs..all against'em.LOL.I think I got food poisoning last night. And I saw my mouse in my bedroom. Crickeys!

When we have those little critters in here I take one of those paper muffin cups, scotch tape the bottom of it to a shallow bowl. Then I take a spoonful of peanut butter and spread it out a bit in the muffin cup. Then I shake some DeCon pellets over the peanut butter and put the bowl in an area where the mouse was seen. The next thing you know, the peanut butter and pellets are gone and so are any mice.

Of course, if you have pets or kids around you have to be careful where you place the bowl of deadly peanut butter.

The good thing about this combo is the mouse will bring some of this back to the nest and share it with the others getting rid of any unseen mice, too.

I'm waiting for the OU game. I know a couple of people who are OU fans and I hope it's a good game for them.

January 2, 2009  08:50 AM ET

Either the economy is worse in these states, or fans don't care?
I wish the Carolina Panther stadium was bigger as all tickets
were gone in 15 minutes Saturday, and it's an 8PM game..may be
too cold for the wine/cheese crowd I thought......

January 2, 2009  09:00 AM ET

and yet the NFL snubbed Baltimore and St Louis, 2 football towns, during the expansion derby. I hope Bidwell is happy

January 2, 2009  09:01 AM ET
QUOTE(#9):

I'm pretty good. TOugh loss last night, but I'm happy with PSU's season. They did pretty darn good....all things considered and basically the system, themselves, the refs..all against'em.LOL.I think I got food poisoning last night. And I saw my mouse in my bedroom. Crickeys!

Wouldn't have made a difference last night Trixi. Even if PSU had won, ABC would have changed the score for USC. Man love for Pete Carroll and all that. Sickening.

January 2, 2009  09:02 AM ET
QUOTE(#15):

Either the economy is worse in these states, or fans don't care?I wish the Carolina Panther stadium was bigger as all ticketswere gone in 15 minutes Saturday, and it's an 8PM game..may betoo cold for the wine/cheese crowd I thought......

Minnesota got real girly when they went indoors. And Arizona? Come on, the only time they sell out is when Dallas comes to town.

January 2, 2009  09:05 AM ET
QUOTE(#18):

Minnesota got real girly when they went indoors. And Arizona? Come on, the only time they sell out is when Dallas comes to town.

Dallas stinks

January 2, 2009  09:05 AM ET
QUOTE(#18):

Minnesota got real girly when they went indoors. And Arizona? Come on, the only time they sell out is when Dallas comes to town.

they probably didn't want them to have runny noses and cold hands coming home after the games, i heard the flu is hard to get over.

 
January 2, 2009  09:12 AM ET

hope they are able to sell out, especially in minnesota, ONE more football game in the HHH...

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Stub Hub

The 2009 schedule has been released. Search for tickets!

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Agent: 'Extraordinary' interest in Bay
    Views
    5772
    Comments
    1890
  2. 2
    Vikings to consider L.A. move?
    Views
    66520
    Comments
    1877
  3. 3
    Bills owner wanted Gruden
    Views
    23562
    Comments
    313
  4. 4
    Mayo rebukes Bruschi's Belichick knock
    Views
    45171
    Comments
    261
  5. 5
    Can Iverson lure LeBron to Knicks?
    Views
    10387
    Comments
    176

Message Boards

  1. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Are college football coaches…
    Views
    320
    Replies
    51
  2. NFL > Pittsburgh Steelers

    Big Ben accepts Blame for loss…
    Views
    290
    Replies
    45
  3. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    CFB Game Day 11/21/2009
    Views
    154
    Replies
    87

Blogs

SI.com

Swimsuit

SI Photos