The National Football League is calling an audible on its widely-criticized and longstanding TV blackout policy.
So long as at least 85 percent of tickets are sold for each home date, the game will be shown in the home TV market, a departure from the previous threshold.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., had been among the more vocal critics of the old policy, which required teams to sellout home games 72 hours before kickoff to avoid a blackout.
He issued the following statement about the NFL’s decision to relax the policy:
“Sports blackouts are a disservice and deterrent to fans who love rooting for their favorite teams and watching them play,” Blumenthal said. “I welcome the NFL’s decision to modify its policy on blackouts by giving team owners the option to locally broadcast games even when they are not sold out. This new policy is a step in the right direction. Fans should be able to root for and watch their favorite teams even when they cannot attend in person. I will continue to give sports fans in Connecticut and across the nation a voice by working to prevent industry abuses like blackouts.”
Only 6 percent of games were blacked out last season, but overall attendance is down over the last five years for the NFL, which prides itself as the most profitable pro sports league.
Individual teams can set their own blackout threshold, but it must be above 85 percent ticket sales mark.
But the lower the percentage set by each franchise, the more revenue they have to share with other teams, under the policy change.