End of an era: NFL ends blackout rule

[RecoveringJournalist]

This will save a local Jacksonville sponsor from buying up the remaining tickets at .30 on the dollar.

Winn Dixie employees can now celebrate.

 

[Batman]

Non-season ticket holders in Jacksonville just said, "Wait, we have a NFL team?"

Yeah, they have uniforms and everything. It's great.

 

[sostartled]

In DC you can take the metro almost everywhere...except FedEx Field. It's about a mile walk to the stadium from the nearest metro stop. I've driven to one game (college) and metroed to a 1pm Skins/Pats game, and both times it was a clusterfork. Tons of people walking from one spot to another on one (crappy) sidewalk, traffic jams, etc. But I probably shouldn't complain too much given the fact that public transportation is non-existent in most places.

 

[Bronco77]

I understand why some folks go. They're season ticket holders who go as groups, including family groups, and it's a 10 time a year social occasion. But that's the only way that makes sense.

With the local NFL team, tailgating is nearly as big as the game. Some people keep going only because they enjoy the tailgating scene. We have friends who didn't renew their season tickets after their tailgate group broke up. It was no longer worth it to put up with ever-increasing prices for tickets and parking (and the local team's perennial mediocrity didn't help, either).

 

[Starman]

I've heard a few people offer the wise opinion that, while the NFL has invested all of this money into stadiums

The NFL hasn't invested shirt in new stadiums. They extort taxpayers into paying for them.

 

[da man]

The NFL hasn't invested shirt in new stadiums. They extort taxpayers into paying for them.

I believe the NFL loaned $200 million each to team owners for new stadiums for Atlanta, San Francisco and Minnesota.

Edit: Looking it up, the league also loaned $300 million to the Giants and Jets for their new stadium and $150 million each to Dallas and Indianapolis.

 

[forever_town]

I understand why some folks go. They're season ticket holders who go as groups, including family groups, and it's a 10 time a year social occasion. But that's the only way that makes sense.

It's an experience to go to a game. Going to a game with the right person or group can create memories that last a lifetime.

 

[goalmouth]

It's an experience to go to a game. Going to a game with the right person or group can create memories that last a lifetime.

Yep, getting a second mortgage to afford parking, tickets and food, sitting next to drunk assholes, freezing through a miserable blowout, and visiting disgusting restrooms. You couldn't be more right.

 

[93Devil]

In DC you can take the metro almost everywhere...except FedEx Field. It's about a mile walk to the stadium from the nearest metro stop. I've driven to one game (college) and metroed to a 1pm Skins/Pats game, and both times it was a clusterfork. Tons of people walking from one spot to another on one (crappy) sidewalk, traffic jams, etc. But I probably shouldn't complain too much given the fact that public transportation is non-existent in most places.

If you live in Reston, Ashburn, Leesburg, Frederick or Gaithersburg, there is a good chance you could get home from your seat faster from Heinz Field than FedEx on a Sunday afternoon game.

 

[BTExpress]

Yeah, parking fees are the biggest ripoff in sports.
You're already spending a shirt-ton of money on tickets and food.
Charging $30 to park a car for five hours is kicking fans in the head.

On our way out of NYC a few months ago we decided, "Hey, might as well stop at the Museum of Natural History for a few hours."

Parking lot nearby wanted $60. fork that.