Would an overseas game ever fail to sell out? (1 Viewer)

[Truman]

Given the ridiculous demand from overseas fans for tickets to real NFL games, why does the league continue to pander to Jacksonville and San Diego fans who don't even care enough to avoid blackouts?

Every overseas game has attracted unprecedented interest and sold out within hours, yet the league continues to rely on US crowds? How about if the first team to get blacked out each year loses a home game to an overseas crowd tthe next season?

 

[vikingdave]

I think its a little different when you have ONE game a year there vs. one every other week during the season...

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

exactly if they had a game every weekend they wouldnt sell them all out.

I think I read that last year there were a total of 9 game blacked out league wide.

lets see how man there are this year.

Isnt the blackout thing kinda outdated anyway?

 

[David Yudkin]

I suspect that if an international game did not sell out, the NFL would just give away the extra tickets to make it look like a sell out, and they would keep quiet and not really blab that they had to give away tickets.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

And the Lions will probably not sell out any games this year.

 

[Truman]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

 

[Truman]

I suspect that if an international game did not sell out, the NFL would just give away the extra tickets to make it look like a sell out, and they would keep quiet and not really blab that they had to give away tickets.

Will they also do that for all 8 Jags games this year?Every time the league announces an overseas game, it's sold out that weekend.

 

[David Yudkin]

I suspect that if an international game did not sell out, the NFL would just give away the extra tickets to make it look like a sell out, and they would keep quiet and not really blab that they had to give away tickets.

Will they also do that for all 8 Jags games this year?Every time the league announces an overseas game, it's sold out that weekend.

Not apples to apples. The NFL is trying to build an international audience, so I doubt they would want a venue with empty seats. Selling a few extra seats in Florida will not net them millions like gaining interest in other countries would.

 

[Truman]

I suspect that if an international game did not sell out, the NFL would just give away the extra tickets to make it look like a sell out, and they would keep quiet and not really blab that they had to give away tickets.

Will they also do that for all 8 Jags games this year?Every time the league announces an overseas game, it's sold out that weekend.

Not apples to apples. The NFL is trying to build an international audience, so I doubt they would want a venue with empty seats. Selling a few extra seats in Florida will not net them millions like gaining interest in other countries would.

Okay. At the moment they're met with resistance every time they try to take the game global by fans who would prefer empty seats in an American stadium to a European stadium sold out months in advance. The point I'm trying to make in this thread is that international fans deserve games a helluva lot more than local fans who dont buy tickets. We always hear about games which have no atmosphere how we cant take games away from guys who can only make one game a year - why not? If they really cared about their team they would be season ticket holders - who lose one game every 16 years.

 

[Couch Potato]

British Jaguars sounds about right.

 

[pollardsvision]

The OP makes a solid point.

As much as I absolutely hate it, it probably makes sense for the NFL to play more games in Europe.

It's a big market and those poor Euros really only have soccer, cricket and a soft version of basketball. They really need the NFL. They currently go crazy over inferior sports b/c they don't understand what it's like to have real sports around.

We've shown the rest of the world how to serve decent, cheap hamburgers and how to take mass-produced coffee and sell it as premium. Now, we get to introduce the world to a real sport.

 

[Chaka]

You could not be more wrong Truman particularly this season.

1) You cannot compare an annual 256 game slate with 1 annual game.

2) Perhaps the 2009 season should be a lesson to ownership that their pricing structure no longer applies. Perhaps the loyal American fans deserves who have turned the NFL into the unquestioned dominant sport in this country deserve a break instead of punishment because they are spending more frugally.

3) Who cares about people overseas?

 

[pollardsvision]

You could not be more wrong Truman particularly this season.1) You cannot compare an annual 256 game slate with 1 annual game.2) Perhaps the 2009 season should be a lesson to ownership that their pricing structure no longer applies. Perhaps the loyal American fans deserves who have turned the NFL into the unquestioned dominant sport in this country deserve a break instead of punishment because they are spending more frugally.3) Who cares about people overseas?

I agree with #3 and there is nothing I hate more than the thought of the NFL playing more and more games in the land of those bastards that colonized us.All that said, it would be terrible business for the NFL not to fully explore this market.There will be backlash along the way, but the NFL has become an unstoppable force that weather pretty much anything. Judging by they way all new stadiums are being built, the NFL is growing more convinced that the "average" fan isn't very profitable. The middle-class fans aren't going anywhere anyway. As I said of the Vick haters, what else are football fans going to do on Sunday afternoons in the fall?

 

[Wadsworth]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

The Jaguars drew more fans last seasons than your Falcons. This in spite of the fact that Falcons were in a play off run with a young and exciting team and the Jags were terrible. In fact San Diego also had more fans attend their games than the Falcons last season. People throw around stones at other teams, like the Jaguars over ticket sales, but the truth is the Jags have been in the middle of the pack or better in ticket sales since they came in the league.LINK

 

[Gr00vus]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

The Jaguars drew more fans last seasons than your Falcons. This in spite of the fact that Falcons were in a play off run with a young and exciting team and the Jags were terrible. In fact San Diego also had more fans attend their games than the Falcons last season. People throw around stones at other teams, like the Jaguars over ticket sales, but the truth is the Jags have been in the middle of the pack or better in ticket sales since they came in the league.LINK

 

[msommer]

You could not be more wrong Truman particularly this season.1) You cannot compare an annual 256 game slate with 1 annual game.2) Perhaps the 2009 season should be a lesson to ownership that their pricing structure no longer applies. Perhaps the loyal American fans deserves who have turned the NFL into the unquestioned dominant sport in this country deserve a break instead of punishment because they are spending more frugally.3) Who cares about people overseas?

I agree with #3 and there is nothing I hate more than the thought of the NFL playing more and more games in the land of those bastards that colonized us.All that said, it would be terrible business for the NFL not to fully explore this market.There will be backlash along the way, but the NFL has become an unstoppable force that weather pretty much anything. Judging by they way all new stadiums are being built, the NFL is growing more convinced that the "average" fan isn't very profitable. The middle-class fans aren't going anywhere anyway. As I said of the Vick haters, what else are football fans going to do on Sunday afternoons in the fall?

I take it that you are Native American. Might I inquire which tribe?

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

The Jaguars drew more fans last seasons than your Falcons. This in spite of the fact that Falcons were in a play off run with a young and exciting team and the Jags were terrible. In fact San Diego also had more fans attend their games than the Falcons last season. People throw around stones at other teams, like the Jaguars over ticket sales, but the truth is the Jags have been in the middle of the pack or better in ticket sales since they came in the league.LINK

 

[NYCGangGreen]

Maybe from a marketing/sales standpoint, Goodell and the NFL stand to gain more by having a few games played overseas each year. But what it comes down to is it's effect on the teams involved.

I remember Dungy saying a few years back something in regards to the game the Colts played in Japan, (I believe), and he mentioned how he felt it was neccessary for thr team to get there a week early to get on a good schedule and then when they returned it was a similar problem. The players needed some time to re-adjust to the time difference and all.

They are already having Buffalo play some games in canada this year, and while that's just a short bus ride, still takes away the "home field" advantage.

Truth be told though, and I know from experience....if I drove to San Diego opening day, I could get a ticket for the game from the ticket window easily, not even have to find a scalper. And that to me is just pathetic that you cant even sell out your home opener, for a team that "supposed" to be a perenial challenger. So whether they finish middle of the pack, year in/year out....Qualcomm is a pretty large stadium and probably helps skew the #'s.

So yes, send the Chargers overseas 3 times a year.

 

[DoubleG]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

The Jaguars drew more fans last seasons than your Falcons. This in spite of the fact that Falcons were in a play off run with a young and exciting team and the Jags were terrible. In fact San Diego also had more fans attend their games than the Falcons last season. People throw around stones at other teams, like the Jaguars over ticket sales, but the truth is the Jags have been in the middle of the pack or better in ticket sales since they came in the league.LINK

The only problem with total attendance number is that it isn't necessarily an accurate indicator of interest. The some in Minny only seats like 62k or something (by new stadium standards it's relatively small) - now that's a horrible example, as Minny sometimes has a tough time selling out even that smaller venue. Not to get to far afield, but when I heard that after Favre signed, 3,000 season tickets were sold I was shocked. The Vikings, who have had one og the games most electric offensive weapons, been a perenial contender and play their games in a dome HAD 3,000 season tickets available. Here in Chicago you're own a several year waiting list for season tickets (and that was before the Super Bowl appearance a couple years ago).My point is, sell outs are a much better indicator of fan interest then total numbers - as total numbers are tempered by size of the stadium.

 

[Gr00vus]

total numbers are tempered by size of the stadium.

So are sellouts.

 

[JaxBill]

I suspect that if an international game did not sell out, the NFL would just give away the extra tickets to make it look like a sell out, and they would keep quiet and not really blab that they had to give away tickets.

Will they also do that for all 8 Jags games this year?Every time the league announces an overseas game, it's sold out that weekend.

That's why the Jags have announced ahead of time that there is a very real possibility of every home game being blacked out. They're warning the fans to either buy tickets or not see the game. No corporate white knight or fuzzy accounting will save them.

 

[Chaka]

Do people from overseas even have souls?

No NFL for them until we find out once and for all!

 

[Truman]

Agreed. In all likelihood it's actually the only time an overseas fan will ever get to see a live NFL game in their country, yet we hear from commentators that we don't want to take a single game away from the poor fan who can only get away to go to one game a year. My question: Who cares about that 'fan'? Why are they more important than international fans who will spend hundreds of dollars to get to a real live game, no matter if their team is playing or not? International games sell out within days, wherever in the world they're played.

I take leave from work for opening weekend. I scheduled my uni papers so I could watch primetime games. I take leave when the Falcons play in primetime. #### 'fans' who can only make one game a year and don't care enough about football to buy tickets.

The Jaguars drew more fans last seasons than your Falcons. This in spite of the fact that Falcons were in a play off run with a young and exciting team and the Jags were terrible. In fact San Diego also had more fans attend their games than the Falcons last season. People throw around stones at other teams, like the Jaguars over ticket sales, but the truth is the Jags have been in the middle of the pack or better in ticket sales since they came in the league.LINK

No games were blacked out though that I recall. Jags are looking at 8 blackouts this year.