Browns sold out tickets in time to avoid TV blackout

Despite ranking 32rd in NFL teams ranking in Week 10, the Cleveland Browns still managed to keep their record of avoiding TV blackouts. On Thursday night, the team announced that they have sold out tickets for next Monday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

They made it just in time to avert the supposedly first TV blackout since 1995 with help of ESPN, Bud Light and WJW-TV, which will air the game. And the four entities, including Browns franchise, will distribute the tickets to the USO and other local organizations.

In this way, the Browns managed to keep their record of sold out games- they have not had a game blacked out since the team’s expansion return to the Cleveland in 1999. But they still have to worry about remaining four home games, with only one of them, the Dec. 10th game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, being sold out. The other three games are Dec. 6th game against the San Diego Chargers, Dec. 27th game against the Oakland Raiders and Jan. 3rd game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jaguars to face fourth blackout of season

The Jacksonville Jaguars have not anticipated selling out any home games in 2009 season, so it is not beyond expectation for them to face this season’s fourth blackout on this Sunday.

There is really nothing attractive of the game. 3-4 Jaguars plays against 1-6 Kansas City Chiefs. The attendance will be even lower than the last home game on Oct. 18- only 42,088 attended the game against the St. Louis Rams.

Because of the economic climate, about 17,000 fans opted not to renew their season tickets this year- the main reason for low attendance and blackouts of Jaguars’ games. But there are teams who have not had to face blackout. KK, the Jaguars gave another explanation: the franchise has small market and they are trying to extend it.

Hope they will at least manage to avoid one blackout when Indianapolis Colts visit on Dec. 17. But I guess a lot of attending fans will be wearing Colts jerseys.