Continued: Ticket clock is ticking to avoid TV blackout

Print this story

E-mail this story

Save to del.icio.us

Share on Facebook

Share on Digg

More from Sports

As Vikings coaches spent Monday looking at ways to correct an 0-2 start, other members of the organization were working to make sure fans in the Twin Cities can watch Sunday's game on Fox affiliate KMSP (Ch. 9).

The team has approximately 3,700 tickets remaining for the game against Carolina and, per NFL rules, those must be sold by noon Thursday to avoid a television blackout. The Vikings, however, almost certainly would ask the league for a 24-hour extension to noon Friday if the tickets aren't sold in time.

The franchise increased its sellout streak to 107 games with Sunday's 18-15 home-opening loss to Indianapolis, but last season the Vikings needed corporate help on four occasions in order to sell out Metrodome games and avoid the team's first blackout since the 1997 season finale.

The team's sales staff was in touch with local corporations Monday and also was exploring sales of group tickets.

"We were eager to see how yesterday turned out and how that would impact the week," said Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing. "Now we know the hand we've been dealt. We've had similar circumstances and were able to pull it off. But it wasn't easy then, and it won't be easy this time around."

LaCroix planned to talk to officials from KMSP, which stands to make between $15,000 and $16,000 for each of the approximately 20 local advertising spots it will get during the telecast.

Last year, the Vikings relied on the local stations airing their games for help in avoiding potential blackouts.

The Vikings had about 6,000 tickets left for the Carolina game in the middle of last week, so there has been progress. LaCroix said part of the reason for the sales is because fans who want to buy a ticket to the Nov. 9 home game against Green Bay also have to buy one for Carolina.

"The question is: Can you continue to go on that kind of [sales] ratio coming off a tough day yesterday?" LaCroix said.

If the game is blacked out, no one in the Vikings' primary or secondary television markets -- those roughly 75 miles from the Twin Cities -- would be able to watch it. There were 10 local blackouts of NFL games in 2007 but none through two weeks of this season.

Recent Sports stories

Golden Bears win at volleyball - September 15, 2008

Golden Bears win at volleyball - Sadie Kessler's 14 kills helped Concordia (St. Paul) beat Metro State 25-23, 25-17, 25-15 in the NCAA Division II Central Region volleyball final Saturday night in St. Paul. More