Official 2009-10 NFL thread

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Looking forward to it. Didn't the titans beat the steelers last year? Was looking forward to a rematch in the playoffs, but then chris johnson got injured in the ravens game and they ended up losing.

Bengals home opener will probably be blacked out :(

Hopefully I can watch the vikings destroy the browns instead, maybe put something over the bottom of the screen so the scores don't get spoiled.

[drone]

Bengals home opener will probably be blacked out :(

There's going to be a lot of that going around. The NFL is going to have to change that rule this year or the next, the TV contracts are too expensive for the networks to lose that ad revenue.

[GeneralHankerchief]

There's going to be a lot of that going around. The NFL is going to have to change that rule this year or the next, the TV contracts are too expensive for the networks to lose that ad revenue.

A crappy substitute, but at least it's something.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

A crappy substitute, but at least it's something.

They showed the blacked out preseason games on tape delay at 11:30 here. Assume they'll do the same with the regular season games.

-edit-

Apparently not...I guess I'll have to go with the nfl.com thing. At least the vikings are my 2nd favorite team...

[drone]

A crappy substitute, but at least it's something.

That's all well and good with the fans (actually, no it's not, but it's something), but it does not help the networks any. CBS paid $3.7 billion to broadcast AFC games through 2011. If they lose significant airtime in markets like Oakland, Cincy, and Jax, they lose ad money and the contract value will be less when they renegotiate (probably some time next year). The TV contract is huge for the NFL, especially since the fan experience at games is pretty craptacular these days. Overpriced tickets/parking/concessions, PSLs, and other general shafting ruins the gameday experience, it's better to watch on TV now anyways. We may be at a tipping point where the fans can actually fight back, costing owners both at the gate and at the negotiating table.

Combine the increasing blackouts, the upcoming TV contract talks, and the potential lockout/strike in 2011, we have some interesting times coming.

[Hosakawa Tito]

I used to go to a couple of Bills games a year, but not lately. The concessions are outrageously expensive. The pre-poured beer sold in cups is poured hours before game time and stored on cooler racks. No beer sales after half-time.

The tail-gate party before the game was the best part about the day. No matter how bad the team was or how crappy the weather, the barbeque & beers with friends and family made it fun.

Now, the cost of the tickets & the shakedown by concessions, security, crazy traffic....I'd rather not bother. I usually don't even watch the games on tv any more and we do usually something else on Sunday. Especially since the Bills appear to have thrown in the towel for 2009 before the first game.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Wow, a lot of consensus for this week's picks.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Hmm. My only against the grain pick is Miami over Atlanta.

The concessions are outrageously expensive.

So true. Maybe this'll be the year they realize they can't keep shafting fans forever.

CR