Game(s) attendence: will we see local tv blackouts in the future?

[ttowncoug]

I'm curious how fans would feel about this? Or put local broadcast, not sold out, on a PPV package only.

I fear we have an HD TV, video game, generation coming up that see more value of watching a game in HD, than in person.

 

[wazzupdx]

College Football would die if they blacked out games. That's not the way to get people to show up in person, NFL blackouts haven't made people show up, which is why they are getting rid of them.

Good on-field products get crowds, as well as good gameday experiences and improving the game weekend (Events in Pullman, better hotels, etc.) If the casual fan decides in September that they want to go to a game the next month, how are they supposed to get a hotel in Pullman/Moscow? And for a reasonable price? Hotels are booked a year in advance and the dump hotels in Pullman, if they have an opening will charge $200+ a night for a flea ridden bed.

 

[dgibbons]

Originally posted by ttowncoug:
I'm curious how fans would feel about this? Or put local broadcast, not sold out, on a PPV package only.

I fear we have an HD TV, video game, generation coming up that see more value of watching a game in HD, than in person.

I don't think blackouts would work with the TV contract. How many sellouts did USC and UCLA have? There is no way ESPN would pay big money and risk a blackout of the LA TV market.

 

[ttowncoug]

The LA sittuation is a good point, Dgibb. Maybe it should be framed as "discretionary" by the hosting school. If WSU blacked out games in Pullman (just Pullman), the networks wouldn't see a blip to their ratings.

 

[CrimsonWazzu]

Are blackouts even part of the existing TV deals? Can't imagine the networks would regress back to this archaic practice, when TV revenues are in far greater excess than any marginal increase in revenue generated from blackout-induced ticket sales.