UPDATE: Bengals granted 24-hour extension; about 3,500 tickets remain

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 3, 2009 10:17 AM EST in Analysis

The deadline is 1pm Thursday. The subject? Tickets, tickets, tickets. We posted a report from Geoff Hobson and Joe Reedy that the Bengals had over 6,000 tickets remaining for Sunday's expected thriller against the Detroit Lions. That was on a Monday.

Fast forward to Wednesday where Joe Reedy writes:

Bengals ticket manager Andrew Brown Wednesday afternoon said that over 5,000 tickets remain for Sunday’s game. They will discuss tomorrow morning whether to ask for a 24-hour extension from the league. The Bengals have sold out 50 straight regular-season and postseason games, and game has not been blacked out since November of 2003 against Houston.

The fact that they're even discussing an extension requests could only mean that they don't feel hopeful for a sellout. Geoff Hobson wrote the same thing Thursday morning.

The Bengals were still 5,000 tickets shy of a sellout Thursday morning and while a 24-hour extension is still a possibility, the club has never been this far away with the Thursday 1 p.m. deadline so close for televising the game locally. Andrew Brown, the Bengals ticket manager, said the next move could be announced as early as 11 a.m. A sellout for Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the Lions would put the game on Fox 19 in Cincinnati.

Unfortunately, if this happens, then there will likely be national attention that an 8-3 team, leading the AFC North by two games, challenging for the second seed in the division for the playoffs, can't sellout a game in early December.

UPDATE: Bengals have announced that a 24-hour extension was granted and that 3,500 tickets remain.

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Comments

i think

it also speaks to the quality of the competition. honestly, no one really expects it to be that competitive of a game, and those who do, don’t want to go because they’re afraid of a bengals loss.

by brandone on Dec 3, 2009 11:01 AM EST reply actions

it's the economy, stupid

(not you, just using the phrase)

I know people who would love to go, but that’s a lot of money in these times.

I guess a winning record brings out freaks.

by supergrover on Dec 3, 2009 11:11 AM EST reply actions

this might be the game i go down to see.

i can scalp an affordable nosebleed ticket minutes after kickoff.

by GrooveLeg on Dec 3, 2009 11:19 AM EST reply actions

How can I see it

Will anyone around here be able to see the game? Bars? Directv? Dayton? What are the options…

by BigBengal9 on Dec 3, 2009 11:29 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Drive to Columbus

I think they are out of the range of the blackout zone so those bars should have it. Or see the advice above and scalp a ticket around game time for cheaper.

I once defended the managerial styles of Jerry Narron after a Reds loss in a bar after a long night of drinking. I wish I could say that I don't remember doing that.

by chazerize on Dec 3, 2009 11:55 AM EST up reply actions

Don't Drive to Columbus

It’ll be blacked out there too – it’s in the market.

Option A: pay $75 for tix, $10 to park, $16-24 for two/three beers, and $3 for a dog, all to freeze my arse off and watch game from nosebleeds.
Option B: pay nothing to watch over internet, pick up a six pack at the store for less than 1 beer at game, get better picture (even over internet) than I could ever dream of from upper deck, plus audio and replays, and sneak in a quickie with the girlfriend at halftime.

Owners and players are making a fortune for doing something we’d all do for free – hell, I pay to play in a flag football league – all because people choose Option A above. Until fans wise up and stop paying comically absurd prices, players will continue to be paid in the millions, owners in the billions, and we’ll be spending a quarter of our salary to fund it. No thanks.

And sorry for the diatribe – I know no one else gives a damn what I think.

by driff on Dec 3, 2009 12:40 PM EST up reply actions

Watching football games on the internet is always a mistake. Last time I tried was against the Raiders and I missed the last 10 min of the game because the channel kept getting blocked….Then again maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing….

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Dec 3, 2009 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

the option i use is pay $68 for my ticket, pay nothing to park, don’t buy concessions at the game, and get a better angle from the upper deck than you get on tv/internet most of the time (because i actually get to see the field and not just some guy’s face).

i'm going to go america all over your ass!

by Raging Clue on Dec 4, 2009 9:21 AM EST up reply actions

Detroit rocks?!?

I think that the other team should be culpable for the remaining tickets. Think about it if you are statistically one of the worse teams in the league for that year and your opposition doesn’t sell out because the fans don’t feel they will be entertained by the game then the opposing team should have to pick up the remainder. I have season tickets and I have to admit I am having a hard time justifiying 3 plus hours+money+everything else to see the Lions play.

by heybengalobill on Dec 3, 2009 12:28 PM EST reply actions

detroit can't even sell out their games

and you want them to pay for other teams?

by brandone on Dec 3, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

Internet?

Can anyone tell me where I can watch this game online??? I go to school in Indy and can’t afford to go to a sports bar again on sunday (I spent around 50 bucks last week just to see the borefest but dominating effort over the brownies) but I really want to watch the game.

We're gonna open a can of WHO DEY on your arse

by beatle85 on Dec 3, 2009 1:00 PM EST reply actions

Try ADTHE.net or www.justin.tv

It’s not as great as it’s hyped up to be though. It can be choppy and the channels seemed to get shut down every 5-10 min, and then you have to reload the page. IMHO I’d recommend going to a bar.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Dec 3, 2009 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

Not really

I live in DC and watch every game over the internet. I think maybe twice this season I’ve had to reload a page because of an interrupted stream. But the picture quality isn’t always great. 300-400k is the norm, which is a little like watching the game on a home camcorder from the late 90s. Still, better than paying $50-100 to watch it. Occasionally you’ll see 700k which is borderline HD quality.

by driff on Dec 4, 2009 10:07 AM EST up reply actions

some local business will end up buying the remaining tickets which happens every week we have a chance of a sell out. they got an extension so they will def get someone to buy the remaining tickets.

by whodeyocho on Dec 3, 2009 3:04 PM EST reply actions