Would Bengals Fans Do This: Charger Fans Try To Help Team Sell Tickets

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 22, 2010 2:00 AM EDT in Analysis

Dating back to 2009, ironically when the Bengals went to the playoffs, the team has struggled selling tickets to sellout. Now, the truth is, the Bengals haven't had a blackout since 2003 against Houston, riding the wave of a 55-game sellout streak. The league has granted many extensions for the team to sellout, and each time those extensions were granted, someone, typically local companies or WKRC, stepped up to purchase the remaining tickets.

The reasons vary. The economy hurts the wallet. People just prefer to watch from home, with their big screen high definition television. Some actually use Sunday afternoons as family time, or perhaps there's work to do around the house. Some actually have jobs on Sundays. Some fans are just bitter and won't go. Others believe a boycott will cause Mike Brown to suddenly change everything. There's always a reason.

The San Diego Chargers, among several teams in the NFL, are going through the same thing. Even though Sunday's game against the Patriots has sold out, the Chargers have already had two games blacked out this year.

Where Cincinnati has Who Dey Revolution, the Chargers have a group of fans with the aim to prevent future blackouts with a site called StopChargersBlackouts.org. Meet Kyle McCarthy.

He, along with 10 other friends, got serious and started a "Stop Chargers Blackout" website. It asks people and businesses to donate any amount of money, with that money going toward buying leftover Chargers tickets. Those tickets will then be donated to local nonprofit groups, like the Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The site justifies that fans win because they can see the game on television, businesses (such as bars and restaurants) welcome additional consumers and local charities get the tickets. Quite honestly, it's a brilliant initiative that all fans from every NFL team should do since we already know that the NFL and the NFL teams won't help you out at all.

The remaining Bengals home games have Cincinnati hosting the Miami Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buffalo Bills, the New Orleans Saints, the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers. Of those games, only the Bills would be the most likely to break the team's sellout streak.

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I understand your desire for more compassion...

But you know as much as anyone that Cincinnatians’ have always held a kinda defeatist attitude about things. We’ve been doing a pretty good job so far haven’t we with our streak still intact? Right now, because the season is still very undecided, there’s no reason not to sell out every home game. If we start tanking though, multiple blackouts might be the only thing to really get Mike Brown’s attention enough to get him to start making some serious changes!

“I’ll be fine, the robberies what’s important right now!”
~The Guy on the Couch

by Kwamo on Oct 22, 2010 8:13 AM EDT reply actions

What will differ as compared to all the blackouts in the 90s that didn't change anything?

If you like live football, go to games. If you don’t want the Bengals to get blacked out b/c you at least want to watch them on TV, support something like this. If you don’t care either way, don’t support something like this.

If you love the Bengals and wish to go to live games or see them on TV but are naive enough to think some blackouts will change Mike Brown’s philosophy in the backdrop of a history that is highly suggestive that it won’t, that sucks for you.

How will Chris Carpenter explain this to his children?

by Grizzlyfox on Oct 22, 2010 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I highly doubt a half-empty stadium would make a dent in Mike’s judgement. He still has the money he is going to leverage from the county commissioners and probably a huge pile he has stocked up over the years. There are owners and organizations that whether for their own ego (Snyder, Jones) or a desire to bring a winning product for their fans, care what the fans want. They see it as their responsibility to try to put a winning product on the field. The Chargers, besides being in a much larger market, are perennial contenders. Those of us in our 20’s and early 30’s grew up with faint memories of a winner and many more memories of horrible times. Ok I don’t know where I’m going with this. I live outside the blackout area (Columbus) but if I were in the area I would support such a group. If nothing else we are still spending decent money on the roster compared to some other teams. I can’t help but have the feeling though that I’ll never see the Bengals in another Super Bowl so long as Brown and his daughter to follow own this team. Yes the NFL is a business first and foremost, but all of them make money. At some point something will have to give. I just hope it isn’t too late by the time that happens.

by Jcon77 on Oct 22, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

The Chargers have been a pretty consistent product for their fans lately.

If Cincinnati had a team that had as many division titles and deep playoff runs as much as San Diego has I don’t even think we’d be having this discussion.

by JamesShively on Oct 22, 2010 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

Why do we want to insure Mike Brown with more money?

Shouldn’t it be on the owner to ensure tickets are being sold? If nothing else, maybe Mike Brown will lower ticket sales. Let capitalism run it’s course.

Moisture is the essense of wetness, and wetness is the essense of beauty.

by Blue Steel on Oct 22, 2010 3:55 PM EDT reply actions