Even with a team sporting a 3-2 record, including a two-game winning streak that broke two long-standing losing streaks, it wasn't enough. The Cincinnati Bengals have already announced that Sunday's week six game between the Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts is officially blacked out. That means that such a significant number of tickets remain available that the team went ahead and announced that the game wouldn't sellout before Thursday's 1 p.m. deadline; technically the lockout can be lifted if it sells out before that deadline.
The blackout means that any markets within 75 miles of Paul Brown Stadium, including the Cincinnati region, Dayton and Lexington, Kentucky, will have to settle for grainy and delayed streams on the internet, infomercials, work around the house or, you know, actual attendance at the game -- which we figure is the team's master plan. Announce the lockout now to draw crowds to the gates earlier.
However Paul Brown Stadium has seen capacity fall (at least) 22,000 seats short in each of their home games this year, including a record low 41,142 during week four's win over the Buffalo Bills.
It's the third blackout this year and the seventh straight at Paul Brown stadium, which is the "longest current streak in the league."