Fort Myers Won’t Suffer Blackout Blues
July 28th, 2010
Joe’s research as to where “blacked out” Bucs home games would air in greater West Central Florida has hit a road block.
Joe has confirmed from FOX-TV in Cape Coral that the station will air blacked out Bucs games to the greater Fort Myers TV market. As for the Orlando or Gainesville television markets, the Bucs media relations team has not given Joe an answer as to whether fans will be able to view a blacked out game in those regions.
Joe knows many fans are eager to know how they can watch their beloved Bucs, especially fans who can’t afford to go to a game, let alone enjoy themselves there.
The Bucs are trying their darndest to sell tickets in a tough economy coming off a 3-13 season. But it’s a tough proposition, especially with the Rays poised for an exciting pennant race and very likely a playoff run.
The Bucs have slashed ticket prices for many seats down to as low as $35 for adults, but per Joe’s conversations with the team’s ticket office, those seats are on the east side of the stadium in the upper deck. In other words, those fans will battle the sun in their eyes in addition to heat on many game days.
Those discount seats are still available, and Team Glazer twice mentioning a likelihood of television blackouts publicly should be an indicator that it’s going to happen for the first time since the 1990s.
Joe will keep pressing to get answers on the blackout parameters for his readers. And Joe also will be rolling out some blackout relief next week.
July 28th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
The last time there were blackouts, Orlando was blacked out. So, unless the rules changed, you won’t see Bucs home games on TV in Orlando.
In fact, Jacksonville is farther away and Jaguars home games are blacked out in Orlando when there is no sellout.
July 28th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
That’s VERY interesting.
I’m wondering how the TV station is going to spin that, because their signal is DEFINITELY reaches within 75 miles of RJS…
Is the NFL giving them a waiver?
July 28th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
My only guess is that they’re being lenient and going more by a ‘what does your cable provider offer’ view, instead of raw distance.
Or more likely, a ‘how many fans from that area would reasonably travel to the game’ point of view.
I doubt the Bucs get many Fort Myers fans traveling to the stadiums, but I’d venture they do get a number of Orlando fans.
July 28th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Seeing that I live in Bradenton, it might just be within driving distance for me. Isn’t fort Myers south of here?
July 28th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Fort Meyers is about 85 miles south of Bradenton Pete.
July 28th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
When I lived In Bonita Springs (between ft. Myers & Naples) i travled to the bucs Games on several occasions, there are lots of Bucs fans In the Ft. Myers / Naples area…
Just saying….
Now i am in Arizona and there are a few Bucs fans here as well…
July 28th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
That’s fantastic news considering I live in the FM area.
July 28th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Just turn on the Radio and listen to the beat down. When the Glazers decide to put a competitive team on the field, along with a Professional Head Coach, we will purchase tickets again. Until then we have better things to do than watch our team get beat down week after week. Thanks again, team glazer, for destroying our team!
July 28th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Well that is genuine relief, I’ve never been able to make it to every home game. My brother and I were wondering if we were in range or not. Thank you Joe.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
I used to live in Fort Myers for 10 years before I moved to Texas!! I miss it.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
I have a question…
Why didn’t they install shade over those seats when they built the damn stadium??
Those seats are hotter than hell and maybe fans would ACTUALLY pay $35 to not have to suffer from the heat as we watch a 6-10 team…(allegedly).
July 28th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I predict 4-6 regular season blackouts, unless the glazer kids donate the tix to avoid the public humiliation. Wow, isnt this organization in great shape?
Thanks for destroying a once proudd org!
July 28th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
LeeRoy you are right.
Not only is it hot as hell in Sept and Oct, but even the night pre-season games in August are sweltering. Who goes to a night game and expects to actually break into a sticky, muggy sweat?
Although I have Zero Expectations for this season, this team’s performance, I could see myself paying 5-10 bucks a month to get to actually watch the games, on HDTV, in the comfort of my own home. Maybe make it a special HD experience that is orchestrated by the organization; give a live and up close perspective of the sidelines, coaches screaming, QB’s calling plays, the defensive intimidating the offense and HD close ups of the cheer leaders. Or make it 3D.
But going to the game to just watch the team lose would be boring.
If you want my money, you better make me not only change my handle to High Expectations, but also entertain the hell out of me.
-ZE
July 28th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Joe brings up a very good point about the East Side of the Stadium. It is hot and no one wants to sit in direct Sun-beam. I am on the West Side, thank goodness, but the East is still better than not at all. The sun is still pretty high in the sky from 1PM to 4PM and if you wear a hat it helps too. I have sat on that side before, long ago. The Glazers should spend the money to build a partial dome or Coliseum like side covers like Seattle. It would help block that sun and make the crowd louder. This would be a good thing and help sales on the East Side. They have got 16 years out of the stadium the way it is with no real money spend on changes. Jerry Jones just spent a Billion$$$, youd think the Glazers could pony up a Couple Hundred Million to upgrade the CITS, considering they got the thing built at no cost to them to begin with. I’m just saying, it’s about time, don’t you think, for some real fan appreciation??? And while they’re at it, build an indoor practice field for the team.
I believe the reason practices haven’t sold out is because it is Hot as Hell and they don’t serve Beer. Maybe it’s just me again. Who knows?
July 28th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
ZeroExpectations Says:
July 28th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
“But going to the game to just watch the team lose would be boring.”
ZE,
I have to ask this. Are you really a Buc fan? Nothing about any football game is boring. I can’t live without my NFL. No way I could live with blackouts. Have you ever watched baseball?
July 28th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Blackouts aren’t so bad if the team is horrible like they will be this year. Last year was an abortion, we have the same coaches, so I have Zero reason to believe that this year will be any better. Theh need to prove that they can win. Until then I’ll watch the more quality teams that are putting quality efforts with quality football play on Sundays. So yeah, the Bucs deserve to be blackedout until they can do something worth while, like stop the run once in a while, stop the long bomb, stop throwing interceptions. I mean you guys are talking championship football and playoffs? Ha ha ha, you better recalibrate your expectations and reckognize that the Bucs are gonna be piss poor this year under coach Raheem. That and start tuning into WDAE and good ole Gene Deckerhall will get you excited! He’s great by the way.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Man u peeps in here are hilarious…Alot of real bucs fans in here obviously..it’s to hot, it’s not a quality product so I’m not gonna watch..wawawa…and did someone try and compare the glazers and bucs to the cowboys and Jerry jones..yeah u watch alot of football…ray jay must be so horrible that the stadium and Tampa is constantly kn the running for the next superbowl..I’m a long time season tix holder and have been a fan since I could stand and I have no grand illusions of a great playoff run this yr or winning the division but how can u be a bucs fan and a football fan and not be excited to see Freeman continue to grow up and become hopefully become our first real franchise qb..or to see if rah continues good goings w the defenselike he did yr,or to watch Gerald McCoy and that bad azz motor and skill set he has or to see if mike will and benne are worth the hype and have the big play ability or to see if geno and Talib and t jack take that next step to becoming all pro players…all that is worth the price of admission and any re bucs fan would wanna see all that unfold..and who the hell knows maybe somethin great happens and these boys come together and win a few games..plenty of teams around the league do it every yr…on second thought why don’t u princesses stay at home and listen to gene(who is the best) and let us real football fans have some room…We all know when it turns around magically u will have the money time and effort to attend games then…for All the real buc fans cya at training camp on sat
July 29th, 2010 at 1:13 am
We just put our first born Son in hock at a Pawnshop, and bought seasons tickets.
July 29th, 2010 at 2:21 am
@Bucman22…AMEN BROTHER!!!!!
July 29th, 2010 at 3:08 am
Thank the good lord for Direct TV! Without it, watching buc games would be impossibe for me. I would cry myself to sleep every night if I didn’t have it.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:16 am
Bucman22
You & McBuc can stretch out where my 4 seats were. I won’t be back until the 3 scrooges put a competitive team on the field again. So good luck watching the beatdowns. And remember to drink plenty of Beer or water if you are on the East side. I’ll listen to mean Jean on the Radio while fishing out in the gulf, with the money I saved from the tickets.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:30 am
I have zero reason to believe this guy is or ever has been a Bucs fan. Besides the first two home games it doesn’t really matter where you sit. Tampa has the best NFL stadium in the league if you take away the new Dallas facility. The Stadium itself, the tailgating area’s, the party deck, the pirate ship, easy concessions & bathroom accessability, and for the most part a quality product; are all reasons we’ve been ranked in the top 5 venues the past 12 years. There is nothing boring about going to a Bucs game even when they lose. Even going to games in the late 80’s and early 90’s was a special event. Might have left dissappointed, but was always ready for next week.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Tampa two,
In your own words you’ve just gave the perfect description of a fair weater fan. Congratulations!!
I’ll be there to tailgate and support the players who bust their a$$ every day to make this Buccaneer team better. Raheem will decide his own fate and it won’t take 5 years. The players deserve support from true fans and I plan to be there. Don’t worry though; we’ll drink plenty of beer and think thank god those fair weather fans aren’t taking up my tailgating spot.