Sign of the Times: NFL Blackouts More Common

National Football League fans in Florida’s Tampa Bay area won’t see their hometown Buccaneers on local television as the season hits full stride this weekend. The Buccaneers, coming off a 3-13 season, weren’t able to sell all the tickets for their Sept. 12 home opener against the Cleveland Browns, the team said in a statement. Under the NFL’s blackout rules, if a home team doesn’t sell out tickets 72 hours before kickoff, the game can’t be aired in the local market. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said it didn’t appear that any other teams were in danger of having a local TV blackout during the league’s opening weekend. Read more here:

Sign of the Times: NFL Blackouts More Common