The deadline for the Kansas City Chiefs to sell enough tickets to satisfy the NFL's definition of a sellout is coming at 12:00 PM (CST) today. A report today from Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star suggests the lifting of the blackout is unlikely.
As of 4:00 PM on Tuesday, the Chiefs had 3,500 tickets remaining according to a press release. It appears that number is what remained after KCTV5 bought a chunk.
If the Chiefs do NOT sell the necessary tickets, the NFL could grant a 24 hour extension. The NFL will generally only grant an extension if there is a high likelihood of selling the remaining tickets. If the Chiefs do sell out the game this weekend, it will mark the 156th consecutive sellout. A streak dating back to December 16th, 1990.
Similar if not more problems selling tickets are expected next week against the Browns.
After the jump, I've compiled all the stories on the blackout that we've had. If your boss catches you reading at work, just tell him you're searching for information on KC's leading businessman. Or Wolf.
Chiefs Blackout Alert: 3,500 Tickets Remaining for Bills
Tuesday, December 8th: The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that the club has 3,500 tickets remaining for Sunday's home contest against the Buffalo Bills. Per NFL rules, a certain percentage of non-premium seats need to be sold in order to televise the game locally.
Rembering the last blackout | Kansas City Star
Tuesday, December 8th: The last time a Chiefs home game was blacked out might surprise you. It did me. It was Dec. 16, 1990 against the Houston Oilers. That's the day Houston quarterback Warren Moon riddled the Chiefs for 527 passing yards, which still ranks as the second-best single-game passing day in NFL history.
What Happened the Last Time the Chiefs' Game was Blacked Out? - Arrowhead Pride
Wednesday, December 9th: The Chiefs have flirted with blackouts in recent years, especially at the end of the season as the losses rose and the temperatures dropped. I know for most of us that a blackout would be a signal that the fan base is truly downtrodden. It would be a story in the franchise's history that we as fans would point to to show others just how bad it was to be a Chiefs fan late in this decade. For a little perspective, let's take a look at the last time the Chiefs game was blacked out - December 16th, 1990.
Chiefs Owner Hunt Warned of Blackouts for Bills, Browns Games
Wednesday, December 9th: "The ones that have been a challenge for us in recent years have been the December games,’’ he said then. The Kansas City Star spoke with Mr. Hunt before the Chargers game on October 25th, a sellout. "Denver is traditionally one of our most popular games. Since (Buffalo and Cleveland) are not division rivals or nationally prominent teams, they would logically be the ones we struggle with."
Haley Knows Chiefs Will Have to Earn the Fans Back to Arrowhead
Wednesday, December 9th: Today, as the pressure builds of a possible blackout if not this Sunday then next, Haley said he can't be concerned with a blackout right now. The normal line, 'I'm just concerned about the Buffalo Bills" came out but he followed that up acknowledging that the Chiefs will have to start winning to bring the fans back. "I said at the beginning we were going to have to earn the fans back," Haley told reporters today.
KCTV-5: 'We've helped the Chiefs as much as we can'
"From my perspective, and KCTV, we certainly don’t want to lose a Chiefs game and the audience it brings," Totsch told the Star. "We’ve helped them as much as we can. As unfortunate as it is, there is only so much folks can do. The underlying problem is the economy. If the Chiefs had a better record, and the weather was better and the economy was better, you’d probably see the streak continue."