Chargers Unlikely To Be Impacted By New Blackout Rule

[Sweets]

There is a new blackout rule in the NFL, but it remains to be seen what sort of impact it is in 2012. It doesn't sound like it will have any impact in San Diego, a city that could struggle to sell tickets. Chargers owner Dean Spanos indicated via the Union-Tribune San Diego that the team wasn't likely to lower the threshold of a possible blackout. The league is now allowing teams to set the threshold for lifting blackouts at less than a sellout. In theory, a team can decide that selling anywhere from 85% to 100% is enough for a sellout, but they have to decide on their threshold before the season starts. "Even if you went to 15 percent lower, hypothetically an 85 percent manifest, that doesn't necessarily guarantee you a lift of the blackout for every game," Spanos said. “It's also important to understand that the manifest is set for the year for every game, whether it's a big game for us or a game with a less attractive opponent. "It's not a flexible policy. It's not a flexible manifest."

Source: NFL.com