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JockStocks: Should the NFL lift its blackout rule?

Living in Cincinnati, I have become well acquainted with the National Football League's (NFL) "blackout rule." This rule states that if a game is not sold out by the Thursday before a home game (actually, 72 hours before a game for Monday and Saturday games), the game will not be shown on local television. I don't think the policy is necessarily fair, but I understand the thinking behind the rule --- why show a game on local television if the home team can not sell out the stadium? However, I think there are some extenuating circumstances this year that Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to consider.

First things first. At a meeting on Thursday with NFL writers, Goodell said as much as 20% of the NFL's games could be blacked out this season. Goodell noted that as few as 80% of this season's games will be carried in the home team's market --- a far cry from the 95% of the games that have been carried in the local markets in the past four years. In fact, last year just nine of the 256 regular season NFL games were blacked out for the home team.

Continue reading JockStocks: Should the NFL lift its blackout rule?

General Motors shows some decorum, but still gives away a Caddy

Again, I swore that I wouldn't write about the Super Bowl, mainly due to my hatred of all things that have to do with the Steelers, but I found a rather interesting article about the MVP award on the New York Daily News' site. It is tradition that the Super Bowl MVP (given to Santonio Holmes - from The Ohio State University - this year) gets to pick a car as a reward. In the past, General Motors (NYSE: GM) has given the car to the MVP on the field (I seem to remember Eli Manning getting a nice car last year) and has made a big to do about the presentation - but not this year.

Trust me, Holmes did get his car - a Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum (nice to see he cares about the environment) with a price tag of $85,200. Of course, this Cadillac comes from GM, which has received more than $9 billion from the Treasury. What I found interesting is that it was Cadillac's request for no mention. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Daily News of Cadillac's request.

Continue reading General Motors shows some decorum, but still gives away a Caddy

Michael Vick's plea is good business for the NFL

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell along with ad sales executives who sell TV commercial time on football games must be rejoicing that disgraced Atlanta Falcolns quarterback Michael Vick is pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges.

A protracted legal battle would have done almost as much damage to the league's reputation as Vick's. Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) dropped Vick as soon as the detals of the charges emerged. The NFL, which told him to stay away from training camp, no doubt will suspend him for at least the rest of the season.

There's no excusing or explaining Vick's actions. It just goes to show you that just because you're rich -- he got a $62 million contract in 2001 -- doesn't mean you're smart.. Maybe he should ring up O.J. Simpson to get coping tips on how to be a societal pariah.

Vick apologized through his lawyer to "everyone who has been hurt by this matter." This sounds like a person who is "sorry" they got caught.

Good thing that Godell insituted a strict behavior policy in reaction to the off the field shenanigans of players such as Adam "Pacman" Jones. This isn't just the right thing to do, it's smart business.

If people think that NFL players are all moral degenerates, advertisers won't pay through the nose to buy 30-second Super Bowl spots. Moreover, parents won't shell out big bucks for jersies and other official team merchandise representing a player whose values they abhor.

Vick will soon realize why players joke that NFL stands for Not For Long.

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Last updated: November 26, 2009: 08:14 PM

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