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To some fans, a blackout is more of a gray area
Whether it’s a pirated feed from a black market Internet site or a device that lets them watch TV on their computer, NFL fans across the country are getting around the TV blackout.
The rate of NFL blackouts, triggered when a game does not sell out within 72 hours of kickoff, is rising. Those games cannot be aired anywhere within a 75-mile radius of the game.
Slow ticket sales have caused teams in Tampa, Jacksonville, Oakland and San Diego to endure blackouts, which experts suggest are caused by high ticket prices and a dismal economy.
But resourceful fans are challenging the NFL’s rules with alternatives — both legal and illegal.
Of course, fans can go to Raymond James Stadium and buy a ticket, or drive outside the 75-mile radius to bars or parties in Port Charlotte or Fort Myers.
Others, though, are turning to the Web, where half a dozen Web sites offer free live TV programs and sporting events.
The sites allow viewers to catch out-of-market signals on their computer, though the reception is often fuzzy, the telecasts are slow to load and sometimes the site disappears altogether when overwhelmed with users.
Plus, experts say the sites are technically illegal and violate copyright laws. But just watching alone at home is unlikely to draw the wrath of the NFL, which is notoriously harsh on those who violate blackouts for profit.
The sites worked well enough that several Tampa Bay bars linked to them during the last Bucs home game, hooking up an Internet feed to big-screen TVs.
The NFL sends spies to blacked-out regions to check for violators, mostly at bars or clubs. Three weeks ago, after the Bucs home game against Pittsburgh, the NFL mailed a harsh letter to several bar owners threatening repercussions.
At least eight establishments were warned, including two in Bradenton, threatening fines up to $150,000.
One bar owner said he has no idea why he received the letter.
The Distillery in Bradenton received a letter even though the owner says it did not air the game. Bar owner Paul Kotlarczyk says the NFL would not tell him how his name got on the list.
“I guess you could say the blackouts gave us a black eye,” Kotlarczyk joked this week. “We didn’t air it and we don’t intend to. But when you spend $3,600 on a Direct TV package that has all the games and you can’t show the one people are most interested in, it’s tough for a small business.”
Still, there may be a way to do it legally — and in the comfort of your own home. Some fans are turning to Slingbox, a device that allows you to watch your TV on a computer or mobile device.
The Slingbox was developed by two brothers who traveled for business but wanted to stay up with their favorite team, the San Francisco Giants. They came up with a small box that hooks up to a home TV and sends the signal digitally, letting a user channel surf on a lap top, Blackberry or iPhone.
The $179 Slingbox is not a quick fix for fans in blacked out markets, though. Because it broadcasts whatever TV channels you would normally get, it would not pick up the Bucs’ game — but if you sent it to someone in, say, Miami, the feed will work when you turn on your computer and you can then watch programs from their TV signal.
“It’s extremely popular with sports fans,” says Anne Hohenberger.
If word gets out and the blackouts continue, it may become pretty popular in Tampa Bay.
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