Local TV audiences in Indianapolis and Cincinnati might not be able to see their NFL teams in the first round of the playoffs if the Colts and Bengals fail to sell enough tickets.
The two teams are facing television blackouts unless they sell out their games this weekend. The Colts still have around 7,000 tickets unsold, according to Yahoo! Sports. The Bengals might have to do even more work to unload close to 10,000 tickets, according to Cincinnati.com.
All NFL teams have to meet league-mandated blackout rules, even in the postseason. If the two games are not sold out 72 hours before kickoff, they won’t be shown on TV in a 75-mile radius around Indianapolis and Cincinnati. The deadline for the Colts to sell their tickets was extended because of Wednesday’s holiday, but the team’s time is up come Thursday at 4 p.m.
Tickets to the Colts’Â AFC wild-card matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs are priced from $56 to $155. The Bengals are asking for $86 to $96 for seats to their AFC wild-card game against the San Diego Chargers.
Because ticket prices are set by the league, which gets all revenue, the teams aren’t allowed to offer any deals or promotions.
