Several years back, when Consumerist was flush with all that bubble money from our house-flipping and day-trading side gigs, we posted one person’s suggestion on how you can manipulate your surround sound system so that you wouldn’t have to listen to Joe Buck shill for American Idol, Phil Simms condescend to everyone who isn’t him, or Mike Mayock say…anything. Now some football fans are begging the NFL to give fans the option of just hearing the game without the constant blah blah from the announcers. [More]
football
Jacksonville Jaguars Offer Free Beer To Anyone Willing To Buy Tickets
By 9.26.13
Amazingly, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ gorgeous two-tone helmets have done little to help the team’s game or to put butts in the seats at EverBank Field. So how do you entice fans to ante up anywhere from $45 to $425 per ticket to see an 0-3 team face off against the 2-1 Indianapolis Colts? Free beer. [More]
Which NFL Team Charges Fans The Highest Prices On Game Day?
By 9.9.13
As the ever-present legions of tailgaters can attest, it’s pretty common practice to get your grilling and drinking on when game day arrives in the parking lot, where it’s much cheaper than inside the football stadium’s doors. So who’s got the highest prices in all the football land? [More]
Football Fans Apparently Drowning Weekend Losses In Monday Pizzas
By 8.29.13
On Friday you’re sporting your Aaron Rodgers jersey and crowing about the many splendored glories of the Green Bay Packers. But on Monday, you’re warning coworkers not to even mention yesterday’s loss and drowning your sorrows in fast food and discreet bouts of weeping in the bathroom. Save the salads and quiet pride for the winners, it’s time to pile on the melted cheese until it covers your heart’s wounds and makes them whole again. [More]
NCAA: EA Won’t Be Making Our Football Titles Anymore (But It May Continue To Make College Games)
By 7.17.13
While we know in our heart that winning a second consecutive Worst Company In America title was the most heartbreaking moment for video game publisher Electronic Arts, this news has to come a pretty close second. The NCAA, which had an exclusive arrangement with EA to produce the wildly popular NCAA-branded college football game, has decided it won’t be signing a new contract with EA. However, it doesn’t look like it’s the end for EA’s association with college football. [More]
Guy Who Paid $289 For An Aaron Hernandez Jersey Doesn’t Want His Wife To Know
By 7.1.13
Now that New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has been accused of murder, there are likely plenty of fans willing to unload their jerseys with his name on them. But who would be into owning a piece of memorabilia with such a connection? A whole lot of people, it seems. At least one has sold for $289 on eBay, and that seems to be somewhat of a bargain price. [More]
NFL Banning Bags, Purses, Fanny Packs, Seat Cushions From Stadiums
By 6.14.13
For the last couple years, the NFL has been trying to get people into stadiums, especially in markets where seats are available but it’s easier and cheaper to sit at home and watch the game on a huge HDTV with surround sound (and no one spilling beer or throwing batteries at you). But the league’s latest move seems intent on keeping people away from stadiums and in the non-invasive comfort of their homes. [More]
New 49ers Stadium To Carry The Levi’s Name
By 5.8.13
After several pleasant seasons of not having to remember which company had paid to slap their name on Candlestick Park, fans of the San Francisco 49ers will have to get used to the Levi’s name, as the clothing company has ponied up the cash for the naming rights to the Niners’ under-construction stadium. [More]
Fox Mistakenly Thinks NFL Fans Don’t Like Watching Blowouts, Mocks Them For Getting Angry
By 11.25.12
This afternoon, football fans all around the country are supposed to be finishing their holiday by watching their favorite teams beat the living crud out of each other. But for some reason, the programmers at Fox think that football viewers have no rooting interests and just want to watch a competitive game. Fox is mistaken. [More]
Bright House Customer Now Has His Football In Glorious HD
By 11.9.12
A few months ago, we shared with you the story of Tim, a Bright House cable customer who signed up for the company’s most basic package because the company’s website created the appearance that high-definition channels were part of it. After we published Craig’s story, the person at Bright House whose job it is to fund unhappy customers venting on the Internet and make them happy again contacted us, wanting to help Tim. This person agreed that the online listings were confusing, and upgraded Tim’s cable at no cost. [More]
NFL Eases Up On Local TV Blackout Rule
By 7.2.12
Average attendance at NFL games has dropped each of the past five years and is down 4.5% overall since 2007. Realizing that maybe it’s not the best idea to punish football fans by blacking out local TV broadcasts of home games that aren’t sold out, the NFL has decided to ease up on the rules governing when a game would be blacked out. [More]
Lawmakers Call For End To NFL Blackouts; Jacksonville Jaguars Fan Rejoices
By 2.14.12
For fans of football teams with poor stadium attendance, Sunday afternoons can be a dreary experience of having to watch Cheers re-runs while occasionally checking the score of the game you’d be watching if it weren’t blacked out. But if a quintet of senators get their way, these black outs would come to an end. [More]
Maybe Super Bowl Ads Are Too Cheap
By 2.3.12
The price of a 30-second ad slot during the Super Bowl goes up every year. In 2012, ad time is going for $3,500,000 per spot, or $116,666.67 per second. But maybe everyone involved is looking at this wrong. Maybe the eyeballs of the nation and the free publicity that comes along with buying a slot during the game are worth more than that, and networks should truly let the market decide. [More]
Jacksonville Jaguars Owner: If You Don't Have Season Tickets, You're Not A Fan
By 1.13.12
The Jacksonville Jaguars have traditionally had difficulty selling out home games, and the franchise is apparently so frustrated that it has resorted to insulting those who don’t buy tickets. While introducing the team’s new head coach, new owner Shahid Kahn said he’s only interested in hearing criticism from ticket buyers. [More]
NFL Liberates Nighttime Thanksgiving Game From NFL Paywall
By 12.15.11
For years, football tradition held that there were two NFL games each Thanksgiving. The league added a third game, played at night, and placed it on the NFL Network, which many cable subscribers need to pay an extra monthly fee to watch. Starting next year, all three Thanksgiving games will be on network TV, with the late game moving to NBC. [More]
Hacker Admits To Splicing Porn Into Comcast's Super Bowl Broadcast
By 10.21.11
Back in February 2009, Comcast’s standard-def broadcast of the Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl in the Tucson area shifted to porn for 37 seconds. The incident was a black eye for Comcast and caused the company to apologize by offering $10 rebates to offended customers. Now a man has admitted to hacking Comcast’s signal to cause the craziness. [More]
ESPN No Longer "Ready For Some Football"
By 10.7.11
In the aftermath of a politically-tinged controversy, the days in which Hank Williams Jr. introduces Monday Night Football games with “Are you ready for some football?” theme songs have come to an end. Depending on who you believe, Williams either quit or was fired. Maybe both happened. But in any case, fans who are sick of the tired jingle came out ahead. [More]
NFL: All 16.6 Million Ticket-Holders Should Receive Additional Frisking Before Entering Stadium
By 9.15.11
In the NFL, an illegal touching penalty will set your team back five yards. But the league has absolutely no problem with telling all 32 of its franchises that every fan should be frisked from the ankles-to-knees and then again from the waist up. [More]
