Sunday, December 15, 2002

One reason I was able to complete my Christmas shopping today is that the Bills game (against the Chargers) did not sell out 72 hours before kick-off, so the NFL's blackout rule kicked in....but I'm wondering, why? My understanding -- and it's borne out by a few minutes of searching online -- is that the rule applies to a 75-mile radius from the stadium in question. Syracuse is roughly 140 miles away from Orchard Park, NY, where Ralph Wilson Stadium is located. Why, then, should the game be blacked out in Syracuse? especially when the TV markets don't overlap, given the presence of Rochester, NY between the cities of Buffalo and Syracuse? Perhaps someone can explain this to me.

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