CINCINNATI -- With their record consecutive sellout streak in jeopardy, the Cincinnati Bengals now have until Friday afternoon to sell several thousand tickets for this Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.
On Thursday, the National Football League on Thursday extended by 24 hours the deadline by which a sellout must be reached to permit local television coverage of the game.
Games normally must be sold out 72 hours prior to kickoff for lifting of the local television blackout, but for the third time this season, that deadline has been shortened to 48 hours, giving the team until 1 p.m. Friday.
The Bengals were given an extension to sell out for the season opener against the Denver Broncos as well as the October 18 tilt against the Houston Texans.
Several organizations teamed up before the Texans game to ensure the blackout would be lifted. By doing so, Motorola gave away 1,200 free tickets to fans the day before the game.
“We still have approximately 3000 tickets to sell, so it’s by no means assured we can avert a blackout,” said Andrew Brown, Bengals ticket sales manager. “But we are pleased to have the chance for some great closing sales to keep our sellout streak alive.”
Cincinnati is currently 5-2 and in first place in the AFC North. Baltimore is 4-3 after handing the Broncos their first loss of the season last week.
The Bengals have sold out their last 48 consecutive regular-season and postseason games, breaking a franchise-record streak of 43 that was set at Riverfront Stadium between 1988 and 1992.
To purchase tickets for Baltimore, fans may call the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 866-621-TDTD (8383), which will be open every day this week from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Also, tickets are available online 24 hours per day at
ticketmaster. For more information, fans can visit www.bengals.com, the team’s official
Web site.
