Football Sellouts: What Makes A Stadium Full?

In football, the term sellout can refer to a game for which all tickets are sold out. However, determining whether a football game is truly sold out can be challenging. While teams often announce sellout crowds, there may be empty seats visible to television viewers. This discrepancy can occur due to season ticket holders not attending or ticket brokers purchasing tickets that go unused. Additionally, the term sellout can also describe a person or group in football who claims to prioritize the collective interests of the team or fans but ultimately pursues individual accomplishments or financial gain. This contradiction between words and actions is considered a compromise of integrity or principles.

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Ticket sales vs. attendance

The concept of a "sellout" in the context of a football game is multifaceted and can be approached from different angles. One common understanding of a sellout is when all the tickets for a game are sold, resulting in a packed stadium with maximum attendance. This scenario aligns with the traditional definition of a sellout, which is primarily associated with ticket sales.

However, the relationship between ticket sales and actual attendance can be complex. In professional sports, determining whether a game is a genuine sellout can be challenging. For instance, the Dallas Cowboys claimed to have sold out 265 games in a row, including a Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins. While the Cowboys declared this game a sellout, the reported attendance was 92,076 people, falling short of the AT&T Stadium's capacity of 100,000.

This discrepancy between ticket sales and attendance highlights a nuanced understanding of what constitutes a sellout. Maury Brown, owner of the research and analytics company Bizball LLC, points out that teams sometimes announce a sellout even when there are visibly empty seats in the stadium. This can occur when season ticket holders don't turn up or when tickets are bought in bulk by brokers who then fail to resell them.

The definition of a sellout becomes even more blurred when considering the impact of television broadcasts. The NFL, for instance, previously had a blackout policy that prevented the local broadcast of a home game if 85% of the tickets were not sold out 72 hours before kickoff. This policy was intended to encourage sellouts and create sold-out stadiums. However, critics argue that blackouts can hurt the league by reducing television exposure for teams with low attendance, making it harder for them to build a following.

In conclusion, while the term "sellout" often refers to the number of tickets sold for a football game, the relationship between ticket sales and attendance is not always straightforward. External factors, such as ticket holder attendance and television broadcast policies, can influence the perception of a sellout. Ultimately, the definition of a sellout in a football game goes beyond mere ticket sales and encompasses a range of factors that contribute to the overall attendance and viewing experience.

Empty seats

When tickets for a football game are sold out, it indicates that all available tickets have been purchased. However, this does not guarantee that every seat in the stadium will be occupied. Season ticket holders may occasionally decide not to attend, resulting in empty seats. Additionally, ticket brokers like StubHub and SeatGeek may buy tickets in bulk and then be unable to resell them, contributing to the number of vacant seats.

In the context of professional football, a sellout crowd is often associated with a packed stadium where all tickets have been sold and every seat is occupied. However, the distinction between a sold-out game and a sellout crowd can become blurred when empty seats are visible. This discrepancy between sold tickets and actual attendance can raise questions about the validity of claiming a sellout.

The Dallas Cowboys provide an illustrative example. On Thanksgiving Day, the team announced a sellout crowd for their game against the Washington Redskins. While the official capacity of AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, is 100,000 people, only 92,076 attendees were counted at the game. Despite the discrepancy, the team still proclaimed it a sellout.

To encourage sellouts and filled stadiums, the NFL has implemented television blackout policies. These policies prevent the local broadcast of home games if ticket sales do not reach a certain threshold, such as the 85% rule previously in place from 1973 to 2014. While these policies aim to incentivize sellouts, critics argue that they may not be the most effective approach, as other factors like high ticket prices and team performance also influence attendance rates.

Athlete/coach integrity

Maintaining integrity is crucial for athletes and coaches to uphold the values of the sport and maintain the trust of their fans and the public. It involves honesty, consistency, and prioritising the collective goals and values of the team. When athletes or coaches compromise their integrity, it can lead to disappointment and distrust among fans and damage their reputation.

In the context of a football game, integrity can be demonstrated in several ways. Firstly, athletes and coaches should uphold the rules and spirit of the game, refraining from cheating or unsportsmanlike conduct. This includes adhering to the rules regarding player conduct, performance-enhancing substances, and fair play. Secondly, integrity involves honouring commitments and pledges made to the team and its fans. For example, if a player pledges to remain with a team until a certain goal is achieved, integrity dictates that they should fulfil that promise, barring exceptional circumstances.

Integrity also extends beyond the football field. Athletes and coaches are often role models, and their actions can have a significant impact on their fans, especially younger audiences. Demonstrating integrity in personal conduct, such as refraining from illegal or unethical behaviour, is essential to uphold the values they claim to embody as representatives of their teams and the sport as a whole.

While the definition of a "sellout" can vary depending on perspective, maintaining integrity as an athlete or coach involves consistently acting in the best interests of the team and its fans, even when faced with opportunities for personal gain that may contradict these interests. This includes honouring commitments, demonstrating honesty and transparency, and upholding the values and spirit of the sport.

In summary, athlete and coach integrity is a critical aspect of professional sports, including football. It involves prioritising the collective interests of the team, honouring commitments, and upholding the values and rules of the sport. By maintaining integrity, athletes and coaches can ensure that their actions align with the principles they espouse, fostering trust and respect from their fans and the broader sports community.

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Ticket brokers

The role of ticket brokers in the context of sellout football games is important to consider. A sellout game is typically defined as one where all the tickets are sold out. However, as mentioned earlier, ticket brokers can influence this dynamic by buying unsold tickets from the primary market. For example, if a football team announces a sellout game, it typically implies that all the tickets have been sold. However, there may still be empty seats in the stadium, as not all ticket holders attend the game.

Additionally, ticket brokers may have purchased tickets that they were unable to resell, contributing to the empty seats. This scenario blurs the definition of a sellout game, as technically all tickets were sold, but the stadium may not have been at full capacity. This situation can create a perception issue for teams, as fans watching on television may question the accuracy of the sellout claim. Empty seats visible during a game that was supposed to be sold out can lead to criticism and a loss of trust in the team's management.

To conclude, ticket brokers play a significant role in the ticket sales ecosystem for football games, particularly in the context of sellouts. Their involvement in the secondary market can impact the availability of tickets for fans and influence the perception of whether a game has genuinely sold out. While ticket brokers provide a service by offering tickets to fans who may have missed out on the primary sale, their practices can also contribute to the complexity of determining a true sellout.

Blackout policies

The NFL has implemented policies to encourage sellouts, such as not allowing other NFL games to air opposite the local franchise's broadcast on the primary market's affiliate, except for Week 17 (and Week 18 from 2021). This restriction was relaxed in 2019 and 2020, allowing stations to air a game opposite the local home team up to four times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NFL's blackout policies have been criticised as ineffective in creating sold-out, filled stadiums, with factors like high ticket prices and low enthusiasm for losing teams being cited as more influential in preventing sellouts. Additionally, critics argue that blackouts hurt the league by reducing television exposure for teams with low attendance, making it harder for them to increase their popularity.

While the NFL has traditionally adhered to strict blackout rules, they have recently introduced some exceptions. For example, the league's "RedZone" channel is not subject to any blackouts, and complete live games are made available for free online on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday following a blacked-out game.

Determining whether a professional football game is a sellout can be challenging. Teams may announce a sellout crowd, but viewers at home may notice empty seats, raising questions about the accuracy of attendance numbers. Factors such as season ticket holders not showing up or ticket brokers buying tickets and being unable to sell them can contribute to this discrepancy.

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