Jags home game blacked out; Browns, Bengals get extension

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Make it six blackouts for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars (6-5) failed to sell out Sunday's home game against Houston (5-6). The game will not be televised in Jacksonville or in secondary markets that include Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Orlando and Savannah, Ga.

The Jaguars have distributed a little more than 46,000 tickets per home game this season, and the average turnstile count has been even lower.

Owner Wayne Weaver doesn't anticipate selling out any home games in 2009, although team officials hope to avoid a blackout when Indianapolis visits Dec. 17.

Weaver said earlier this season that winning would help the small-market franchise, but there has been only a marginal increase in ticket sales even though the Jaguars have won four in a row at home.

The Bengals got a 24-hour extension to sell out their game against Detroit on Sunday and avoid a local television blackout.

It's the fourth time this season that the Bengals have gotten a one-day extension for a sellout. They managed to sell out games against Denver, Houston and Baltimore, extending their streak to 50 straight games shown on local television.

The Bengals (8-3) would clinch only their second winning record in the last 19 years with a victory over the Lions (2-9).

The NFL also has given the Cleveland Browns a 24-hour extension to sell the remaining tickets for Sunday's game against San Diego and avoid a TV blackout.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Browns said there were "a few thousand tickets" left. For a game to be aired on local TV, the league requires a game to be sold out 72 hours before kickoff.

The Browns have until 4 p.m. Friday to sell the tickets. The team has not had a game blacked out since its expansion return in 1999.

After Sunday's game, the Browns have three more home dates. A Dec. 10 game against Pittsburgh is already a sellout, but there are tickets available for games against Oakland and Jacksonville.