NFL grants Lions extension to sell 2,000 tickets

9/16/2010

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The NFL has given the Detroit Lions a 24-hour extension to sell out its home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and avoid a local television blackout.

The team announced Thursday it has to sell 2,000 tickets by 1 p.m. EDT to ensure the game will air on local television. The game will not be shown in the Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw-Flint and Toledo, Ohio, markets if all of those tickets are not sold by the deadline.

Detroit sold out four of its eight home games last year despite winning just twice. In 2008, the Lions became the first NFL team to have an 0-16 season.

The Lions also had some of their smallest crowds in two decades, announcing some that were just larger than 40,000.