The good news for southern California football fans is that the Chargers-Raiders game will not be blacked out.
The bad news is they won’t be able to watch Brett Favre play against the Packers at Lambeau Field unless they have DirecTV. Chargers-Raiders will take the late game slot, and there won’t be a game going opposite the home team.
The blackout rule gets criticism annually, but this policy can also hurt the fan that loves the whole league rather than just the home team. The San Diego Union-Tribune talked to the league about it this week.
“It protects the home-team gate,” NFL spokesman Dan Masonson said this week. “We don’t put a game on against any home team at any time. . . . We want those people to go to the game.”
With only the Lions game blacked out this week, Brian McCarthy from the NFL tweeted Friday that 93% of games have been shown locally this season.