The Minnesota Vikings avoided an embarrassing television blackout by selling out the Metrodome for tomorrow's playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, as of 11:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, there were a number of good tickets still available for the game.
This begs the question: How can the Metrodome be considered sold out if it's clearly not sold out?
Strangely, the NFL's definition of a 'sell out' doesn't jibe with what is widely considered to be a sell out.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Metrodome is considered 'sold out' when 62,000 tickets are purchased. The capacity for Vikings games at the stadium, however, is 64,111.
In addition, the league allots certain tickets to opposing teams and if those tickets aren't used they are returned to the home team for public sale.
Like everything about the home blackout rule and its various deadlines, the 62,000 number seems completely arbitrary. The blackout rule was instrumental in the development of the NFL as a spectator sport and television spectacle, but perhaps its time to abolish this outdated relic.