TV blackout avoided as Jaguars tickets sell out

The Jaguars avoided a television blackout in the Jacksonville market by selling out shortly in advance of yesterday's deadline.

One theory being floated in the Jacksonville media is that ticket sales were boosted by the Eagles' decision to start Michael Vick, but a senior team official said that was not the case.

Macky Weaver, the Jaguars' senior vice president of sales and marketing, said the team was only 1,200 shy of a sellout Wednesday.

"It's been the same progression for the Denver game [last week], following in the same consistent numbers each day that we've seen," he said. "It's not like there is an abundance of tickets. In the best case, it would have moved 600 or 700."

Opinion has remained split on Vick among animal-rights groups, as it has since the Eagles signed him last year - with all opposing his actions, but some willing to give him a second chance.

"There probably will be one or two people with some kind of stupid sign," Weaver said. "At end of the day, I don't anticapte any protest. I think most people know he's paid his debt to society and everybody realizes it's time to move on."