By AP
ALLEN PARK, MI – The Detroit Lions say the NFL gave them an extension to sell out their home opener against the Minnesota Vikings to avoid a blackout.
The Lions said Thursday they have 1,700 tickets to sell by 1 p.m. Friday for the game to be on TV in the Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw-Flint and Toledo, Ohio, markets.
Detroit had 50 straight sell-outs at Ford Field until Oct. 26, 2008, when it played Washington. The Lions failed to sell out other games later in the season en route to setting an NFL mark with the first 0-16 season.
The Lions lost the opener at New Orleans, extending their losing streak to 18 games dating to the 2007 season. The game against Minnesota will mark quarterback Matthew Stafford's home debut in a regular season game.