▁a ired ▁such ▁games ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁when ▁the ▁A FC ▁contract ▁moved ▁to ▁CBS . ▁ ▁Fox ▁Sports ▁Detroit ▁formerly ▁produced ▁a ▁live ▁post game ▁and ▁Monday ▁press ▁conference ▁show ▁called ▁L ions ▁Live . ▁It ▁was ▁can ce led ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season . ▁ ▁Black outs ▁The ▁L ions ' ▁win less ▁performance ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁ 2 – 1 4 ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁led ▁to ▁several ▁local ▁broadcast ▁black outs , ▁as ▁local ▁fans ▁did ▁not ▁purchase ▁enough ▁tick ets ▁by ▁the ▁ 7 2 ▁hour ▁black out ▁dead line . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁five ▁of ▁the ▁L ions ' ▁final ▁six ▁home ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁did ▁not ▁sell ▁out , ▁with ▁the ▁Thanks g iving ▁game ▁being ▁the ▁exception . ▁The ▁first ▁black out ▁in ▁the ▁ 7 - year ▁history ▁of ▁Ford ▁Field ▁was ▁the ▁October ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁game ▁vs . ▁the ▁Washington ▁Red sk ins . ▁The ▁previous ▁ 5 0 ▁regular ▁season ▁home ▁games ▁had ▁been ▁sell outs . ▁ ▁Games ▁were ▁also ▁often ▁black ed ▁out ▁at ▁the ▁L ions ' ▁previous ▁home ▁the ▁( per haps ▁o vers ized ) ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁seat ▁Pont iac ▁Silver d ome , ▁despite ▁winning ▁seasons ▁and ▁the ▁success ▁and ▁popular ity ▁of ▁star ▁players ▁such ▁as ▁Barry ▁Sand ers . ▁ ▁Ann oun