NFL gives Browns, Bengals 48-hour extensions to avoid blackouts

The NFL granted the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals 48-hour extensions to sell tickets to their respective Sunday home games in an attempt to avoid local television blackouts.

The Browns, who will play the Oakland Raiders, haven't been blacked out since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999. A Browns spokesman said the league has given the team until 1 p.m. ET Saturday to sell the remaining tickets or the game will not be shown within a 75-mile radius of Cleveland.

The Bengals, who will play the Kansas City Chiefs, also have until 1 p.m. ET Saturday to sell their remaining tickets. If they do, it would be their 52nd consecutive sellout.

The league typically gives teams an extra 24 hours to sell tickets and avoid a blackout, but it extended that for the Browns and Bengals because of the Christmas holiday.

The Browns (3-11) haven't had a blackout since the final game of 1995, their last before former owner Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore. Previously, the Browns combined with local stations to buy remaining tickets and distributed them to charities and area businesses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.