KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When Chiefs fans flip on the television at noon on Sunday, they won't find the Kansas City Chiefs on television for the first time in nearly 20 years.

"Even though they're not doing well, I still want to see the game," Chiefs fan Stephen Wright said.

On Sunday afternoons, dozens of Chiefs fans like Wright huddle up at Tomfooleries in Zona Rosa to watch the Chiefs play, but not this Sunday. Unable to sell 5,500 tickets by today, the NFL penalized Chiefs fans by blacking out the game within a 75-mile radius of Kansas City.

"It all comes down to wins," Chiefs fan Brandon Gann said. "You've got to win to keep it on there, to keep it on TV. If the fans aren't interested, they're not going to go."

Gann said he usually goes to a game or two a year, but not this season. With the Chiefs struggling to win games, he and others said they don't want to spend their hard-earned money on the team.

"I don't see a point in going if I'm just going to see them get their butts whipped," Gann said.

"People are cutting back for Christmas, they'd rather spend money on their families, you know. Do you spend $85 on a ticket and parking pass or do you spend it on your kids?"

The Chiefs needed to sell 3,500 tickets last week to their game against the Buffalo Bills to avoid a blackout and did, but there were still hundreds of empty seats. One fan wished the team would have stepped up to avoid the blackout.

"Make it a Christmas present for kids or adults who'd never be able to get to go," Chiefs fan Lynn Giannone said.