The Falcons have not yet put single-game tickets on sale and likely will hold off longer than usual to continue concentrating on season-ticket sales, team president Rich McKay said.

That is because the team is trying to guard against television blackouts of home games by assembling a large enough season-ticket base to reasonably ensure sellouts.

In the aftermath of a disastrous 2007 that included the jailing of quarterback Michael Vick, the Falcons saw a sharp drop in season-ticket renewals by existing customers. But McKay said sales to new customers have gained momentum since the Falcons launched an aggressive marketing campaign in May.

"Our renewal rate caused us to have to go out and sell tickets to people who had not been season-ticket holders," McKay said. "We have sold more than 10,000 to new season-ticket holders — people who were on the waiting list before or people we were able to reach through the campaign. That number continues to be added upon.

"We know what our goal is: to be sold out and be able to lift the blackout. We remain confident we're going to be able to do that. We have a second push of the marketing campaign and the start of training camp [ahead]."

Under NFL rules, games are blacked out in the home team's TV market if not sold out. The Falcons had two games blacked out last season. Since single-game sales fluctuate with the home team's record or the visiting team's appeal, season-ticket sales are the key to reducing the blackout risk.

"We owe it to the team to fill the Dome and get the blackout lifted," McKay said. Also, "single-game tickets are usually [eyed] by visiting-team fans," he said. "We want to limit the visiting fans who come into the Dome."

The Falcons typically put single-game tickets on sale near the start of training camp, which begins next week. But this year the team will hold off "probably until closer to the regular season than in the past," McKay said.

The Falcons, citing club policy, won't reveal the total number of 2008 season tickets they have sold or the number of 2007 season tickets that were not renewed. The latter number obviously was more than 10,000, McKay acknowledged, since the Falcons say they have sold that many seats to new buyers.

At this point, McKay said, the Falcons have "virtually sold out" of their cheapest season tickets ($250) and are finding the biggest challenge "in the intermediate price points."

McKay said the poor economy, as well as fallout from the Vick case and last season, contributed to the nonrenewals.

"We saw [the impact of the economy] mainly in longtime season-ticket holders who had maybe eight seats and cut back to four or six," he said.