Kansas City, Mo ? WDAF-TV, the Fox affiliate in Kansas City, committed Tuesday to purchasing about 1,700 remaining tickets to the Chiefs’ game against Arizona, making sure the local TV blackout is lifted for the 98th consecutive game.

For the Chiefs, it’s another sign that a weakening economy and five straight non-playoff seasons are taking a gradual toll on one of the NFL’s most successful franchises. In six of the past eight seasons, Arrowhead Stadium, with a capacity of nearly 78,000, has led the NFL in home attendance.

Cheryl McDonald, general manager of WDAF, said there were about 2,000 unsold tickets on Tuesday and that the station expected to have to buy around 1,700 in time to meet the 72-hour rule.

Most of the tickets will be donated to charity, McDonald said, adding that the station’s total expense for buying this week’s tickets won’t be known until Monday.