The NFL is getting killed by the election will it have a hang over?

[MattP]

Once people stop watching it's hard to get them back, I guess Trump wasn't such a gift to CBS after all they paid a bunch of money for thursday night football nobody cares about.

[stopbush]

1. It doesn't help when the TV commentators often remark

on the poor quality of the games they are working.

Let's face it, it does no good for them to gloss over what any fan watching the game sees just as clearly as the nose on their face. Many of the games suck. Too many teams, too many lopsided mismatches, too many penalties, too much uninventive, formulaic play calling.

More often than not, pro football games are a letdown, especially when one considers how highly they are hyped.

[FSogol]

3. I don't buy the theory that the election is cutting into the NFL.

Too many other factors imo:

1. Glorifying some really bad characters
2. Banning simple displays of celebration while encouraging other types
3. Ignoring head injuries for players
4. Encouraging fan violence and drunkenness
5. Pricing families out of visiting games
6. Rules and penalties seem different for certain teams/players
7. Overspecialization and overly conservative play
8. Over-coporatization and pay-for-partiotism

[MattP]

4. It's been like that over a decade the ratings slip is this year

[jmowreader]

22. I'm DEFINITELY going to agree with number 5

I just went to the Seahawks' website and looked at ticket prices. The worst seats in the house are $150 - ones that are so high up you're more likely to see actual seahawks than the huge men who named their team after them. Seats on the sides of the field - in the 300 level, at the very top of the stadium - are almost $200.

In June, I bought a ticket to the stadium right next door - the one the Mariners play bad baseball in. For $65 I got a "field box" seat. I didn't know exactly what that meant until I got there and realized I was at field level, two rows back from the field perimeter wall. Absolutely excellent seat, except some asshole on the Pirates managed to foul one about three feet above my head. But except for the nonzero danger of getting killed, and the Mariners losing by seven runs, it was great.

[Fla Dem]

5. 10 theories why NFL TV ratings are down

Bob Ryan
November 5, 2016

In the not-too-distant past there were three certainties in American life: 1. Death; 2. Taxes; 3. The unquestioned supremacy of the National Football League as America’s sport of choice.

Nothing much has changed with 1 and 2. But No. 3 is a bit under siege. NFL football is still No. 1, no question. But if TV ratings are any indication, there has been a bit of a change in the air. Clearly, something is going on.

There are many theories to explain the significant decline in NFL TV ratings, but it’s clearly stating the obvious that there is no one thing but rather the accumulation of many things that have accounted for this startling phenomenon. And it is startling. I don’t recall anyone, anywhere, predicting anything like this before the 2016 NFL season began.

The way I see it, there are 10 factors. You may disagree.

1. The Kaepernick effect
We must take people at their word. Untold numbers of people say they have stopped watching because they are offended by Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem, as well as any accompanying protests.

2. RedZone factor
I simply go by what people tell me. I do not have the RedZone channel. The only time I have ever seen it is when I am at a public eating and drinking place and I happen to see it on some big screen. I am not interested in the RedZone channel. But from what I gather many of my fellow Americans most certainly do have the RedZone channel and they are practically addicted to it. They no longer watch a game in its entirety. Therefore, they do not aid a game’s rating. I make no value judgment. If that’s what you like to do, who am I to tell you to stop? Go for it.

More....
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2016/11/05/theories-why-nfl-ratings-are-down/ViBN7vpJNDO93O3mhlfR5I/story.html?p1=Article_Recirculation_Pos3

[Lefthacker]

6. I like football

Especially college football, however I have had discussions with many friends and almost all of us have said that while we can't put our finger on it, the NFL seems boring right now. Like NASCAR in that there is too much exposure. You have college games all day on Saturday then by Sunday people have had enough pigskin. With the tremendous ratings for the World Series I believe baseball will have a resurgence. It may become
Americas pastime again. With all the concussion talk I can see more kids playing baseball. If you want some violence in a sport then hockey is the way to go. Hockey teams have a great fan base.

[dembotoz]

7. how much football can you watch

i only have the really basic cable

not that long ago it was gee a football game think i will watch. now between college and pro and now even some high school it seems to be on all the damn time....and teams i do not give a f%%k about.....notre damn or dame, florida ohio state miami....yuck

saturday early evening i like to watch some national news....not last few weeks....all the networks and even the independent had on some game....It has gone from oh who is playing to yuck click yuck click yuck click yuck.....
sunday is now pro all day and if the game is in london.....from morning to evening.....

in this land of plenty i find i now watch less football not more...just my beloved packers and they are pissing me off too.

Netflix is an a ok substitute....or reading or god forbid....cleaning

[SDJay]

9. It's Bad TV. Simple As That.

The NFL is the Fox News of broadcast sports. They pump in the fake patriotism - and you BETTER CONFORM TO IT OR ELSE - with what until recently was secretly paid military flyover involvement. Absolutely everything is over-the-top capitalism, just trying to dig into your wallet. Just look at the actual broadcasts aside from the garbage they pump in through your teevee before the game even starts. How many times have we seen this sequence:

1. Field goal
2. Commercials
3. Kickoff
4. Commercials
5. Run a play or two - end of quarter/injury/time-out
6. Commercials

I'm a lifelong Packer fan, and for kicks I actually paid attention to stuff like this during last week's game. In 18 minutes of real time during one stretch, viewers saw FOUR plays from scrimmage. That didn't include a halftime, either - just the end of a quarter.

Mark Cuban may be proven right - hogs get slaughtered. You couple all of this with the legitimate concerns about concussions and CTE and you've got a leauge that's slowing down.

Fine with me.

[jmowreader]

23. That's not bad TV. American Forces Network is bad TV.

Sometime between 1987 and 1990, the American Forces Network (the tv station the military runs for the troops stationed overseas) ran a "don't drive drunk" commercial during the game-winning play in the Super Bowl.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

21. Chuck Noll quote,

"act like you been there before."