I saw it coming (as posted
in the comments here). And now the
ratings numbers confirm the NFL is in trouble.
With the dust settled on Week One, the NFL saw a
reduction in most key apples-to-apples comparisons from 2015 to 2016.
Via Forbes, the Thursday night opener between the
Panthers and Broncos drew
25.2 million, down eight percent from 2015 (Steelers-Patriots) and six percent
from 2014 (Packers-Seahawks). Also, Sunday night’s game between the Patriots
and Cardinals generated an audience of 20.65 million. Despite the game being
decided at the last second, the audience fell 18 percent in the 18-to-49
demographic, in comparison to last year’s Giants-Cowboys Sunday night opener.
The putrid ratings of the
second Monday Night game are of personal interest.
According to SportsBusiness
Daily, the ratings for the early game dropped from 9.8 in 2015
(Eagles-Falcons) to 9.1 for Steelers-Washington. The late game had an even
bigger decline, with last year’s Vikings-49ers 9.5 shrinking to 7.1 for
Rams-49ers.
Yes, with the Rams back in the nation’s No. 2 media
market, the audience for a game that swapped out Minnesota for L.A. from one
year to the next saw a 2.4-point drop in ratings. Via Richard Deitsch of
SI.com, the total audience fell from 14.3 million to 10.3 million.
The quality of the game surely contributed
to the decline. But last year’s 20-3 drubbing of the Vikings by the 49ers
was a snooze-fest, too. It nevertheless drew four million more eyeballs.
Now you’d think SF vs. the
once again L.A. Rams would attract a lot of interest. This is quite a rivalry, now enhanced by both teams once
again being in Californicate. And
I was one of those interested.
But during the National
Anthem I saw players from both teams being jerks, including holding up raised
fists at the flag. Disgusted, I
turned off the T. V. before the game got under way. For it was not possible for both teams to lose. And it looks like I was not alone.
Here’s the bigger picture
with the NFL. Millennials do not
watch sports, particularly football, as much as older generations. So the base viewership of the NFL are
males over 30. But now they see an
NFL that prohibited the Dallas Cowboys from wearing a police-supporting decal,
that each year requires wearing pink in October, but that does not require players to stand respectfully for the
National Anthem. And for the first
time, a number of players are disrespecting the flag to push a Leftist lie. It’s enough to tick off just about any
red blooded, football-watching American male.
And those who watch NFL
want to root for a team. But what
happens when players from both teams disrespect the National Anthem and the
flag? TVs get turned off. And many who watch NFL want something
of an escape as Ed Morrissey points out.
They don’t tune in to watch a Black Lives Matter protest. Being angered by the refs or a team you
hate is one thing. Being angered
by Leftist millionaires disrespecting the flag is quite another.
The NFL is alienating many
of its core viewers. The league in
trouble and will be in further trouble if they do not act to stop the National
Anthem protests.
As for me, I’ve been a very
loyal NFL viewer since early childhood.
I remember my Mama being unhappy about the Ice Bowl game. I cried when Dallas lost (was robbed of)
their first Super Bowl. My Sunday
afternoon football watching has long been as regular as my church
attendance.
But I, of all people, am
considering cancelling my NFL Sunday Ticket and boycotting the NFL.
The NFL is in deep trouble.
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