The National Football League is seeking to ease concerns about a sharp drop in TV ratings during the first month of the season, citing “unprecedented interest” in the presidential election as one of several reasons viewership is down.
Total NFL viewership through four weeks declined 11 percent from last year, with prime-time ratings taking the biggest hit, according to a memo signed by NFL senior executives Brian Rolapp and Howard Katz.
The NFL said “a confluence of events” is affecting ratings, including the election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton diverting viewers to cable news outlets.
The league discounted the notion that ratings have fallen because San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other players have refused to stand for the National Anthem to protest social injustice.
“We see no evidence that concern over player protests during the National Anthem is having any material impact on our ratings,” according to the memo.
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20 comments:
That's a bunch of crap , the kneeling and fist for black power are the reason. If sports want get involved in politics then shut them down completely .
They can't fathom that it is their players politicizing!
What a bunch of morons.
The National Anthem has been a tradition - almost forever! These turds disrespecting our country are the real reason.
Aside from the fact that they make way too much money for the examples that they set for our youngsters!
Blame the "knee-ers".
That crap is exactly why I haven't watched and will not watch ever again. I am 42 and have been a lifelong fan, but I will not tolerate spoiled blm punks trashing the anthem.
Keep dreaming on NFL!
Let them think that as ratings go down and advertisers rethink their spending.
Read this, NFL. I'm not watching you this year at all, and it's nothing to do with elections! Tell your players to play ball or get off the teams!
Keep kneeling NFL, have not watched one game this season.
This post should be at the top as it is a big story. NFL ratings are in a free fall and the NFL is too PC to understand that while I love football I love veterans and my country more. My family has vowed to not watch football this season or buy a single NFL related product until respect for our flag is honored by the NFL.
I served in our Armed forces to protect the rights of everyone - including those who want to kneel during our National Anthem.
I don't watch the NFL because it's just one long commercial benefiting greedy corporate interests.
Maybe 1% is because of the protests. The prime time matchup shave not been very good and have lacked star power. Brady was out for 4 games, you have quarterbacks like Gabbert and Drew Stanton playing. The games on prime time have been lopsided. Bad matchups, lack of star power, and the debates have caused the ratings drop
they better open their eyes. only going to watch when my team plays this year. if they get ignorant, no more NFL for me.
I for one, used to watch NFL games quite often. I have been disappointed over the past years with the actions of the players off the field. These people need to be role models and not thugs and criminals. Then with the kneeling and raised fists, I will not watch any NFL football game until the league takes care of the issue. You don't see the wanton behavior in other professional sports...
Just wait until the election is over and the NFL has no more excuses for why nobody is watching. Interesting.
SMH all these in these comments are so misinformed and need to lay off FOX news sometimes. If you take a look at all ratings and not just the NFL's you will see that all sports networks are down 30% while cable news is up to about 30%. Everybody is caught up in the Trump phenomena. The NFL games on TV don't even show the National anthem majority of the time.
From my perspective as a former college player and pro ball fan, the drop in viewership is because it's become boring, overhyped and predictable
Warms the cockles of my heart to see The National Felony League suffer for allowing the trash to continue with their anti-American crap.
1:06 - Maybe some, but not all. I am probably watching about 25% of the football I watched last year and it has nothing to do with debates. I never watch debates.
Players are being paid to play football. Any other non-football related activity is a breach of contract and honor. Kick them OUT so they can pursue their preferred activity.. I suspect they were paid a large sum by someone to disrupt the game..
NFL greed laid the foundation...Thursday games give less time for players to recuperate and coaches to plan, coupled with zig-zag telecasts between this, that and another channel.
IMHO, their product hasn't been worth shelling out for a number of years.
This year we have the flag/anthem situation which NFL and many of the owners have condoned by not stopping it. Last straw for many, many viewers, including this one. Found other outlets for my time.
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