- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 20,922
- Name
- Peter
My personal opinion is that Goodell is turning the NFL into the No-Fun-League through constant tweaking of the rules and ridiculous fines for celebrating and wearing the wrong socks, etc. It's become a huge, billion dollar business and along with that has come the control-freaks who drain all the joy out of it in favor of the almighty dollar.
Then there's this prediction by Mark Cuban:
"I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion," Cuban said Sunday evening when his pregame conversation with reporters, which covered a broad range of topics, swayed toward football. "I'm just telling you: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they're getting hoggy.
"Just watch. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I'm just telling you, when you've got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That's rule No. 1 of business."
http://www.espn.com/dallas/nba/stor...cuban-says-greedy-nfl-10-years-away-implosion
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/29/why-is-tv-viewership-down/
Why is TV viewership down?
Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2016
Fewer people are watching the NFL on TV, and no one really knows why.
The NFL Players Association admits that the trend is an obvious concern. The league has kept quiet, likely fearful that talking about the situation would lend credence to the dynamic, possibly causing other fans who are still watching the games to say, “Maybe I should stop, too.”
The decline has become a mystery, for the media and surely for the NFL. The league’s failure to discipline more aggressively players who have engaged in off-field misconduct possibly has turned off some fans. A perception that the league reacts too heavy-handedly in other matters (like #DeflateGate and the Saints bounty scandal) could cause others to think the NFL hopes to steer certain teams toward success and to make it harder for others to succeed.
These two dynamics have contributed to an intense sense of disdain by plenty of fans for Commissioner Roger Goodell. It’s odd, however, to think that fans are choosing not to watch the NFL on TV because they don’t care for the man whose name appears on the football. (That said, it’s likely no accident that Goodell largely stays out of view.)
The disconnect between the images televised across the country in high definition and the things seen by the naked eye in real time by seven officials interspersed with young, strong, large, fast men in armor remains a far bigger problem than the league office ever would admit. The NFL seems to have a general reluctance to fully embrace technology in order to get the calls right.
At some point, however, the league must take more seriously the impact of fan frustrations arising from the sense that what everyone else sees is missed by the small group of people whose vantage point is the most important.
The ongoing desire to expand the NFL’s reach to other countries likely alienates some fans as well, given the potential belief that the league is taking the domestic audience for granted as it tries to spread the pro football virus around the globe. The mere mention of, for example, an international franchise or a Super Bowl played beyond borders of the U.S. sparks a strong negative reaction from plenty of fans.
Meanwhile, viewing habits have changed, dramatically. The younger generation no longer congregates around a large box; they carry small ones everywhere they go, constantly staring at them like zombies peering in to a sardine can full of brains.
Many members of Generation Z don’t feel compelled to take the time to witness the flow of a game, the shifts in momentum, the nuances that set the stage for game-changing moments in the fourth quarter. They just want the highlights and the stats, so that they can see how their favorite team and, perhaps more importantly, their fantasy team performed.
Speaking of fantasy football, consider the perspective of kids who were born after the rise of what once was a collateral consideration to traditional rooting interests. With the pieces of a fantasy team spread over various NFL franchises, plenty of fans may not have the same zeal about one specific team, with the us-against-the-world mindset inherent to pre-fantasy fans fully undermined by the reality that, for example, an ardent Panthers fan may have Saints quarterback Drew Brees on his fantasy team.
Some would say the election is a factor, but if anything the political consternation should be causing people to more fervently embrace their diversions. Apart from the conflicts between prime-time games and two of the presidential debates, fans should be regarding NFL games as an escape from the political nonsense.
The quality of the early-season matchups could be an issue, due in large part to a lesser number of star players on great teams. Peyton Manning has retired, Tom Brady is suspended (his team nevertheless had two of its first three games televised nationally), and some of the best quarterbacks remain largely unknown and/or unaccomplished.
The concussion crisis, and the reality that football has become the pin cushion for criticism even though plenty of sports and other activities entail a risk of head injuries, likely has caused some fans to feel guilty about watching or enjoying football. In turn, the league’s efforts to make the game safer probably has influenced others who want big hits and who don’t care about the physical consequences to lose interest.
Some are suggesting that the anthem protests are causing fans to boycott the NFL, but it’s hard to see a connection between the objections to the behavior of a small group of players and the decision of significant numbers of fans to deprive themselves of something they enjoy. The NFL has made its position on the anthem clear, and the vast majority of players continue to stand at attention.
Even with the decline, nothing brings a live audience together like the NFL (except for The Walking Dead). But it’s clear the NFL has reason to worry, and that it has work to do. A more aggressive and creating marketing push could be needed, along with a willingness to consider significant changes to the rules and the officiating procedures.
Whatever the reasons, and there surely are many, the NFL has billions of reasons to figure them out — and to begin the process of addressing the problem. Publicly ignoring the issue is fine. If they’re privately paying no attention to it, the league will be in or a rude awakening when the time comes to negotiate the next set of TV deals.
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Because my wife won’t let me watch football ALL DAY on Sundays.
-------------
The rules that keep going against the physicality of the sport, particularly when it comes to quarterbacks.
--------------
Over-saturation, poor reffing, bad match-ups, politics.
-------------
Lets see, poor officiating, an obscene number of commercials, arbitrary and capricious discipline (or no discipline in some cases), the pure greed of the league and its owners, the mixed messages on player safety, etc.
-------------
Its simple. There used to be Sunday Games, and Monday night. Now we have Sunday Games, Sunday Night, Monday Night, and now Thursday Night Games. Over exposure.
-------------
no credibility in this league. water it down and promote favorites so the storylines jive with the marketing.
-----------
Flow of the game? What flow.
Tons of flags. Challenge review process that requires up to 5 minutes. Lots of commercials.
Quality of product is down too. Especially in September, due to limited practice in pads. September is really sloppy and often bad football.
How many teams are even legitimate contenders? X
How many teams are really awful? Y
Y is far greater than X.
How many good games are there this week?
KC – Pittsburgh
Minnesota – NY Giants
Seattle – NY Jets
I count three good games.
-----------
NFL needs to open Sunday Ticket to more than just DirecTV…I’d love that, just to be able to tell DTV to stick it.
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Here’s why it’s down: 1) Commercials every 4-5 minutes. 2)No one can tell what a catch is anymore 3)Waaay to many penalties, many of which are questionable or touchy( i.e. On the QB’s ). 4) There is no flow to the games anymore because of this.
-----------
The greed for profit has officially overexpanded the game and if it weren’t for gambling and fantasy football, the viewership would be 35% less (or more).
------------
NFL Network and ESPN have become greedy over-dramatic news mongers that occasionally play some football games. The NFL is constantly in the news, across all outlets, all year long. Usually for bad reasons. Maybe people are just getting tired of it. I certainly am even as a lifelong NFL fan.
Plus, we are transitioning to the generation of cable cutters. Some people can’t even watch their local teams because of TV deals signed with certain providers. I can completely understand the lack of interest.
-----------
All TV viewership is down. Olympics was down 20%, but even scripted shows have declines in viewership. There are more media choices than ever before, and media usage has become on-the-go, rather than stationary in front of a box.
-----------
Well written, Mr Florio. Is traffic to this site down? Is there a correlation to NFL viewership? Is that information you would share with the public?
Then there's this prediction by Mark Cuban:
"I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion," Cuban said Sunday evening when his pregame conversation with reporters, which covered a broad range of topics, swayed toward football. "I'm just telling you: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they're getting hoggy.
"Just watch. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I'm just telling you, when you've got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That's rule No. 1 of business."
http://www.espn.com/dallas/nba/stor...cuban-says-greedy-nfl-10-years-away-implosion
****************************************************************************************
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/29/why-is-tv-viewership-down/
Why is TV viewership down?
Posted by Mike Florio on September 29, 2016
Fewer people are watching the NFL on TV, and no one really knows why.
The NFL Players Association admits that the trend is an obvious concern. The league has kept quiet, likely fearful that talking about the situation would lend credence to the dynamic, possibly causing other fans who are still watching the games to say, “Maybe I should stop, too.”
The decline has become a mystery, for the media and surely for the NFL. The league’s failure to discipline more aggressively players who have engaged in off-field misconduct possibly has turned off some fans. A perception that the league reacts too heavy-handedly in other matters (like #DeflateGate and the Saints bounty scandal) could cause others to think the NFL hopes to steer certain teams toward success and to make it harder for others to succeed.
These two dynamics have contributed to an intense sense of disdain by plenty of fans for Commissioner Roger Goodell. It’s odd, however, to think that fans are choosing not to watch the NFL on TV because they don’t care for the man whose name appears on the football. (That said, it’s likely no accident that Goodell largely stays out of view.)
The disconnect between the images televised across the country in high definition and the things seen by the naked eye in real time by seven officials interspersed with young, strong, large, fast men in armor remains a far bigger problem than the league office ever would admit. The NFL seems to have a general reluctance to fully embrace technology in order to get the calls right.
At some point, however, the league must take more seriously the impact of fan frustrations arising from the sense that what everyone else sees is missed by the small group of people whose vantage point is the most important.
The ongoing desire to expand the NFL’s reach to other countries likely alienates some fans as well, given the potential belief that the league is taking the domestic audience for granted as it tries to spread the pro football virus around the globe. The mere mention of, for example, an international franchise or a Super Bowl played beyond borders of the U.S. sparks a strong negative reaction from plenty of fans.
Meanwhile, viewing habits have changed, dramatically. The younger generation no longer congregates around a large box; they carry small ones everywhere they go, constantly staring at them like zombies peering in to a sardine can full of brains.
Many members of Generation Z don’t feel compelled to take the time to witness the flow of a game, the shifts in momentum, the nuances that set the stage for game-changing moments in the fourth quarter. They just want the highlights and the stats, so that they can see how their favorite team and, perhaps more importantly, their fantasy team performed.
Speaking of fantasy football, consider the perspective of kids who were born after the rise of what once was a collateral consideration to traditional rooting interests. With the pieces of a fantasy team spread over various NFL franchises, plenty of fans may not have the same zeal about one specific team, with the us-against-the-world mindset inherent to pre-fantasy fans fully undermined by the reality that, for example, an ardent Panthers fan may have Saints quarterback Drew Brees on his fantasy team.
Some would say the election is a factor, but if anything the political consternation should be causing people to more fervently embrace their diversions. Apart from the conflicts between prime-time games and two of the presidential debates, fans should be regarding NFL games as an escape from the political nonsense.
The quality of the early-season matchups could be an issue, due in large part to a lesser number of star players on great teams. Peyton Manning has retired, Tom Brady is suspended (his team nevertheless had two of its first three games televised nationally), and some of the best quarterbacks remain largely unknown and/or unaccomplished.
The concussion crisis, and the reality that football has become the pin cushion for criticism even though plenty of sports and other activities entail a risk of head injuries, likely has caused some fans to feel guilty about watching or enjoying football. In turn, the league’s efforts to make the game safer probably has influenced others who want big hits and who don’t care about the physical consequences to lose interest.
Some are suggesting that the anthem protests are causing fans to boycott the NFL, but it’s hard to see a connection between the objections to the behavior of a small group of players and the decision of significant numbers of fans to deprive themselves of something they enjoy. The NFL has made its position on the anthem clear, and the vast majority of players continue to stand at attention.
Even with the decline, nothing brings a live audience together like the NFL (except for The Walking Dead). But it’s clear the NFL has reason to worry, and that it has work to do. A more aggressive and creating marketing push could be needed, along with a willingness to consider significant changes to the rules and the officiating procedures.
Whatever the reasons, and there surely are many, the NFL has billions of reasons to figure them out — and to begin the process of addressing the problem. Publicly ignoring the issue is fine. If they’re privately paying no attention to it, the league will be in or a rude awakening when the time comes to negotiate the next set of TV deals.
-------------
Because my wife won’t let me watch football ALL DAY on Sundays.
-------------
The rules that keep going against the physicality of the sport, particularly when it comes to quarterbacks.
--------------
Over-saturation, poor reffing, bad match-ups, politics.
-------------
Lets see, poor officiating, an obscene number of commercials, arbitrary and capricious discipline (or no discipline in some cases), the pure greed of the league and its owners, the mixed messages on player safety, etc.
-------------
Its simple. There used to be Sunday Games, and Monday night. Now we have Sunday Games, Sunday Night, Monday Night, and now Thursday Night Games. Over exposure.
-------------
no credibility in this league. water it down and promote favorites so the storylines jive with the marketing.
-----------
Flow of the game? What flow.
Tons of flags. Challenge review process that requires up to 5 minutes. Lots of commercials.
Quality of product is down too. Especially in September, due to limited practice in pads. September is really sloppy and often bad football.
How many teams are even legitimate contenders? X
How many teams are really awful? Y
Y is far greater than X.
How many good games are there this week?
KC – Pittsburgh
Minnesota – NY Giants
Seattle – NY Jets
I count three good games.
-----------
NFL needs to open Sunday Ticket to more than just DirecTV…I’d love that, just to be able to tell DTV to stick it.
----------
Here’s why it’s down: 1) Commercials every 4-5 minutes. 2)No one can tell what a catch is anymore 3)Waaay to many penalties, many of which are questionable or touchy( i.e. On the QB’s ). 4) There is no flow to the games anymore because of this.
-----------
The greed for profit has officially overexpanded the game and if it weren’t for gambling and fantasy football, the viewership would be 35% less (or more).
------------
NFL Network and ESPN have become greedy over-dramatic news mongers that occasionally play some football games. The NFL is constantly in the news, across all outlets, all year long. Usually for bad reasons. Maybe people are just getting tired of it. I certainly am even as a lifelong NFL fan.
Plus, we are transitioning to the generation of cable cutters. Some people can’t even watch their local teams because of TV deals signed with certain providers. I can completely understand the lack of interest.
-----------
All TV viewership is down. Olympics was down 20%, but even scripted shows have declines in viewership. There are more media choices than ever before, and media usage has become on-the-go, rather than stationary in front of a box.
-----------
Well written, Mr Florio. Is traffic to this site down? Is there a correlation to NFL viewership? Is that information you would share with the public?
