Why is TV viewership for NFL games down?

[den-the-coach]

For the record I'm still watching.

 

[Ram65]

I stream Rams games free. I still watch so does that count? Looking for tonites game and it's not on my basic cable channels. I'm with the lot's games theory and too much non action. Review after review has gotten old.

 

[Psycho_X]

I just won't give any money to this crap whole of a league. I'm in it to watch the players, not pay Goodell's ~60M salary.

Same here, I still cheer on the Rams but I won't be giving another dollar to Kroenke or any of the other billionaires unless something drastically changes. I don't want the NFL to go away by any means but i wouldn't shed a tear if Stan builds his multi billion dollar stadium and relocation charges and the NFL's overall values tanks in the next ten years. The league has let their egos get too big and it needs knocked down a notch imo.

 

[PARAM]

A lot of political factors too. I'd say the way they handled the concussion issue decades ago is starting to backlash on them. Certainly hope so too, they would've been better off investing in research on at least finding sophisticated treatment for this.

They would have been better off introducing protocols many team doctors wanted back then. But instead the protocol was to pressure the players indirectly to not report it and play anyway. That hid the facts. Football became popular because of the collisions. They advertised the violence. Got rich on it. So they were advised by their lawyers to deny it. Instead of being honest and saying "it's a violent game so if you play there will be consequences". It might have derailed some players to continue but not many. Nobody has to tell formula 1 drivers you could be killed practicing, testing or racing. They know it. It's part of the adrenaline rush. But with CTE, they have to do a 180 and institute protocol in an attempt to look better. Along with rule changes that drastically alter the game and do very little in the grand scheme of things to prevent CTE it is becoming a downward slide. They've been told, it's not the concussions that are the most detrimental. It's the sub concussive hits sustained continuously in practice all week and in the games on Sunday. But concussion has become the key word and most people don't realize the biggest change they've made towards preventing CTE (to some degree) is the number of days players are allowed to practice full contact in pads.

 

[Loyal]

For me, introducing political issues is deflating. Sports has been a refuge for me away from cr@p like that, and if the Rams ever increased their exposure in this way, I might find other things to do..even though I have been a fan since I was 8 years old (and yes, I am even older than X):fighting:

 

[Athos]

Not enough parity yet either in the NFL.

In the college game, upsets are becoming more likely. It may not be there for smaller programs getting to the playoffs, but they're starting to knock off the "bluebloods" more regularly than in years past.

NFL is same ole same ole a lot of the time.

And honestly, the officiating and rules are ruining games.

Dunno what the hell a catch is anymore. A legal hit sack? Dunno.

Not roughing the passer? Fuck if I know.

Penalties diluting the game.

And all the damn commercials. Games last for fucking ever now. Teams relocation BS all for the almighty dollar.

The CTE scandals and concussion scandals. The lies. The cheating. It's a watered down mess of a league. The college game is far more entertaining.

 

[wmc540]

.

i really think it's because of fantasy football and the redzone channel. fantasy football brought in alot of people that probably woudn't have been fans and that increased the audience the last decade but they aren't real fans and all they care about is their fantasy team. so when the redzone channel was introduced of course all these people were gonna watch was that channel. has anybody watched this channel? what a weird viewing experience. can't get a feel for the game, can't get any joy from a game. horrible.

.

I love the redzone channel! Especially now that the Rams always play the 3 o'clock games

 

[BatteringRambo]

Rams, baby, Rams, that's all I prefer to see on live TV, woe-is-me and fuck the national broadcast apathy. Tamarindo, Costa Rica bound tomorrow night and you're damn fuckin right I'll be at Sharky's on Sunday afternoon watching the Horns take those Sparrows down!

 

[Young Ram]

There have been a lot of cord cutters and it's only increasing. Paying for cable is not the desisrable choice anymore when you have streaming services like Netflix. Pay $12 a month to watch a whole collection of movies and shows without commercial breaks? Yes please.

The NFL will eventually stream live NFL games. Twitter streams Thursday night games and it won't be long before they offer every game through a streaming site.

 

[DaveFan'51]

In L.A. Viewership is Down, when the Rams are in town, Because everyone is going to the Tail-gate Parties-the Game- and Post game Parties!!:snicker::shades::rockon::cheers:

For the Record I'm watching as much NFL on TV as I ever have! It would be difficult to watch more!

 

[Angry Ram]

Oh boy, do I have a lot to say on this topic.

First, my personal opinions:

1. The game is far too over-analyzed. QBs will throw INTs. Defenses will give up points. It happens. Get over it.

2. That over-analyzing leads to a negative message. Negativity is also ruining this game makes many people into cynical critics. Reporters, "analysts", fans, everyone. If things just ever so slightly go wrong, all hell breaks loose. Gone are the days where you can just sit back and just enjoy the game.

3. Fixing things that aren't broken. I'm still mad about the PAT being moved back. It worked for YEARS without an issue and there were some amazing games with that. Moving the KO up 5 yards was stupid, as teams just try to pin them deep, forcing them to return anyway. Moving the draft to a 3 day format. WHY?!

4. Too much emphasis on meaningless stats. Everyone should know by now I can't stand PFF. I don't give a damn about "adjusted DVOA ranking" or w/e other bullshit ranking they make. This is more than just the stats used for fantasy purposes. SNF now has PFF ranks when players do their introductions. It's pointless.

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.

Agreed. I get them not wanting to use props b/c they waste time, but Antonio Brown twerking in the EZ isn't harming anyone.

possibly causing other fans who are still watching the games to say, “Maybe I should stop, too.”

Umm no.

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.

And I wonder who created that perception? Certainly not Mike Florio and his cronies talking more about bullshit lawsuits and other non-football matters.

The NFL seems to have a general reluctance to fully embrace technology in order to get the calls right.

Like what, instant replay?

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.

I think international games are pretty cool. Just b/c something is born in the US doesn't mean it HAS to stay here.

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.

1. As part of the younger generation, my friends and I still congreate around a large box. Nothing beats sitting at home and watching a game on a flat screen vs. squinting on some tiny phone.

2. Way to generalize RE fantasy football, Mikey. As a fantasy player, my real-life team comes first over my 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.

Nah. The only election related thing was the debate. And that's only b/c people wanted to see how foolish the 2 candidates made themselves out to be. Any other 2 and 80 million people wouldn't watch it.

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.

Making the game safer isn't turning off the fans. It's the unfair advantages a team can get. A hand taps the QB's helmet is 15 yards. A punter or kicker flopping nets another 15. C'mon use common sense here.

the vast majority of players continue to stand at attention.

I agree here. It's a non-issue. Too bad media and announcers continue to focus on it anyway.

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.

How much more marketing do you need? They have their own network, BSPN coverage, Fox Sports coverage, CBS coverage, NBC, and lord knows how many fan blogs and radio shows across the country.

Everybody is watching Red Zone when their team isn't playing.

Redzone is awesome. This way you can see all the games over the boring matchup your local tv provides or boring national game later afternoon.

The main part of it is the NFL's refusal to adapt to evolving preferences of customers; mainly with internet streaming and mobile devices.

That's true to some extent. But the traditional tv viewing style still remains dominant. Sometimes getting the whole streaming from internet to tv becomes too much of a hassle. And watching games on mobile devices is stupid.

Making the rulebook as convoluted as the IRS tax code is going to make them more susceptible to this.

Yup.

I mean, I grew up excited Sunday morning knowing even if my team wasn't on, I'd still see legends like Dickerson, Dorsett, Payton, Barry Sanders ... and even the "lesser" talent was still guys & o-lines worth watching like Riggins or Little Joe Morris, etc... Sorry but a matchup of Shane Vereen v. CJ Anderson v. Justin Forsett v. [insert other mediocre ex-Cal third string RB here] isn't exactly must-see TV for me... The QB talent might be even worse, but as a Rams fan I'm conditioned to accept a very low bar there, of course.

1000000000% agree here. Even though with me it was watching guys like Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Torry Holt, Michael Strahan, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Brian Urlacher, Troy Polamalu, etc.

Now, no prime time games are a big deal because they are common. It just isn't special anymore.

But Florio is claiming it's this year. The current format of SNF and MNF as been like this for 10 years. The only difference is SNF is the "game of the week" over MNF. Wasn't SNF on BSPN before that? Regardless, ratings have been going up every year until now.

And to those of you saying there's "too much" football now, talk to me in mid-June. Now you can say there's too much coverage all year, I agree. But actual games, 1 extra isn't doing any harm.

Oh, one other thing, the scheduling sucks!

Oh yes. Tired of seeing the same and/or boring ass matchups every year. This week is Chiefs/Steelers. I like the Steelers, but LA/AZ would've been better.

For the record I'm still watching.

Me too.

 

[ChrisW]

Not enough parity yet either in the NFL.

In the college game, upsets are becoming more likely. It may not be there for smaller programs getting to the playoffs, but they're starting to knock off the "bluebloods" more regularly than in years past.

NFL is same ole same ole a lot of the time.

And honestly, the officiating and rules are ruining games.

Dunno what the hell a catch is anymore. A legal hit sack? Dunno.

Not roughing the passer? freak if I know.

Penalties diluting the game.

And all the damn commercials. Games last for freaking ever now. Teams relocation BS all for the almighty dollar.

The CTE scandals and concussion scandals. The lies. The cheating. It's a watered down mess of a league. The college game is far more entertaining.

This is why I'm crossing my fingers for MLS in the Lou. If the league keeps growing and they get rid of the dumb DP rule and expand the salary caps, the league could take off.

But, I digress. This isn't the time or place.

 

[Corbin]

I just won't give any money to this crap whole of a league. I'm in it to watch the players, not pay Goodell's ~60M salary.

You dont buy Ram merchandise or jerseys?

 

[Debacled]

Talk to a casual fan and all those small rules tweaks don't even matter, chances are they didn't know them in the first place.

Bottom line is that cable/sat is no longer considered a must have in many homes, there are too many other options. Too many more options when its easy to stream online or just head to a bar where it doesn't cost anything other than a few drinks and possibly some food to socialize while watching more than one game.

Or you could be like us here in STL. Have our team taken out from under our feet and don't show Rams games because of a....barf...Chiefs game at the same time. Can't say I'm going to sit around watching a game I don't care about, and I'm well past the idea of throwing even a cent at the league as is.

Another problem that is probably worth mentioning, even if it isn't a brand new problem, is that commercials are absolutely out of control. Kickoff, commercial. Punt, commercial. Review, commercial. Injury, commercial. Over and over I feel like were being fed commercials with a side of football anymore.

 

[UKram]

I love the redzone channel! Especially now that the Rams always play the 3 o'clock games

although id prefer to see them a bit more on the program ...#moreredzonevisitsplease

 

[LumberTubs]

Moving a team to London will be a huge mistake and will further the disconnect between the league and its fans. And this is coming from an English NFL fan. I personally couldn't give a rats ass if there was an NFL team two hours drive away as it won't be the Rams.

It will be seen for what it is: a purely money making move made to the detriment of the sport.

You could argue that having games over here every year has contributed as well because fans of the "home" teams who attend their team's games are denied one of the 8 games they get to see live every year. They see that decision as one made in order to generate more money for the league at their expense which is precisely what it is.

Fans will become even more disenchanted and find something else to do on a Sunday. Or a Thursday evening. Or a Monday evening.

Which leads me on to my next point which is purely my opinion with no facts to back this up.

I just feel that you can have too much of a good thing. Each week, fans can watch 5 games in full (Thursday night, 3 on a Sunday inc prime time and Monday night). There'll be even more this week with the London game. Then throw in red zone as an option too and that's a lot of football.

Your hardcore NFL fans won't have a problem with this but a lot of people will become over exposed and lose interest. In my view, this is part of what Mark Cuban was referring to when saying the NFL is too big (and the London thing feeds into this too).

The same thing will happen with football (soccer) over here which is huge. The premier league makes a ton of money in tv rights a lot of which comes from overseas which is a growing trend.

The more the premier league chases the foreign money, the more disconnected the every day fan becomes. Ultimately that will come back to bite the premier league on the arse and it will have to readjust.

 

[nanotech]

You dont buy Ram merchandise or jerseys?

Nope

 

[Mojo Ram]

Nope

What teams' merchandise do you wear?

 

[Psycho_X]

What teams' merchandise do you wear?

For me, I've got a shit ton of it already so I won't run out of rams gear to wear that I've bought over the last 21 years if I am looking for something. But I'm not buying anymore. Don't really feel the need to wear that stuff anymore anyway. I'll throw a hat on still but kind of out grown the jersey wearing for no reason fad. And I don't have games to go to anymore so can't wear it to that. And when I do most other fans feel the need to point out how I support such an awful, back stabbing organization anyway so it's just easier anymore not to. Maybe after a few years goes by I'll change my mind.

 

[NJRamsFan]

"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."

This guy nailed it. Took the words right out of my mouth