NFL Ratings and Attendance

[Starlifter]

That's a great point. The Steelers and the NFL are an escape for me and I don't want to think about this stuff for 3-4 hours on Sunday. I just want to be entertained.

This is my issue. I am sick and disgusted by those who think that because they have a little fame and therefore a 'platform' they have an obligation to preach to me about what they think. Football until recently has been a fairly safe refuge. I was watching Inside the NFL last week and they were talking about Kaep. They just don't get it. I watch that show to get their expert analysis on the games of the week and how they unfolded. I don't give a rats a$$ what ray ray or boomer think about ferguson or anything else. It's for the same reason that if I ran into them in an airport and began to share my opinions on why the jags need to cut blake bortles or why stafford is overpaid - they would look at me like I had three heads. I want to hear football people talking about football. I don't care one iota beyond that. I don't care about hollywood trying to school me on world politics. I heard an anchor on ESPN quoted because kaep is football and how can they not talk about his social agenda. Well, the answer is the same reason Lester Holt doesn't devote time to the weekend scores on the evening news. those scores have nothing to do with his newscast - and kaeps kneeling has nothing to do with the games. Ignore him/them. Don't show them kneeling. don't acknowledge their 'platform'. televise the games, comment on what's happening on the field. go beyond that - and yes, ratings will go down.

There are some people I'm compelled to listen to. For those that fall under choice - entertain me and don't pi$$ me off. Or my remote will do the talking.

[feltdizz]

Here are the reasons in no particular order:

Kaepernick - both sides are boycotting due to anger over the NFL. Some folks hate the flag thing so they no longer watch. Others hate that Kaep isn't in the league so they don't watch.

It's Boring - I hear this time and time again. Games are too long, to many penalties, new rules and commercial time outs.

College is better - I watch both but I have to agree. Crowd energy, bands playing fight songs, less discipline so more exciting plays and more upsets...

It's expensive - Did anyone watch the Atlanta game? I coulda swore it was half empty when I glanced at it. They have $2 hotdogs but if the tickets are $150 a pop? Who's going to take a family of 4? Not me.

NFL over reaching - I heard a sports radio host talk about the NFL peaking and eating it's own by having too many rule changes, terrible Thursday night matchups and Goodell using his power to thug up the game. Instead of putting the NFL on cruise control wants it dominated the NFL keeps moving teams around, changing rules for no damn reason and just making bad decisions that impact the game.

[feltdizz]

Rating and attendance are down because as the diehard fans grow old and die, they are not being replaced by new, young diehard fans. Young people aren't going to watch a 3-hour-long full game when they can just watch a couple-minute-long highlight reel later on their phone. My kids don't want to sit through a half-hour-long show on TV...they'd much rather watch 5-minute-long snippets on YouTube instead. I don't get it, but their Instagram and Snapchat are much more interesting, apparently.

I have Sunday Ticket (due to my sister having it and being allowed to have 2 devices active at once). I can watch 3 or 4 games at the same time once the Monday Night games end and this is without commercials.

The actual game is only 38 minutes long without commercials and skipping the time in the huddle and halftime. They really need to reduce commercial time (impossible since it pays the bills) and get these games down to 2.5 hours or they will continue to lose viewers.

[Docosc]

It is not just the NFL. There are so many folks who troll around discussion boards looking for chances to highjack the thread to politics. Lots of my medical discussion boards are littered with references to "libtards" and reThugs." Seriously, who would have believed this two or three years ago? I have loved the Steelers forever (may family is from Pgh, so not really optional!) And when I travel wearing my Steelers shirts I get lots of love from Steeler nation everywhere. The one place where (mostly) it is safe from political crap. Changing rapidly, though. Can only hope this is a temporary thing, but I am not so sure anymore.

[NorthCoast]

This is my issue. I am sick and disgusted by those who think that because they have a little fame and therefore a 'platform' they have an obligation to preach to me about what they think. Football until recently has been a fairly safe refuge. I was watching Inside the NFL last week and they were talking about Kaep. They just don't get it. I watch that show to get their expert analysis on the games of the week and how they unfolded. I don't give a rats a$$ what ray ray or boomer think about ferguson or anything else. It's for the same reason that if I ran into them in an airport and began to share my opinions on why the jags need to cut blake bortles or why stafford is overpaid - they would look at me like I had three heads. I want to hear football people talking about football. I don't care one iota beyond that. I don't care about hollywood trying to school me on world politics. I heard an anchor on ESPN quoted because kaep is football and how can they not talk about his social agenda. Well, the answer is the same reason Lester Holt doesn't devote time to the weekend scores on the evening news. those scores have nothing to do with his newscast - and kaeps kneeling has nothing to do with the games. Ignore him/them. Don't show them kneeling. don't acknowledge their 'platform'. televise the games, comment on what's happening on the field. go beyond that - and yes, ratings will go down.

There are some people I'm compelled to listen to. For those that fall under choice - entertain me and don't pi$$ me off. Or my remote will do the talking.

well said SL. Agree.

[feltdizz]

It's not that simple though. The NFL gets paid by the military to promote the Armed Forces. The shield is basically stars and stripes with the red letters and starts on a blue background.

Politics will be used by sports for obvious reasons. You have millions of folks tuning in best believe they will use sports if they can.

[feltdizz]

It is not just the NFL. There are so many folks who troll around discussion boards looking for chances to highjack the thread to politics. Lots of my medical discussion boards are littered with references to "libtards" and reThugs." Seriously, who would have believed this two or three years ago? I have loved the Steelers forever (may family is from Pgh, so not really optional!) And when I travel wearing my Steelers shirts I get lots of love from Steeler nation everywhere. The one place where (mostly) it is safe from political crap. Changing rapidly, though. Can only hope this is a temporary thing, but I am not so sure anymore.

when people blame the left or right or use libtard or rethug when the topic is baseball its weird as hell. LOL...

it's only going to get worse too due to the 24 hour news stations and all these talking heads with loyal listeners.

How do you blame politics for a penalty flag?

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

The owners will promote their version of politics as much as possible (why wouldn't they?), right up to the point where they think it won't hurt their product.

[williar]

Well - If they take away football they might as well have my TV. To be honest with you football is about the only thing I get excited about watching on television these days. I am not much of a TV watcher anyway. I agree that the product is not as good as it used to be, particularly because of the rule changes and poor QB play. However, it is still football and that is enough for me. I mean, if there is no football, what sport is so damn good out there right now that would replace it for you? I'll take my Sunday afternoon football anytime over boring baseball with the season much too long? Too predictable basketball with 3 good teams and 1 good playoff game out of about 100? Golf minus Tiger Woods? Tennis? Hockey - I understand the Pens have been on a roll but without that, would it be exciting? Boxing? Mayweather? No thank you! MMA? Please!!! WNBA????

Don't mess with my damn football!!!!!!

[Jigawatts]

Over saturation - What once made football great is that there was so little of it. I absolutely hate Thursday night games.

ESPN - Remember when MNF used to be on an OTA channel?

Fantasy Football - It's all about the stats and less about the actual game.

Penalties - Way too many flags and way too much control the refs have over the game.

Kick offs - Why do they even kick the ball off anymore? The kick off return is almost completely out of the game.

International games - Eff that and Roger Goodell.

[papillon]

Well - If they take away football they might as well have my TV. To be honest with you football is about the only thing I get excited about watching on television these days. I am not much of a TV watcher anyway. I agree that the product is not as good as it used to be, particularly because of the rule changes and poor QB play. However, it is still football and that is enough for me. I mean, if there is no football, what sport is so damn good out there right now that would replace it for you? I'll take my Sunday afternoon football anytime over boring baseball with the season much too long? Too predictable basketball with 3 good teams and 1 good playoff game out of about 100? Golf minus Tiger Woods? Tennis? Hockey - I understand the Pens have been on a roll but without that, would it be exciting? Boxing? Mayweather? No thank you! MMA? Please!!! WNBA????

Don't mess with my damn football!!!!!!

I watch a lot of hockey, can't wait for it to get started up again in early October. Commercials are limited and the game is played (for the most part) the way it was designed to be played. I'm a soccer guy so that's always an option for me, I know most of America can't get into watching soccer because they don't understand the nuance of the game, but since our kids play and have taught me how to watch soccer and what to look for it's appealing to me now. Again, soccer, very few commercials and when there are commercials the game doesn't stop, the viewers just miss that part of the game. They cater to the people in the stands and not the people sitting at home.

I'm to the point that unless its a Steeler game I don't watch, Thursday night, Monday night, Sunday night, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving day (I know its been there a long time) I don't watch unless the Steelers are playing. Too much football on too many days of the week and holidays, go back to Sunday afternoon and Monday night. I think it would get fans excited for Sunday again, now, you only have to wait two and half days before there's another game.

Oh yea, good college lacrosse is awesome as well, can't watch professional lacrosse, but D1 top 20 college lacrosse is good.

My two cents,
Pappy

[Slapstick]

It's not that simple though. The NFL gets paid by the military to promote the Armed Forces. The shield is basically stars and stripes with the red letters and starts on a blue background.

Politics will be used by sports for obvious reasons. You have millions of folks tuning in best believe they will use sports if they can.

It's best to simply accept that this is the way it is and ignore it...it isn't just pro athletes making asses of themselves on Twitter....

[fordfixer]

well said SL. Agree.

Agreed x2.......

[feltdizz]

Well - If they take away football they might as well have my TV. To be honest with you football is about the only thing I get excited about watching on television these days. I am not much of a TV watcher anyway. I agree that the product is not as good as it used to be, particularly because of the rule changes and poor QB play. However, it is still football and that is enough for me. I mean, if there is no football, what sport is so damn good out there right now that would replace it for you? I'll take my Sunday afternoon football anytime over boring baseball with the season much too long? Too predictable basketball with 3 good teams and 1 good playoff game out of about 100? Golf minus Tiger Woods? Tennis? Hockey - I understand the Pens have been on a roll but without that, would it be exciting? Boxing? Mayweather? No thank you! MMA? Please!!! WNBA????

Don't mess with my damn football!!!!!!

NBA had a terrible playoff this year but overall the product is still enjoyable in the regular season.

Hockey? I only watch because of the Pens but it was thrilling to watch. I definitely see why folks enjoy watching it.

Tennis? I watched an amazing 3rd set from Venus and Sloane a few weeks back but I wouldn't watch for long stretches.

I will be honest though, for me TV is probably at its finest right now. Game of Thrones, Fargo, Snowfall, Greenleaf, Handmaids Tale, Queen Sugar, Ballers, Insecure...

I honestly don't have enough time to watch all these shows but IMO it's been an incredible run for TV the last year or 2.

[Djfan]

Enjoy

http://www.steelernationforums.com/showthread.php?15312-Is-the-NFL-unwatchable-these-days