HOW BOUT THOSE RATINGS!?

[Kevin Greene]

This is just the results of cord cutting. And people unwilling to give Directv large amounts of cash to watch the game they want. It's so easy to find a stream of whatever game you want now. NFL needs to rethink how they offer their product. Broadcasts ain't it.

[Kevin Greene]

44 minutes ago, Cookie Lyon said:

I agree with you that the NFL is deflecting by blaming the election and natural disasters on declining ratings. They have an excuse for everything. You're also correct that not protecting players and the constant rule changes has played a part in it as well.

So has officiating that is a blatant joke. See Cam Newton beaten and blows to the head as officials allowed the Broncos to take cheap shot after cheap shot during last years' opener.

[tiger7_88]

49 minutes ago, 4Corners said:

"race" and all things associated with race and ethnicity is a ratings superstorm. It's why news mediums from ESPN to WFNZ salivate at the mouth anytime they get an opportunity to talk about it. It gets clicks. Fake news mediums like the two I mentioned above (especially ESPN), will try to spin stuff into a race discussion just based on the viewership and clicks it will generate. 

ESPN has decided to go full-MSNBC and their ratings are dying and they are doing mass lay-offs.

Whistling past the graveyard.

[Montsta]

32 minutes ago, thefuzz said:

IMO...it's not as complicated as many make it.

 

It's just the ebb and flow.  Things get really popular, people consume it at a frantic pace, people over consume, people get a little tired of it, and something else takes it's place.

Businesses do this, economies, nations, etc....

This was me when they introduced peanut butter snickers and the volcano taco from Taco Bell. I consumed both like the fat kid I am, then got tired of both, then they got rid of them and now I'm like when the fug are they going to bring back the volcano taco?

This guy gets it. 

[Cyberjag]

The NFL has allowed itself to become politicized, and not just through Kaepernick.  I think this recent editorial in the Observer says it best:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article171549417.html

A long time ago people talked politics in the Lounge.  I was one of the worst offenders, but back then all the people I argued with would show up on Sunday to the tailgate and we would get together and enjoy what brought us together.  When Jeremy added the Tinderbox I thought about it, but realized that I never came to the Huddle to talk politics, I came here to talk football and have pretty much avoided that forum since.  I rarely even went back to the Lounge, instead I just stayed with what brought me here.

I RAMFB* and am in a couple of clubs with some arch conservative libertarians, hippy dippy flower children, progressives, GOP/Democrat sheep, and who knows what else.  We get together, we ride, and we have beer afterwards.  None of us would normally be friends because of our political beliefs, and I don't think many of us feel like political beliefs are an excuse to ostracize one another.  That's how football used to be.  Until it is again, Generation Butthurt is going to keep injecting politics in it and will ultimately end up killing the NFL.

*Ride Around Making Friends on Bikes

[Hogmolliesmaht]

26 minutes ago, tiger7_88 said:

ESPN has decided to go full-MSNBC and their ratings are dying and they are doing mass lay-offs.

Whistling past the graveyard.

Exactly. People don't watch sports shows or football games to have politics constantly shoved in their faces. No matter which way you lean, you're going to offend half your audience and people are sick of it.

[Yaboychris28]

The average middle class american is getting sick and tired of watching these primadonna millionaires disrespect our nations flag

[Cookie Lyon]

Some of these responses are sad and predictable.

[4Corners]

1 hour ago, ickmule said:

I think you are wrong. Head over to any Facebook thread about the players kneeling and the majority of folks posting are tuning out over this. People need to stop trying to be politically correct and get their heads out of the sand.  Plenty of people are tired of these over paid players disrespecting the flag and the people that lost their lives keeping said players free so they can make the living they do playing with a ball. 

let them tune out then. But PLEASSSEEEEE ask them to stop crying about it. I don't need to hear about it 38 times a day or read about it 679 times on social media that they are not watching the NFL because of a person peacefully exercising their constitutional right of freedom of speech. It's like people who don't watch popular shows like GoT - it's like they go out of their way to tell you they don't watch it. 

There are a ton of bad dudes that play in the NFL (and all of sports). Drug and alcohol abusers, womanizers, men that put their hands on women, guys driving around wasted, etc. If an American, peacefully protesting and drawing attention to a serious problem in this country by kneeling during the national anthem, is the thing that gets you all mad and gets your moral compass moving - then that is your problem to deal with and you are probably too far gone to even has a civil, reasonable discussion with. 

[4Corners]

28 minutes ago, Yaboychris28 said:

The average middle class american is getting sick and tired of watching these primadonna millionaires disrespect our nations flag

Comrade Donald will make it all better. If you don't like it, don't watch and go cry about it on social media. 

[Ace_Aladdin]

Another 15-1 season by Panthers will bring the rating back up 

[4Corners]

Just now, sanjay_rajput said:

Another 15-1 season by Panthers will bring the rating back up 

I read or heard that attendance at NFL games are down. I hate the falcons but what they are doing with concession prices is great and noteworthy. It is so fuging expensive for me to go to an NFL game. 

[4Corners]

1 hour ago, tiger7_88 said:

ESPN has decided to go full-MSNBC and their ratings are dying and they are doing mass lay-offs.

Whistling past the graveyard.

I don't watch MSNBC so I don't understand your reference. But race discussion = CLICKS.

[saX man]

3 minutes ago, 4Corners said:

I read or heard that attendance at NFL games are down. I hate the falcons but what they are doing with concession prices is great and noteworthy. It is so fuging expensive for me to go to an NFL game. 

Ding Ding Ding

Games are expensive with little incentive these days.  Especially when cities are taking the prime tailgating spots away with another mixed-use mid-rise and concession prices are absurd as Del Mar's for a horse race.     

On top of it, there is a general football fatigue in this country.  It's been a staple of the social zeitgeist and I feel it's lost an edge to a degree for a variety of reasons.  A lot of it has to do with the game has evolved with stoppage time, oversaturation, and also, just trends in general.