Can the NFL get too big for its' own good?

[Stymietee]

Not long ago having a break from the NFL helped generate the excitement of an upcoming season. With the advent of social media, year round trumped up marketing events, and attempts to make a violent game safer, kinder and more gentle, I've gotta ask, where's the tipping point, if there ever will be one? How many combines, 5 hour schedule release shows, and other off field attractions will it take, before Joe Public gets its fill and push away from the glutinous NFL table of plenty?

Right now there is no doubt that the NFL is THE behemoth in all of sports. It is envied by every other professional entity vying for the professional sports dollar and has become a multi-multi billion dollar industry. The product vastly watered down mostly because of safety and litigation concerns has underground support mechanisms in video gamers and the unspoken gambling industry saturating its base. Maybe there s no limit on the growth potential of the NFL but one thing is certain, overselling can cheapen the product and turn off a public in constant search for the next new thing elsewhere.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

no

 

[night]

As long as they take those No More commercials off of my television I don't have a problem with the NFL. They're for Ray Rice and Greg Hardy, not for the general public. If the NFL can make a large presence in the European market there is a lot of potential growth in the future though.

 

[leftypower]

Can the NFL get too big for its' own good? IMO - yes, they can. Any time you are top dog there will be those doing everything they can to bring you down. The medical issues, lawyers involvement, social media and ridiculous salaries are all warning signs that something will alter or break up a good thing.

Many of the rule changes (as a result of above) have already 'cheapened' the warrior aspect associated with NFL football. That will likely continue to the point the game as we know it will no longer exist. Hopefully it will take a long time to reach that point.

 

[Across The Field]

This is a really fascinating conversation topic Stymie.

Social media tends to create and heighten interest, but it also tends to kill interest in things anymore. The NFL is definitely no passing fad, but if it became too much, we'd find a way to take it down a few pegs. That has always seemed to be the ebb and flow of popular media in the US, at least for the last decade or so.

Right now it's definitely riding a high, but who knows what could happen in the next decade.

 

[SonnyCID]

Every bubble bursts.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Can the NFL get too big for its' own good? IMO - yes, they can. Any time you are top dog there will be those doing everything they can to bring you down. The medical issues, lawyers involvement, social media and ridiculous salaries are all warning signs that something will alter or break up a good thing.

Many of the rule changes (as a result of above) have already 'cheapened' the warrior aspect associated with NFL football. That will likely continue to the point the game as we know it will no longer exist. Hopefully it will take a long time to reach that point.

Great response. I'm with you. On the medical side I would add that the possibility of children now not playing football. This could effect the future of tge NFL.

 

[gowazzu02]

Weeeellllll the nfl had a really really bad beginning of last year. AP/Rice/Hardy/Goodell..... they handled that ok.

 

[Ojb81]

If/when they remove the kickoff from the game, I'm done.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Weeeellllll the nfl had a really really bad beginning of last year. AP/Rice/Hardy/Goodell..... they handled that ok.

You're probably correct? I didn't even think about that. Combine the poor officiating and other off field issues the NFL can probably overcome anything for the foreseeable future. Just please NFL find a way to get rid of Goofball.

 

[Oldschool739]

They already have IMO and it will someday exhaust itself.....
From Gladiators to boxing to country music, change eventually makes it's root and appeal fade away.....
Change is Not always good !!

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

The NFL has one major problem right now. There aren't enough good QB's in he league. Winston & Mariota are both being overhyped. Neither one of them is anywhere near as good as Andrew Luck. The problem is teams are desparate for a QB. The Chargers should auction Rivers off to the highest bidder if they have to trade him.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not long ago having a break from the NFL helped generate the excitement of an upcoming season. With the advent of social media, year round trumped up marketing events, and attempts to make a violent game safer, kinder and more gentle, I've gotta ask, where's the tipping point, if there ever will be one? How many combines, 5 hour schedule release shows, and other off field attractions will it take, before Joe Public gets its fill and push away from the glutinous NFL table of plenty?

Right now there is no doubt that the NFL is THE behemoth in all of sports. It is envied by every other professional entity vying for the professional sports dollar and has become a multi-multi billion dollar industry. The product vastly watered down mostly because of safety and litigation concerns has underground support mechanisms in video gamers and the unspoken gambling industry saturating its base. Maybe there s no limit on the growth potential of the NFL but one thing is certain, overselling can cheapen the product and turn off a public in constant search for the next new thing elsewhere.

In short...no.

The vast majority of NFL fans are not hardcore as we are...they don't follow the draft, combine, etc...heck...3 yrs ago I didn't follow the draft much.

But...to your point...imo the NFL is getting close to the edge of over doing it...16 games plus playoffs is almost perfect...adding 2 more regular season and expanding playoffs won't kill the golden goose, but it will start to lose some fans if they keep pushing any higher.

 

[PatsFan2003]

Great response. I'm with you. On the medical side I would add that the possibility of children now not playing football. This could effect the future of tge NFL.

Anything is possible. Depends on how much they start monkeying with it to squeeze out every dollar. If the games go pay per view that would do it.

 

[gohusk]

Can the NFL get too big for its' own good? IMO - yes, they can. Any time you are top dog there will be those doing everything they can to bring you down. The medical issues, lawyers involvement, social media and ridiculous salaries are all warning signs that something will alter or break up a good thing.

Many of the rule changes (as a result of above) have already 'cheapened' the warrior aspect associated with NFL football. That will likely continue to the point the game as we know it will no longer exist. Hopefully it will take a long time to reach that point.

Why, because it's a great thing watching guys destroy their lives for everyone else's amusement? The games going to change because it has to change. And what could bring it down is schools cutting football entirely because of the risk of brain trauma.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Why, because it's a great thing watching guys destroy their lives for everyone else's amusement? The games going to change because it has to change. And what could bring it down is schools cutting football entirely because of the risk of brain trauma.

NFL= modern day gladiators...seriously.

imo...the game will change some more...I can see kickoffs going away entirely to reduce collision.

grassroots to hs...yes, I think we're going to see a decline in football participation, but not enough to kill the game.

The big CFB programs have become too reliant on football revenue to fund various other sports programs...that would be too much of a culture change at some schools...particularly down south.

I think the NFL is about 15-20 yrs away from seeing any kind of significant change in status.

 

[TxHeat]

Weeeellllll the nfl had a really really bad beginning of last year. AP/Rice/Hardy/Goodell..... they handled that ok.

was not sure if you were being sarcastic. I'm assuming yes.

 

[leftypower]

Why, because it's a great thing watching guys destroy their lives for everyone else's amusement? The games going to change because it has to change. And what could bring it down is schools cutting football entirely because of the risk of brain trauma.

That type of attitude is exactly what will bring the sport down. No I'm not in favor of seeing a guy get seriously hurt or lose his livelihood (nor are any true fans of the game) - but the game is built to be inherently violent. By now every player, coach, owner, trainer, etc should be well aware of the risks so they have a choice to participate or not. Call it old school or whatever but right, wrong or indifferent the hard 'hits' are part of the game and thus part of the appeal to watch or participate. Take that away and it is less appealing. Improve the equipment, tweak the rules - but do not change the basic principals of a great sport.
For those who believe otherwise, there is always golf, bowling or tennis. ...

 

[gowazzu02]

was not sure if you were being sarcastic. I'm assuming yes.

Actually I was kinda being sarcastic but also not.... they totally botched the handling of all those issues. royally screwed up every decision they had to make..... yet there we were later in the season filling stadiums, watching playoff games at bigger clips then ever before. .....

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

The biggest problem I have with the NFL is quality of play. Their aren't enough good teams in the league. When you know the AFC Championship game is going to be a blowout right after we know the matchup there's a serious problem in terms of talent level in the league.