NFL Low TV Ratings: It will get worse

[dkmightyhammer]

keep me out of this skeezeks

Holy shit my dad used to call me "skeezeks" . I haven't heard that word for 40 years.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

Well you have the shitty bears without their starting QB vs the mediocre Packers without 6 of their starters tonight. Should be a ratings bonanza!!!!

 

[packerzrule]

Holy shit my dad used to call me "skeezeks" . I haven't heard that word for 40 years.

love that word my grandfather used to call me that

 

[SonnyCID]

Red zone.

Why watch the Browns-Dolphins game when you can follow every game commercial free.

They have to dominate in the morning, especially on the west coast.

 

[tducey]

It's to over saturated. Games 3 days a week now, should go back to 2 with Saturday games once college football ends. Also people are turning more and more away from TV and watching games on their tablets or phones.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

1. Don't show 2 hours of commercial

2. Don't schedule shit prime time games

3. Cut all this TMZ bullshit surrounding the league

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Well you have the shitty bears without their starting QB vs the mediocre Packers without 6 of their starters tonight. Should be a ratings bonanza!!!!

Looks like it was up over Chargers/Bronco's the week before... the best rated show of the evening.


2nd best show across all networks Thursday? NFL pregame (yes the NFL pregame beat out the actual game 5 of the NLCS).

 

[Southieinnc]

The Election is playing a huge role in the ratings.
The election-year drop mirrors that of previous presidential races. “In 2000, during the campaign between George W. Bush and Al Gore, all four NFL broadcast partners suffered year-over-year declines,” according to the league. “Fox was down four percent, CBS was down 10 percent, ABC was down seven percent and ESPN was down 11 percent.”

I didn't watch the Hillary debate
and I didn't watch the Chicago game......

 

[SonnyCID]

Only one debate was on during a game.

 

[The Derski]

Only one debate was on during a game.

The first two were. The last one wasn't.

 

[Wazmankg]

It would also be interesting to see a comparison of College Football TV ratings compared to the NFL TV ratings. If both have decreased it could mean its a problem for the sport as a whole. If just NFL TV ratings are decreasing then its strictly an NFL related problem. Almost all football fans watch the college games on Saturday and the NFL games on Sunday. I don't know anyone who is just a fan of CFB or NFL while not liking the other.

Maybe "not liking the other" is too strong but a lot of people like one and don't care much about the other. I'm one. I'm an NFL guy. Many on this site are CFB fans who aren't as into the pros.

A very hot political season/election year.
Peyton is gone.
Brady missed a month.
Rodgers and the Pack are mediocre so far.
Newton & the Panthers have been meh.
Several bad prime time games.
The refs have become the show in too many games making them unwatchable... and not just with the player protection rules. I've watched at least 2 where it seemed as if they were calling every hold and PI/D hold. Both could be called on every damn play and they seemed determined to do that. Idk what it is but something is up with the officiating this season.

 

[NEhomer]

They need to make more thngs reviewable including non calls late in the game.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

The refs have become the show in too many games making them unwatchable... and not just with the player protection rules. I've watched at least 2 where it seemed as if they were calling every hold and PI/D hold. Both could be called on every damn play and they seemed determined to do that. Idk what it is but something is up with the officiating this season.

I know that seems to be a repetitive thing year to year. Just looking at the numbers... 16.5 penalties per game this year vs. 16.34 per game last year. .49 per play last year, .5 this year. Up from a few years ago clearly at .42 though.

3.36 offensive holds per game this year
3.307 last year

1.075 defensive holds/game this year
1.187 last year

1.40 defensive PI's/game this year
1.007 last year.



Defensive PI is the only one which seems to actually have a measurable uptick, by .33 a game. Maybe it is just more tiring of the penalties of today's NFL than actually a difference this year.

But I think your list really was great, the election for sure, which is known to have that kind of an effect.

 

[SonnyCID]

They need to make more thngs reviewable including non calls late in the game.

I say review everything and change the name to perfectionball.

 

[Manster7588]

I say review everything and change the name to perfectionball.

Yes and then we'll have 5 to 6 hour games, and if some think the viewing is down now, it will drop like a rock if this happens.

 

[SonnyCID]

Yes and then we'll have 5 to 6 hour games, and if some think the viewing is down now, it will drop like a rock if this happens.

Perfectionball games would be more like 10-12 hrs. The teams would run a play, and the refs would spend 15-20 mins evaluating what every single player on the field did.

 

[Manster7588]

Perfectionball games would be more like 10-12 hrs. The teams would run a play, and the refs would spend 15-20 mins evaluating what every single player on the field did.

I believe you're right, I was thinking replays would take 1 to 2 minutes, but to guarantee perfection 25-20 minutes would be the norm.

 

[NEhomer]

A limited number of no call reviews late in the game would not result in 10 hour games drama betches.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

A limited number of no call reviews late in the game would not result in 10 hour games drama betches.

I am good how it is.. I can't remember exactly... maybe the Dallas Detroit non-PI call game, where there was blatant holding not called on a play before that anyways. Maybe something like 3 coaches challenges, nothing off-limits.

I think we are getting some good things though.

XP's were a complete waste of time. Now we have some drama there.

The scheduling is awesome. Especially the divisional games at the end of the year. Seems those last weeks are just amazing when it used to be Sorgi time. lol Plus I think a 4 win Raider team vs. Denver who's trying for a bye week is more competitive than a 4 win ram team with no divisional hatred just wanting to end their year.

O-Line play looks better than early last season




I do wonder what the NFL will do about kickoffs and if that will happen this year. Obviously not working out quite like they wanted with the high short kicks. Not sure if there is a good idea there. Maybe make kickoffs 9 on 9? Less hitting, more emphasis on speed with more field to cover than size and power blocks. Definitely increases desire to put it through the back of the end zone, but would still have opportunities for some wild returns? Or ban them and the stupid commercial break after the touchback.

And what about moving the pro-bowl to the UK? That's really what the players keep saying they like about Hawaii is it's a real vacation. And gives the UK the best (that show up) talent the NFL has for a media week, and maybe they'll enjoy the game like we used to. I still think that is just one non-contact Bridgewater type injury away from being gone for good though.

 

[SEC Official]

It's to over saturated. Games 3 days a week now, should go back to 2 with Saturday games once college football ends. Also people are turning more and more away from TV and watching games on their tablets or phones.

^ this is me. Football use to occupy prime time growing up, and since there wasn't much else on for sports fans each week watching Monday Night Football became a tradition with friends and family. Now a days, I can watch so many other games on-demand... and when i do watch NFL now, I watch the red-zone channel so I am really not committed to one particular game - no idea how they track that - but there is no ad impact for revenue purposes so I guess it is the same as not watching.

Hell, I start watching youtube funny fails and go for hours... or twitch TV and watching people rage at video games. There is just too much shit out there to watch...