NFL to expand to a 7 team post season.

[TDs3nOut]

The 18 to 24 year old demographic for Football has been dropping.

Interesting. I didn't know that. I figured that between watching games on mobile devices and fantasy football it is increasingly popular with all ages. Perhaps I'm wrong about that.

 

[Mondio]

It's changing and fans will complain about the changes. How many fans will stop watching the games, though?

Depends on how far they take it??? I was close to not watching much at all anymore. I'd still tune in to most Packer games, because I do love the team, but I rarely watched any other game. The reason? I hated how they weren't allowing any defense to play.

I was sick of seeing jump balls and bad passes get rewarded because a WR ran straight into a defender or went to push off and the DB grabbed his arm. I think anytime an offensive player initiates contact to push a way, the proper thing to do is grab it

Anyway, this year they started to let them play again. I still have issue with the helmet to helmet, but I'm willing to give it some time to work itself out. Anyway, I watched far more football this year than I have the past 3. I could tell in the preseason that PI was going to be called differently this year and it thankfully was.

But my guess is they don't really care about me with any of their changes if it gains 2 somewhere else. But I don't watch baseball anymore other than if I go to a game, and those are usually minor league games because there are just so many and they mean so little

I can't stand the NBA, or I should say I couldn't. It's been 10 years since i've watched a game other than maybe a part of a playoff series or championship game as I flip thru the channels. I used to watch games every week but then I couldn't ever tell what was officiating and what wasn't anymore and the games, unless a playoff game, were so diluted and of such low quality I'd rather watch college or high school. At least most of them tried from start to finish. But I was so turned off by what I say, I quit watching. But they still make money, so obviously they didn't miss me

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Interesting. I didn't know that. I figured that between watching games on mobile devices and fantasy football it is increasingly popular with all ages. Perhaps I'm wrong about that.

My son 22 and a few of his friends don't watch football at all.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Maybe none that still does not justify taking a perfectly functioning system and weakening it.

The NFL and its teams are businesses. Their objective, at least according to economic theory, is to maximize their value, not to strive for producing "a perfectly functioning system" (unless that means to maximize their monetary value).

 

[Mondio]

The 18 to 24 year old demographic for Football has been dropping.

I didn't know that either, but it can happen. Football isn't the only game in town. They have to be careful about balancing what they've built in their quest for changing the game and gaining new viewers. I grew up a football fan. My grandparents never missed a game, my parents always had it on the radio or TV. We talked a lot of football growing up.

If they lose me as a viewer or people like me by changing too much, who teaches our kids? where does the "new" crop of viewers come in? Sure they can go out and advertise to new ones, but any marketing person will tell you that is a sure way to create a failed business. In creating long standing and healthy businesses, ones that will not just make a lot of money short term with high turnover and expenses, but will make a lot more money long term and continue to generate more just by being there always take care of their existing customers/viewers and let them bring in their new crowd of viewers

The super bowl is a great example. Largest viewed event on tv almost in the world, or is it? I can't remember. They spend a shit load on promotion and trying to gain new viewers and they get them, for that game. Then there's the rest of us that have been brought in by a family member and grew up talking and playing football. We dont' tune in for one game a year or to see some halftime show and our numbers throughout the season dwarf the best super bowl ever in terms of numbers.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

The NFL and its teams are businesses. Their objective, at least according to economic theory, is to maximize their value, not to strive for producing "a perfectly functioning system" (unless that means to maximize their monetary value).

Well that's true, can't really argue that.

 

[Breaker99]

Man this new rule change is really going to help out the seahawks. They are going to get a lot more opportunities to participate in the playoffs.

 

[SonnyCID]

Man this new rule change is really going to help out the seahawks. They are going to get a lot more opportunities to participate in the playoffs.

Please dont divert yet another thread in to one about your favorite team.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I didn't know that either, but it can happen. Football isn't the only game in town. They have to be careful about balancing what they've built in their quest for changing the game and gaining new viewers. I grew up a football fan. My grandparents never missed a game, my parents always had it on the radio or TV. We talked a lot of football growing up.

If they lose me as a viewer or people like me by changing too much, who teaches our kids? where does the "new" crop of viewers come in? Sure they can go out and advertise to new ones, but any marketing person will tell you that is a sure way to create a failed business. In creating long standing and healthy businesses, ones that will not just make a lot of money short term with high turnover and expenses, but will make a lot more money long term and continue to generate more just by being there always take care of their existing customers/viewers and let them bring in their new crowd of viewers

The super bowl is a great example. Largest viewed event on tv almost in the world, or is it? I can't remember. They spend a shit load on promotion and trying to gain new viewers and they get them, for that game. Then there's the rest of us that have been brought in by a family member and grew up talking and playing football. We dont' tune in for one game a year or to see some halftime show and our numbers throughout the season dwarf the best super bowl ever in terms of numbers.

My understanding is that this is a potential threat to the sustained popularity of football, since youth football participation has begun to decline in recent year, due to concern over concussions. In addition to limiting its financial liability to players, I suspect that rules aiming to reduce head trauma are at least in part motivated by the league wanting the public to think that football can be made safer.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

My son 22 and a few of his friends don't watch football at all.

My son is the same age, and rarely watches the NFL...my daughter (24) on the other hand does...I wouldn't worry too much about it yet because there are so many more sports outlets now than there when I was a kid so you're bound to lose some of the demographic.

 

[J-Rod]

Eh, not in favor of it. I personally think six per conference is enough.

 

[Mondio]

My understanding is that this is a potential threat to the sustained popularity of football, since youth football participation has begun to decline in recent year, due to concern over concussions. In addition to limiting its financial liability to players, I suspect that rules aiming to reduce head trauma are at least in part motivated by the league wanting the public to think that football can be made safer.

I think youth football is dumb Get your friends together, grab a football and go find a field to run around in. There, you have youth football. Why parents needed to turn it into yet another form of vicarious living thru 7 year olds and require full uniforms and helmets and standard fields with referees and stands and concessions.

My hope is I can convince enough of any future kids friends and parents into letting them ride their bikes too the park and play. Or in someone's backyard. Enough of turning everything into such a big production. Adults fuck up so much fun for kids these days

We never had youth football, other than the get your friends together and play every chance we could. The first chance we had at putting on pads was 7th grade. I think that is early enough

 

[TDs3nOut]

If anyone is interested, here is a Forbes piece that was published last September, before the NFL settled the class action law suit filed by former players: Think The NFL Is In Decline Because Of Head Trauma Issues? Think Again. - Forbes

I posted it because it speaks to a couple of issues raised in this thread.

Excerpt:
"The league dominates television; it held the first eight spots on the top ten most-watched television programs last year, according to Nielsen, reaching across all demographics: income, political persuasion and, increasingly, gender. The NFL season encompasses the two biggest shopping seasons of the year–back-to-school and Christmas–and also takes place during the fourth quarters of many major American companies.

“There is no greater way for a brand to reach a mass audience these days,” says Marc Ganis, president of the consultancy Sportscorp. “It’s a fragmented world out there everywhere else but the NFL.”"

Another excerpt:
"Corporate America also seems satisfied with the steps Goodell and the NFL have taken, on and off the field, to address the head injury issue. There have been rule changes: Moving kickoffs up 5 yards has increased touchbacks and thus reduced high-speed collisions. This year each game will have two independent neurotrauma experts on the sidelines. And the NFL has started a youth initiative called Heads Up, which teaches proper tackling techniques and educates players, parents and coaches on head trauma. One of the NFL’s partners on this is the National Parent Teacher Association. “We haven’t received any negative feedback,” says Otha Thornton, the organization’s president.
GE's Jeffrey Immelt (left) and NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, at the March 2013 announcement of the joint Head Health Initiative. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)


The NFL is even trying to turn the negative of head trauma into a positive–with more corporate involvement. This year the NFL started its Head Health Initiative, a $60 million partnership with GE that will study head trauma. Under Armour also joined the group.
“Suddenly this became another chance for corporations to ally themselves with the NFL,” says Brian Gordon, who runs the marketing agency Engine Shop. “They look at this as a chance to say, ‘We helped the NFL solve this problem.’”
"

 

[fastforward]

Very happy with this move. I've called for it for years. There's no reason for a #2 team to get a bye. After 65 pre-season games and 256 regular season games the NFL can stretch to 2 more win-or-go-home eliminators which will make sure there's no 11-5 team sitting at home. If you don't want an additional Sunday Night & Monday Night game during Wild-Card Weekend then don't watch it.

 

[NEhomer]

My son 22 and a few of his friends don't watch football at all.

...well he does have a dad with a Tigger avatar!

Mondio, one benefit of youth football is to feed and improve high school teams. More kids playing and starting with a better formal skill set makes a difference...esp in small schools. I do see your point though.

 

[SonnyCID]

I think youth football is dumb Get your friends together, grab a football and go find a field to run around in. There, you have youth football. Why parents needed to turn it into yet another form of vicarious living thru 7 year olds and require full uniforms and helmets and standard fields with referees and stands and concessions.

My hope is I can convince enough of any future kids friends and parents into letting them ride their bikes too the park and play. Or in someone's backyard. Enough of turning everything into such a big production. Adults fuck up so much fun for kids these days

We never had youth football, other than the get your friends together and play every chance we could. The first chance we had at putting on pads was 7th grade. I think that is early enough

I completely agree. When I was a kid I played pw football and I didn't have nearly as much fun as just playing in the field after school with no pads. You're so small and the pads are so bulky it was hard to move and it's not like there was a lot of bone crushing hits to prevent. When I got older and stronger and played JH and HS, I began to appreciate pads and what they can help you do. I think I also learned more about playing football in fields with kids after school than organized ball. It was more fun and competitive really.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I think youth football is dumb Get your friends together, grab a football and go find a field to run around in. There, you have youth football. Why parents needed to turn it into yet another form of vicarious living thru 7 year olds and require full uniforms and helmets and standard fields with referees and stands and concessions.

My hope is I can convince enough of any future kids friends and parents into letting them ride their bikes too the park and play. Or in someone's backyard. Enough of turning everything into such a big production. Adults fuck up so much fun for kids these days

We never had youth football, other than the get your friends together and play every chance we could. The first chance we had at putting on pads was 7th grade. I think that is early enough

We never had youth sports anything actually except maybe church league basketball...most all organized sports started in like 6th or 7th grade.

 

[NEhomer]

Remember in sandlot ball there was always that one kid nobody could catch? My buddy Phil ran circles around us!

 

[Cave_Johnson]

This is completely idiotic. The NFL is the only professional sports league that lets the correct number of teams in. Leave it how it is, no reason to fix something that isn't broken.

 

[CaptainStubing]

Very happy with this move. I've called for it for years. There's no reason for a #2 team to get a bye. After 65 pre-season games and 256 regular season games the NFL can stretch to 2 more win-or-go-home eliminators which will make sure there's no 11-5 team sitting at home. If you don't want an additional Sunday Night & Monday Night game during Wild-Card Weekend then don't watch it.

I think I agree ...... and i would add, quite a bit of the time, a 9 or 10 or 11 win team would be the #7 seed and that's nothing to sneeze at. sometimes an 8-8 team would get in but i wouldn't mind being able to watch a couple of extra playoff games.

this year, the #7 seeds would have been a good 10-6 arizona cardinals and a hot 8-8 steelers team. i wouldn't have minded seeing those 2 teams in january.