The NFL is becoming more disturbing than appealing, and TV viewers are tuning out

[tk13]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...b06_story.html

Excerpts:

The NFL is becoming more disturbing than appealing, and TV viewers are tuning out

By Sally Jenkins Columnist October 31

The NFL’s firm grip on the psyche is based in the fact that it’s the most real, live event on live television. Every game is a character-driven story and a high-speed chase in which the action and the stakes of a collision are genuine. But lately the NFL has seemed formulaic and lacking in a certain kind of authenticity. It’s no great mystery as to why the NFL’s ratings have been dropping: Viewers don’t especially like the stories they’re watching.

The numbers are striking. Through seven weeks, ratings were off for every prime-time incarnation of the NFL: “Sunday Night Football” by 19 percent, “Monday Night Football” by 24 percent and the dreaded Thursday night game by 18 percent. A variety of factors may be contributing to this dive, from the election to so-called “fragmentation” of mass media. But none of the explanations make as much sense as the simplest one: The NFL has put less appealing and more disturbing action on the screen, and viewers are turning it off.

Historian Michael Oriard has observed that the great attraction of the league is that it’s “the true reality TV,” in its most vital form. But the NFL is beginning to seem over-managed and over-staged. Constant commercials and interruptions by refs waving their arms do not produce “appointment viewing;” rather, they produce punts, ties and stasis. Look at the standings: A cluster of 18 teams, indistinguishable save for the colors of their shirts, are at .500 or worse and five more at 4-3. In other words, 23 teams are not must-see-TV to anyone but their most fervent fans. The constant advertisements and hail of yellow flags from overly officious officials make a PBS series seem fast-moving, with a clearer story line.

When rookie quarterback Dak Prescott led the Dallas Cowboys over the Philadelphia Eagles with his touchdown pass to Jason Witten in overtime late Sunday night, it was clear how much animation the league has been missing. But even that terrific game, which had high divisional stakes and featured a bright new star, was crushed in the ratings by Game 5 of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians. It’s the first time since 2011 that a World Series game beat “Sunday Night Football.”

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Obviously, viewers are not finding the NFL as meaningful and important as they have in other seasons. Games on Sunday, Monday and Thursday, plus a handful of overseas trips for novelty games in London, have numbed the viewer. Only a handful of contests this past weekend felt like difference-makers, and those were disrupted by flags. One was between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, which was marred by five penalties in the first 10 minutes. When the Pats led 38-17 in the third quarter, where was the viewer to go? To Jets-Browns? Lions-Texans? Raiders-Buccaneers was close, but that meant suffering through a league-record 23 penalties against the Raiders for 200 yards.

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The NFL ratings malaise is being puzzled over by everyone from media executives to stock analysts, who offer a variety of speculative causes. Everything from fantasy football to Twitter live-streaming to the shorter attention spans and habits of millennials has been cited. But none of these entirely add up. Other sports aren’t suffering precipitous drops; NBA and Major League Baseball ratings have strengthened over the past year.

In looking for a difference, it’s hard to dismiss the coexisting facts that the NFL has ruined the flow of its on-field stories while experiencing a spate of deeply negative stories off the field — most of them self-inflicted and perpetuated, from the Deflategate four-game suspension of Tom Brady, to the spousal abuse case of place kicker Josh Brown. Donald Trump has blamed Colin Kaepernick for dissing the national anthem for the fall in ratings. If that’s a factor, then undoubtedly so are narratives involving concussions and domestic violence.

[carcosa]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

It's a bag of hammers.

oh yes, thank u

[Pasta Little Brioni]

The Broncos killed the NFL right Rain man.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Nzoner

I like to tell people who say this to go to scoresandodds.com one week and write down all the spreads and over/unders and then once the games have finished go back and compare.Some games will have you saying WTF??

I tried explaining this to the Mule Toolers the other day and they didn't seem to grasp it.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by milkman

They have over saturated the market.

Combine that the endless stream of commercials which turns a 60 minute game into a 3 1/2-4 hour marathon, officiating that is as bad as we've ever seen, and growing perception that officiating is slanted in favor of certain teams, people are becoming disenchanted with the product.

This.

[Bowser]

To add to the consensus of opinions here, it's becoming just too ****ing expensive to go to games for the average fan or the fan that hasn't been invested in it for years to come. I think that annoys a ton of people as well, so they tune out.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

The in-game coverage is awful as well. I was watching the Bears MNF game the other night and a Bears defender pressured the QB into a backwards pass that hit the ground. Instead of pursuing the ball the Bears defender celebrated the pressure like an idiot. It was a comical moment and they replayed a one second blip of the backwards pass and not the idiot who was celebrating while a loose ball was bouncing around. There is nothing fun about the NFL anymore, it's all serious business. Plus, it seems any meaningful rivalries have long been killed off due to player movement and salaries.

While it's easy to claim it's their right to do so, and perhaps it has been allowed to become the case, but that's a solid point. Regardless of if they have the right, or if it is right, it's now at the point where loyalty is only from fans to a team.

[Swanman]

One thing that is killing my interest is it sure seems like the number of injuries have skyrocketed in the last several years. Fantasy football is one thing keeping interest high in the NFL but I can see that waning as well since half of your fantasy football team is on IR by week 6. Christ, we even have long injury lists for the opening week of the season, I don't remember that being a thing until very recently.

[Ming the Merciless]

I think the fanduel/draftkings fiasco is what hurt the NFL a little...

The numbers were at all time highs when those 2 places were in full swing...

I'm glad theyre gone....though.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Goodell will run this game into the ground.

Stop Thursday night football and ****ing London regular season games. Stop the subjective nonsense on flags and focus on real penalties. Bite the bullet and pay out on player safety so we aren't forced to watch fifth string rejects at key positions.

It's been said a billion times: Goodell does what the owners want.

[notorious]

I guess receiving a full education with paid food and housing along with a platform to exhibit your skills is "nothing".

This is beyond stupid.

[scho63]

Two keys reasons the NFL is rolling over in ratings:

1. Too many games on too many days have diluted the hell out of it, including the stupid 3 games in London in the morning they steal from fans tailgating for their home teams.

2. The No Fun League and stupid rules for penalties for celebration, what is a catch, and all the other silly crap that is slowing the game down and turning it into 4 hours of interruptions and penalties that have turned so many people off.

I'm in no hurry to watch any other games like I once was.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

I still slightly enjoy the games, but not near as much as before i discovered it was basically the WWE.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Danguardace

Does anyone think the Salary cap is the issue? It feels like the parity is too contrived sometimes.

It also has the reverse effect the teams are so similar that now 1 or 2 individuals nailed down to long contracts + the Franchise Tag (QBs) mean there is imbalance. Basically if you dont have a QB you suck 90% of the time.

Salary cap has made it a no brainer to give maybe three veterans yuge contracts and then fill the rest of the squad with rookies or veterans playing just over the required minimum.

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by scho63

Two keys reasons the NFL is rolling over in ratings:

1. Too many games on too many days have diluted the hell out of it, including the stupid 3 games in London in the morning they steal from fans tailgating for their home teams.

2. The No Fun League and stupid rules for penalties for celebration, what is a catch, and all the other silly crap that is slowing the game down and turning it into 4 hours of interruptions and penalties that have turned so many people off.

I'm in no hurry to watch any other games like I once was.

Mark Cuban made point 1 a few years ago and was basically laughed at. Turns out he is right on if the ratings continue to slide, as I expect they will.

[Danguardace]

Originally Posted by notorious

I guess receiving a full education with paid food and housing along with a platform to exhibit your skills is "nothing".

This is beyond stupid.

Nonsense firstly I said "next to nothing" that is comparative considering CFB is generating billions of dollars through TV, advertising, Gambling a load of people are getting rich off these kids I find attitudes like this stupid. Add to that the money they are generating is used to prop up other collegiate sports that cant make any money. Again exploitation!