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.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by O.city

Is the pace of play that much different than its always been?

No, other than how the replays have slowed it down. Games are still around 3 hours long.

All sports have their pacing drawbacks.

Baseball creeps along

Hockey and soccer have long bouts of play with no scoring.

Basketball has TOO MUCH scoring over too long of a period with an insane amount of time outs. Games are only captivating at the end.

Nascar just goes on and on and on and on.

Golf is perfect to nap to.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by BlackOp

Yep...it's really hard to watch now. After an extra point there are 3 minutes of commercials, then a kick off and another 3 minutes of commercials. By the time it gets going again you've been completely taken out of the flow.

You couple that with the outrageous prices of parking, tickets and concessions....and all the VIP boxes sold to corporations + seat licenses fees. It's not worth $500-$1000 for two people to go.

Then you have horrible officiating and the specter of Vegas influencing games. The head of officiating partying on Jerry Jones's "fun bus". People are tuning out....and they should.

No one bought the "Manning riding off into the sunset" script while being the worst QB in the NFL. They over-played their hand...thinking fans were too stupid to notice. They are trying again with the Raiders hype and their stadium tax fleecing.

They have turned into a "maximize profits by extortion/manipulation" mega-corporation....masked as a sport. Its the snake eating it's own tail....

So, the Raiders getting 23 (accepted) penalties is somehow beneficial to the Raiders?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by O.city

Is the pace of play that much different than its always been?

No, and none of the listed reasons (most of which are valid) are any diff from last year. Nobody is explaining the -24% ratings crash of MNF

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Nobody is explaining the -24% ratings crash of MNF

The matchups are mostly total shit.

Steelers-Redskins - garbage
Rams-49ers - garbage
Eagles-Bears - garbage
Falcons-Saints - decent
Giants-Vikings - decent
Bucs-Panthers - garbage
Jets-Cardinals - garbage
Texans-Broncos - garbage
Vikings-Bears - garbage

I count maybe one or two games on there that would have broad appeal.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by ASS11

The matchups are mostly total shit.

Steelers-Redskins - garbage
Rams-49ers - garbage
Eagles-Bears - garbage
Falcons-Saints - decent
Giants-Vikings - decent
Bucs-Panthers - garbage
Jets-Cardinals - garbage
Texans-Broncos - garbage
Vikings-Bears - garbage

I count maybe one or two games on there that would have broad appeal.

Didn't we used to get awesome divisional matchups on Monday nights?

Chiefs-Broncos or Chiefs-Raiders? Cowboys-Eagles? etc

It seems like they've moved those away from MNF.

[Danguardace]

Originally Posted by ASS11

The matchups are mostly total shit.

Steelers-Redskins - garbage
Rams-49ers - garbage
Eagles-Bears - garbage
Falcons-Saints - decent
Giants-Vikings - decent
Bucs-Panthers - garbage
Jets-Cardinals - garbage
Texans-Broncos - garbage
Vikings-Bears - garbage

I count maybe one or two games on there that would have broad appeal.

Didn't it used to be a thing where you had to have a winning Record/Play-off team to be on MNF?

[Beef Supreme]

It's not a major factor, but let's not forget stupid shit like breast cancer awareness week. How about you take all that money you spend on pink shoes and wristbands and towels and hats and jerseys and a million other things and just donate it to breast cancer research instead. I'm pretty sure everyone is "aware" of breast cancer by now. And billionaires asking the fans to donate is just giving us the middle finger.

[Sofa King]

This explains the lack of football threads and the abundance of poop threads. Not that I'm complaining.

[Sofa King]

We should collectively write a letter to Goodell. Let's do it.

[Danguardace]

I just think the world is changing and things don't stay the same.

NFL ratings are down
Cinema Attendance is down
CD Sales are down, downloads and piracy are up.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

TNF and MNF have been abominations...every damn game.

[Whosurdaddy]

Originally Posted by Danguardace

TBH this is the reason I dont watch College Football as much any more, I see a load of invisible Millionaires and Millionaire coaches whilst these poor kids get next to nothing and are simply exploited. I at least feel happy some guys are getting paid and can support their families in the NFL.

That's totally fair. College football definitely also has this hypocrisy about the have and have nots. That's just on top of the idea that the-- NCAA is making so much money on the backs of unpaid athletes. With all that said, I still think it's fun to watch less talented players run crazy offenses or defensive schemes that wouldn't make it in the Parity of the NFL. I think the kids at least care much more about the wins and losses, even if they aren't as good as NFL athletes.

(At least where I am) They are more fun to go to, they have tradition with multiple heated rivalries, better tailgating, and hotter chicks. I can buy season passes with killer seats in the SEC for me and my fiancé for probably less than two NFL game day experiences. That's my rationale at least.

[Danguardace]

Originally Posted by Whosurdaddy

That's totally fair. College football definitely also has this hypocrisy about the have and have nots.

You nailed it!

Originally Posted by Whosurdaddy

With all that said, I still think it's fun to watch less talented players run crazy offenses or defensive schemes that wouldn't make it in the Parity of the NFL. I think the kids at least care much more about the wins and losses, even if they aren't as good as NFL athletes.

Yes this too, being a coach over here in the UK the schematic side of football will always be of interest to me. I actually follow Coaches and systems more than I do schools.

Originally Posted by Whosurdaddy

(At least where I am) They are more fun to go to, they have tradition with multiple heated rivalries, better tailgating, and hotter chicks. I can buy season passes with killer seats in the SEC for me and my fiancé for probably less than two NFL game day experiences. That's my rationale at least.

And this I love the atmosphere of the games even when watching them on TV.

[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.

[O.city]

Im hoping we get phasing out of the poor coaches and the good ole boys league. It's become a coaching league and the better coaches tend to be at the top. Talent still obviously matters, but so much is done off the field now that I don't think the difference in talent is that large.