N.F.L. Considers Reducing Ads and Length of Games

[Stinger]

As Ratings Plummet, N.F.L. Considers Reducing Ads and Length of Games

By KEN BELSONNOV. 10, 2016


N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Thursday that the league was looking at a variety of ways to shorten game broadcasts, including trimming some advertising, to keep the action moving.

The league has seen its television ratings plunge this season, something that Goodell has said is related to a number of factors, including the intense interest in the presidential election, as well as shifts in the way fans have been watching games.

Though television ratings are down by double digits so far this season, Goodell said that N.F.L. ratings had risen 27 percent in the past decade even as ratings for prime-time television had fallen 36 percent. Speaking on Thursday at the annual DealBook conference hosted by The New York Times, he called this year’s decline “cyclical.”

Goodell noted, though, that the pace of games could also be a factor in the ratings decline. Fans have complained for years that games are too long, and they frequently express annoyance at the number of commercial breaks and video reviews. Last season, the average length of regular-season games, from kickoff to final whistle, was 3 hours 8 minutes, six minutes longer than in 2008.

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Goodell said the league was considering a number of potential solutions to improve the pace of games, including running fewer advertisements and changing when they run. The league is also looking at ways to speed up video reviews by its officials as well as the time it takes referees to announce penalties on the field.

“We want to take as much what we call dead time, non-action out of the game, so that we can make the game more exciting,” Goodell said.

The league has expanded the number of games it plays on Thursday nights and overseas, leading some to speculate that the N.F.L. may be reducing interest in the game. Goodell said he was mindful of that possibility.

“Every game counts, so that makes our inventory incredibly valuable,” he said, adding that the league has to be careful not to saturate the market.

Goodell said he was aware of a surge of complaints that officials were botching calls on the field. He said the league was looking at how best to use technology to improve officiating without slowing down the game. “I was at Giants Stadium in the parking lot last weekend, and I got a lot of feedback from fans,” he said.

Goodell was uncertain how the election of Donald J. Trump — who brought a lawsuit against the league three decades ago — would affect the N.F.L. He noted that Trump favored less regulation, but he said that the primary concern for the league was its ability to reach fans through the media and technology. It was unclear what changes, if any, a Trump administration might make that would affect those industries.



http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/sp...mmercials.html

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Dayze

i would love an option to watch a broadcast w/out the commentary but still hear the crowd and field noise.

the announcers are a large part of what ruins the experience for me. Constantly getting idiots like Wilcotts, Lynch, Cross, Fouts etc. makes me not even want to watch the game at all. and a big reason why I don't, other than Chiefs games.

in fact, I would probably pay like a $50 fee every year to have this option

I watch every game with the sound on Mute

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Addendum to #2 : all games must be on broadcast TV. No more NflNet/ESPN exclusive bullshit.

That will never happen, as the league is driven by money and profit.

Do you really think that the NFL would turn down $2 billion a year for MNF from ESPN?

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Addendum to #2 : all games must be on broadcast TV. No more NflNet/ESPN exclusive bullshit.

Agreed.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by Dayze

i would love an option to watch a broadcast w/out the commentary but still hear the crowd and field noise.

the announcers are a large part of what ruins the experience for me. Constantly getting idiots like Wilcotts, Lynch, Cross, Fouts etc. makes me not even want to watch the game at all. and a big reason why I don't, other than Chiefs games.

in fact, I would probably pay like a $50 fee every year to have this option

A friend of mine has a 60 inch TV (I forget the brand) with a 'sports' mode - it amplifies the crowd noise and brings down the announcers. They are still there, but the crowd noise is higher.

[JD10367]

It's pretty much everything.

Too many TV timeouts.

Too many replays.

Too many boring/bad teams.

Get rid of Thursday night and London.

Get better officiating.

I would even consider shortening the play clock. Do they really need 40 seconds? Even making it 35 seconds would speed things up.

[oldman]

I'd be for getting rid of Thursday night. The only time I watch is when the Chiefs are on. Someone mentioned earlier that there is some player safety concern on those.
Get rid of the break after kickoffs.

[Stinger]

Originally Posted by JD10367

I would even consider shortening the play clock. Do they really need 40 seconds? Even making it 35 seconds would speed things up.

Have you seen Andy try to call a play? 40 seconds is pushing it sometimes.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by JD10367

It's pretty much everything.

Too many TV timeouts.

Too many replays.

Too many boring/bad teams.

Get rid of Thursday night and London.

Get better officiating.

I would even consider shortening the play clock. Do they really need 40 seconds? Even making it 35 seconds would speed things up.

They don't need to speed up the clock, they just need to eliminate other garbage.

The NFL is so far behind the times.

They should triple the number of cameras. One in every pylon and even on on 1st down marker that the guy holds. Then upgrade the replay booth with more monitors,frame-by-frame etc. Instant contact with main office in new york and head of officials.

Stop coddling the refs on the field. The replay booth checks every play during the game and has until the next play starts to decide if something needs reviewed. The called down and stop play and have 120 seconds to make a decision and ask head official if there is any question. Then they call down and tell the ref what to change, if anything.

Almost all of it happens behind the scenes and doesn't slow down game. Similar to college only with the super high tech version because the NFL can afford it.

The NFL should hire a technology crew and programmers to develop software just for the NFL's replay review making it faster and more accurate.

I still the the league should chip the footballs. They can just movement and location software to know exactly where football is and if it hit the ground,broke the endzone plane and a ton of other stuff. Break the infrared technology which would allow the replay booth exam plays that occur with the dogpiles and they can see if chip changes possession etc.

So much could be improved and sped up.

All replays should be handles and completed during a commercial timeout. The should ADD a timeout, it should used a normal timeout.

They should also try a PIP during commercials to let the boring plays happen during a commercial so they don't have to stop play. I don't know if that would work but they could try it and see.

Europeans are used to non-stop soccer and if the NFL ever wants to have a change to expand there they will have to make major change to reduce stoppage of play.

NFL is run like shit, so sloppy.

A bunch of old dudes collecting money instead of pushing forward to improve game.

Let the players celebrate: New rules, nothing rude ... no props other than football ... no longer than 5 seconds.

Make deal with NFLPA next CBA ... NFL fires Goodell and agrees to let NFLPA handle all players disciplinary matters in exchange to NFLPA also handling all player retirement stuff(including medical and insurance stuff)

That makes players handling player and NFL handling business ... the way it should be.

so much other stuff that should be done but i'm all typed out.

[TribalElder]

Just reduce the flags

[Chieftain58]

Let the players celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KS Smitty]

Get rid of commercials after kickoffs. You have a slew of them after a score then you have a kickoff and then another bunch of ads (actually after any change of possession). I also like the idea of 15 minutes of commercials during halftime, I never watch the halftime crap anyway so it just as well be ads. There are way too many ads in televsion period.

[mr. tegu]

They should have cameras on player's helmets so that we can watch from their viewpoints.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Dayze

get rid of the two minute warning for starters.
nearly as meaningless as XP FGs were up until this year.


my absolute favorite is when they return from commercials, cut away to a blimp shot or some other series of nice shots of the city they're in etc, but you can't see any of the shot because there is a huge graphic that takes up the entire screen as they cycle through the sponsors that 'brought you the game'...the same sponsors you just endured full commercials for prior to them returning to the broadcast.

it's like 'wow....neat City...too bad you can't see any of it because of the advertising logos'
lol

cut away from all the dumb shit the players do after making an absolutely routine play. tackle after a gain of 5 yards on 1st down....get up and strut around like you're in a WWE ring....and be sure to keep that camera on them the entire time.

The 2 minute warning is part of the offensive (and defensive) strategy. They even have a 2 minute drill, maybe you've hear of it?

[ClevelandBronco]

If they want the games to be shorter and more exciting, they should consider playing hockey.

[EPodolak]

NFL games are only bearable on a DVR.