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.”

--

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.

--

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.

[Hammock Parties]

Absolutely no one watches, and the media under-covers, every single one of those London games.

Just plain stupid to pitch 10% of your Sunday market into the shitter like that.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by 65TPT

This is who wrote this article.

And she's right, not sure why her picture matters?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

And she's right, not sure why her picture matters?

Well, it's rather sensationalist and a little over the top. The NFL is still doing pretty good. The NFL is a male-dominated and male-aimed sector of the entertainment industry, so a female writer, especially a liberal one (it is the ****ing Washington Post after all) is naturally going to be at least somewhat biased against it.

[prhom]

Like many others, I don't watch a lot of games outside of the Chiefs. However, I do still really look forward to watching those games. To be fair though, it's not like I watch other sports instead. Playoff baseball and hockey will sometimes draw me in for an hour or two, but it's not like I'm tuning out of football games to watch soccer games. For me it's the inconsistency in officiating that makes it seem like a rigged product. Not like the games are totally controlled, but there's enough bias in some games that it really affects the result.

[Nzoner]

But the NFL is beginning to seem over-managed and over-staged.

Beginning to?

[Bewbies]

They've ruined the game for ad dollars and fantasy football. I've watched most of the Chiefs games and that's it.

Even the games I've missed haven't bothered me at all.

[Dartgod]

They can start by getting rid of that London nonsense.

The list is very long after that...

[Hammock Parties]

I have to say though I do still enjoy most of the Sunday games. Carr, Wentz, Prescott, Rodgers, Manning, Ryan, Brady, Stafford, Mariota...any game with any of those QBs I'll stop and watch. Broncos games are still entertaining due to their elite defense.

It's the primetime games where the league is really suffering.

[tooge]

It seems too scripted to me. Golden boy QB's are over protected, officiating seems biased, and star players can't celebrate or be themselves. It's a shell of what it once was for sure.

[dmahurin]

The pacing of the game sucks. Its unbearable to watch anymore. The games are boring. People think baseball is bad with pacing, the NFL is way worse. 7 to 8 seconds of game action followed by 30 seconds of standing around. Repeat a few times. Pause for penalties/injuries/reviews. Commercial. 7 to 8 seconds of action. Commercial. Announcers talk, kick the ball. Commercial. 7 to 8 seconds of game action. Stand around for 30 seconds. Commercial. Repeat. Its awful to watch and not worth anyones time.

[dirk digler]

I don't watch as much football anymore and I agree with everyone on some of the reasons like TNF, London games, commercials, flags etc..

They just need to get back to playing only on Sunday and Monday but I do admit I like the early games so maybe to spice it up have 1 game a week start at 9AM.

Also this may or may not be a popular idea but they need to get rid of the rotating bye week. At the 8 or 9 week mark all teams have a bye. I was looking at the TV schedule last week and there were only 2 3PM's games which IMO is ridiculous.

[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.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by BossChief

The refs swaying games is absolutely a legit factor.

It's completely obvious in some games.

Mostly in games involving the Donkeys, which is why I never watch their games.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

I think the NFL is heavily influenced by crooked officiating

I have a very hard time taking any interest in it now.

I try to watch some of the Chiefs games but don't really care if I miss some or all of it

My feelings exactly.

It would appear that there are different rules, or at least different rules enforcement, depending on the team / QB.

Denver was CONSTANTLY allowed to run illegal picks all of last season.

If Tom Brady take the 2 shots to the head that Alex did on Sunday, someone's getting ejected / suspended and fined.

I've often maintained that the substandard, inconsistent officiating (and Goodell's seemingly inability or desire to do thing about it) would kill interest in the league.

Now, factoring in the Domestic Abuse cases that have come to light, the shedding of light on CTE and former players and the whole National Anthem debacle are accelerating the decline.

Mark Cuban's prediction of the NFL "being gone" in 10 years would seem to be gaining traction.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by ASS11

Absolutely no one watches, and the media under-covers, every single one of those London games.

Just plain stupid to pitch 10% of your Sunday market into the shitter like that.

Goodell seems OBSESSED in getting a franchise over there.

I would argue he has larger concerns that should be focused on.