Football Ratings Are Down

[naginiF]

I think about 95% of the reason ratings are down are due to either long term trends in how people consume entertainment and because the product itself has been sucky. 

As the weather turns bad, and as the playoffs draw closer, my guess is that the ratings will largely be back to near where they were.

Completely correct. 

Singling out one small contributing factor because you don't like it and ignoring the vast majority of contributing factors is short sighted at best.  It would be like deciding buy/sell a stock or part of your portfolio based on one single influence (oh, wait...)

Brew is also correct in pointing out that the playing of the NA is not seen as a political move because JL agrees with it, kneeling during the NA is seen as political because he doesn't agree with it.

[brewcity77]

The anthems make sense in the Olympics, World Cup, or other international competitions. They make no sense in domestic leagues other than as pandering to political agendas and nationalism. But as long as that political statement will be made, citizens have the right to protest said statement.

Not only the right, but if they feel that strongly, they have the political obligation to do so. Kaepernick's protest is far more patriotic than the fascist cries to silence him.

[Pakuni]

Question ... how big do you think this protest will be when the NBA and NCAA starts?  If MU and/or opposing players take a knee during the anthem and the BC crowd boos, is that acceptable?  Both are making a political statement, both have a right to do so.

Booing during the anthem?
How disrespectful.

[Tugg Speedman]

I think about 95% of the reason ratings are down are due to either long term trends in how people consume entertainment and because the product itself has been sucky. 

As the weather turns bad, and as the playoffs draw closer, my guess is that the ratings will largely be back to near where they were.

Was the weather unusually crappy last year?  Because all the comparison of ratings down the first three weeks of this season are compared to the first three weeks of last year.  So they are weather adjusted and they are still down.

[GGGG]

Was the weather unusually crappy last year?  Because all the comparison of ratings down the first three weeks of this season are compared to the first three weeks of last year.  So they are weather adjusted and they are still down.

I guess you decided to ignore the first paragraph. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The national anthem at Blackhawk hockey games is pretty darn cool - particularly in the playoffs.  Also, there have been times in my life (post 9-11 | first gulf war) where I felt like it brought people together.

But I really don't understand the stink about players making a statement.  Those upset should look at the large majority of people in the crowd not paying attention or looking at their phones during the anthem. 

So I guess what i am saying is it seems people are actually less upset about the 'disrespect' and more upset about the 'statement' - which is interesting.

[GGGG]

So I guess what i am saying is it seems people are actually less upset about the 'disrespect' and more upset about the 'statement' - which is interesting.

Right.  Because I can't really figure out who is being "disrespected" through his action.  The flag?  Its an inanimate object.  The country?  I'm sure we'll get over it. 

[Tugg Speedman]

The anthems make sense in the Olympics, World Cup, or other international competitions. They make no sense in domestic leagues other than as pandering to political agendas and nationalism. But as long as that political statement will be made, citizens have the right to protest said statement.

Not only the right, but if they feel that strongly, they have the political obligation to do so. Kaepernick's protest is far more patriotic than the fascist cries to silence him.

Wrong.  You have no right in a private workplace to exercise your freedom of speech.  The NFL is a private workplace.  And the consensus is his protest is hurting the product so the owners of that product need to move to stop it ... just like Howard Schultz did with Starbucks's baristas last year.

[Tugg Speedman]

The national anthem at Blackhawk hockey games is pretty darn cool - particularly in the playoffs.  Also, there have been times in my life (post 9-11 | first gulf war) where I felt like it brought people together.

But I really don't understand the stink about players making a statement.  Those upset should look at the large majority of people in the crowd not paying attention or looking at their phones during the anthem. 

So I guess what i am saying is it seems people are actually less upset about the 'disrespect' and more upset about the 'statement' - which is interesting.

This thread is about TV ratings.  Their have been numerous stories posted that it is believed that this protest is hurting ratings.  They need to address this.

[Tugg Speedman]

Booing during the anthem?
How disrespectful.

If MU players were to hold a similar protest and it can be shown that it is hurting ratings, attendance or revenue for the MU basketball product, what should the administration do about it?

[GGGG]

This thread is about TV ratings.  Their have been numerous stories posted that it is believed that this protest is hurting ratings.  They need to address this.

Not really.  Anything they do will be controversial.  You start punishing players, you create a larger movement and others will stop watching.

The NFL is letting this play out and not turning a small fire into a massive blaze.  Very smart.

[Tugg Speedman]

I guess you decided to ignore the first paragraph.

I think about 95% of the reason ratings are down are due to either long term trends in how people consume entertainment and because the product itself has been sucky.  [/i]

I ignored it because it is an opinion not supported by facts.

[GGGG]

I think about 95% of the reason ratings are down are due to either long term trends in how people consume entertainment and because the product itself has been sucky.  [/i]

I ignored it because it is an opinion not supported by facts.

And your assertions on the topic are well researched and supported by facts?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[Tugg Speedman]

Not really.  Anything they do will be controversial.  You start punishing players, you create a larger movement and others will stop watching.

The NFL is letting this play out and not turning a small fire into a massive blaze.  Very smart.

It is on the cover of TIME this week, not two months ago when it started.  How is this playing out?  It is growing and the largest it has ever been is today.

[Tugg Speedman]

And your assertions on the topic are well researched and supported by facts?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I posted numerous stories that the protest is hurting ratings.  Since this upsets your worldwide you defaulted to the unsupported fact

95% of the reason ratings are down are due to either long term trends in how people consume entertainment and because the product itself has been sucky. 

You say this to make yourself feel better.

[brewcity77]

Wrong.  You have no right in a private workplace to exercise your freedom of speech.  The NFL is a private workplace.  And the consensus is his protest is hurting the product so the owners of that product need to move to stop it ... just like Howard Schultz did with Starbucks's baristas last year.

Wrong. As soon as the NFL makes their political statement of playing the anthem, Kaepernick is at the minimum within his rights and at the maximum morally obligated to protest.

If they want to stop his statement, they can do so by stopping their own. Your Starbucks content is so irrelevant it's laughable. You have a complete disconnect with how to make a comparison.

Starbucks started it by opening up the policy to discuss race. They then ended it by competely discarding said policy. The NFL started this Kaepernick situation by playing the Anthem. They can end it by ceasing the Anthem.

Ending it by trying to sanction Kaepernick would be anti-American. Anyone who agrees that Kaepernick shouldn't be allowed his protest under current circumstances is anti-American.

What's truly ironic here is that Kaepernick is being MORE patriotic in his protest than his critics as they wrap themselves in the flag.

[Blackhat]

I'm sure ratings are really down somewhat.  It was a record breaking year last year, so what is the explanation.  I think one reason is the amount of cord-cutting that is happening among the younger generations and slowly going more mainstream.   It is very easy this day to stream from foreign sites nfl games and cast them to your tv.   I know this is big among college aged kids.   It could be having an impact on numbers.   

[Pakuni]

Wrong.  You have no right in a private workplace to exercise your freedom of speech.  The NFL is a private workplace.  And the consensus is his protest is hurting the product so the owners of that product need to move to stop it ... just like Howard Schultz did with Starbucks's baristas last year.

The consensus? Among whom?

[GGGG]

It is on the cover of TIME this week, not two months ago when it started.  How is this playing out?  It is growing and the largest it has ever been is today.

And if the NFL starts punishing players for kneeling, and half the players respond by kneeling?  It gets even bigger.

[GGGG]

I posted numerous stories that the protest is hurting ratings. 

They are making the assumption that it is hurting ratings.  No facts to back it up.

[bma77]

Here is some data to back it up.  44% of fans say they will stay away from football if protests continue.  Yahoo sports.  That is a large number.







Forbes:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2016/09/23/nfls-tv-ratings-continue-slide-amidst-national-anthem-protests/#5b3ff0394591

[GGGG]

Reading into it, looks like a poll conducted through standard polling techniques too.  Thank you.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wrong.  You have no right in a private workplace to exercise your freedom of speech.  The NFL is a private workplace.  And the consensus is his protest is hurting the product so the owners of that product need to move to stop it ... just like Howard Schultz did with Starbucks's baristas last year.

I see what you are trying to do with the Starbucks comparison. But it is ultimately flawed. First, see Brews response, it's much better than I could write. Second, that was a company initiated policy. This is an employee initiated policy. Third, this has gotten exponentially more attention than the Starbucks thing. It needs to be handled more delicately or it will blow up even bigger.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If MU players were to hold a similar protest and it can be shown that it is hurting ratings, attendance or revenue for the MU basketball product, what should the administration do about it?

Absolutely nothing. I would personally applaud the students for being civilly active but understand the university can't. But if the university shut it down then they betray their students, potentially hurt recruiting/program,  and they also make the protest bigger by making martyrs out of the players. Oh and they piss off all the people who are against censoring the protest. Oh and they also probably piss off the booing alumni later when the team sucks because they kicked players off the team.

[Pakuni]

Forbes:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2016/09/23/nfls-tv-ratings-continue-slide-amidst-national-anthem-protests/#5b3ff0394591

That poll doesn't say what Jesse is claiming.
It says what people claim they would do if the protests continue.
It does not say people, certainly not in any significant numbers, are not watching because of the anthem protests.
And, while ratings are down a bit, they're not down anywhere close to 44 percent, nor can anthem protests by any means be cited as the only legitimate reason for the ratings decline..