More Signs Football Has Peaked In Popularity

[Tugg Speedman]

NFL Kickoff Scores 21.8M Viewers, Down Double-Digits From 2016 – Update
http://deadline.com/2017/09/patriots-chiefs-nfl-kickoff-game-ratings-down-nbc-1202163914/

NFL's opening night was a TV ratings disaster
http://nypost.com/2017/09/08/nfls-opening-night-was-a-tv-ratings-disaster/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cmo-today-empty-department-stores-as-marketing-irma-hits-florida-and-nfl-ratings-publishers-weigh-privacy-regulations-1505132289
NFL's kickoff game Thursday night, with 21.8 million people watching the Kansas City Chiefs beat defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, compared with 25.2 million for last year's NFL kickoff game. Some suggest those stats imply viewer appetites for football could be waning, but others say Hurricane Irma could explain the dip, as people opted to keep up-to-date with the catastrophic storm as it hurtled toward Florida, CNN reports. Here's a piece of interesting context, though. ESPN said ratings for Thursday night's U.S. Open women's semifinal were up 33% compared with 2016, suggesting the weather didn't negatively impact viewership of that match too much.

The Uncertain Future of High School Football in America
The country wrestles with how to keep Friday Night Lights alive
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/high-school-football-uncertain-future/?mod=e2tw


The Colin Kaepernick Effect: CBS Study Says Protests Were Factor in NFL Ratings Decline
https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/08/31/colin-kaepernick-nfl-ratings-cbs-study-sean-mcmanus

[Jockey]

Interesting topic. Maybe we should discuss this

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Good

[Benny B]

Likewise, I see no reason to discuss this topic.  It would be like starting a thread to discuss that the sun is hot, or that urinals are not good places to eat lunch, or that Bill Cosby is a sex offender... sure, you might find some people to debate with you, but do you really want to argue with a moron (or someone who doesn't mind a little piss with their fruit cup)?

[Tugg Speedman]

'Tough start' for NFL season — ratings down 13% in Week 1
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tough-start-nfl-season-ratings-13-week-1-145729365.html

Nielsen had to delay its release of the television ratings for Week 1 of the new NFL season due to Hurricane Irma. Now the Week 1 ratings are out—and they aren't good.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Good

[tower912]

C'mon, death spiral.     Without Kaepernick, who will the NFL scapegoat for bad ratings?

[Jockey]

C'mon, death spiral.     Without Kaepernick, who will the NFL scapegoat for bad ratings?

Michael Bennett is killing the NFL

[Tugg Speedman]

C'mon, death spiral.     Without Kaepernick, who will the NFL scapegoat for bad ratings?

From the link above ... Hurricanes and Stephen King!

It's worth noting that on the same NFL opening weekend, the Stephen King clown movie "It" was smashing box office records, which may call into question the notion that the NFL ratings dip is strictly due to people being glued to cable hurricane coverage.

The NFL is the clown movie.

[Tugg Speedman]

The NFL Is Seriously Concerned With Empty Stadiums

http://thebiglead.com/2017/09/13/the-nfl-is-seriously-concerned-with-empty-stadiums/

Second half kick-off of last week's 49er game.

[tower912]

Awesome.  It being San Francisco, I wonder how many are staying away because of how Kaepernick is being treated.

[cheebs09]

I saw some follow up tweets saying the reason that was so empty was due to it being directly in the sun (poor design of the stadium it sounds like) and coming back from halftime. I think it was overstated.

However, the TV ratings are interesting. I'm curious to see if it's a trend. The primetime games have been mostly snoozefests so far.

[GGGG]

I think it's safe to say that NFL is post peak. It's still enormous and may bounce back or level off though.

MLB slipped a generation ago and it's fine. NFL might just be going through the same generational shift.

[brewcity77]

I think it's safe to say that NFL is post peak. It's still enormous and may bounce back or level off though.

Agreed, and it'll be interesting to see where it is in 15-20 years. Seems like a lot of parents are keeping their kids out of it. It'll take time to see a big shift, but as fewer kids grow up in the sport, I imagine the popularity will wane somewhat.

[tower912]

I went to a high school game last night.  Catholic high school, daughter's former school, son's future high school.  Defending state champs, 16-1 over the last two years.  Less than a thousand fans at the game, both teams combined.  The band had more players than either team.

[rocket surgeon]

I went to a high school game last night.  Catholic high school, daughter's former school, son's future high school.  Defending state champs, 16-1 over the last two years.  Less than a thousand fans at the game, both teams combined.  The band had more players than either team.

yeah, but did they stand, raise their fists, or kneel for the national anthem??

[tower912]

A couple of kids on the bench of the Catholic  high school took a knee during the anthem.

[GGGG]

BTW, crowds at both LA games are apparently terrible today.  But USC had a huge crowd in LA just last night.  And there were big crowds at a lot of the college games yesterday.

So is this a "football" thing?  Or an "NFL" thing?

[rocket surgeon]

A couple of kids on the bench of the Catholic  high school took a knee during the anthem.

Dang them prayers

[dgies9156]

The San Francisco photo may be a bit misleading. In Chicago, we have been Bears season ticket holders for 22 years. That's not uncommon here either as the fans either are buying food, going to the bathroom or mistimed their return.

Also, the 49ers and Rams, along with the Bears, Browns and Jets have the five worst teams in the NFL right now. The McCaskeys had an enormous number of empty seats last year in the last three home games. Given where things are going, this year should be no different.

[Herman Cain]

BTW, crowds at both LA games are apparently terrible today.  But USC had a huge crowd in LA just last night.  And there were big crowds at a lot of the college games yesterday.

So is this a "football" thing?  Or an "NFL" thing?

I think it is an NFL thing.

[GGGG]

I think it is an NFL thing.

I think you are correct.

[rocket surgeon]

I think it is an NFL thing.

LA just keeps on trying to drive the square peg thru the round hole.  Hopefully someone is still paying the bills for San Diego county credit union stadium.  The aztecs now play there and that ain't gonna cut it

[GGGG]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/17/redzone_is_the_cause_of_and_solution_to_all_of_the_nfl_s_problems.html

Maybe the NFL needs to move beyond the "two games at noon, one game at 3:30" mode of broadcasting.  There are college games on every network on Saturday.  I can watch whatever one I want.

[jutaw22mu]

The San Francisco photo may be a bit misleading. In Chicago, we have been Bears season ticket holders for 22 years. That's not uncommon here either as the fans either are buying food, going to the bathroom or mistimed their return.

Also, the 49ers and Rams, along with the Bears, Browns and Jets have the five worst teams in the NFL right now. The McCaskeys had an enormous number of empty seats last year in the last three home games. Given where things are going, this year should be no different.

Browns don't have an empty stadium though.  And they are better than the Bengals.