News: Sunday Night Football takes big hit in ratings

[Parcells4Life]

Big question is what are the subscription numbers for NFL Sunday Ticket? With every provider getting red zone I doubt it’s as valuable as it once was and I don’t even watch Red Zone since the Zeke suspension and because the noon games are generally meaningless.

They put the load of bad games early and then feature the good ones in the 3:00 window but then there’s no need for Red Zone since it’s already on national broadcast.

Given by Week 10 half the league is either garbage or obviously not good enough to win a super bowl why watch games that aren’t your team?

 

[HungryLion]

I don't buy that for a second. There are easily 3-4 times as many college games on each weekend. You never hear of anyone saying there are too many college games on.

The NFL is giving me 6 games to watch each weekend out of 16. That's over saturation? Nope.

NFL football is over saturated.

It’s not the only issue, but it’s one of them.

You have 3 game slots on Sundays. 1pm, 4pm and Sunday night. Plus one of those slots is split between two networks.

Then you have Monday night and Thursday night. That’s is 5 game slots a week. At 3 hours per game that is 15 hours per Week.

Also during the stupid London games you have an additional game slot that starts at like 10am ET.

Plus you have college football and other sport to watch. You use that as a defense of your point but I think it goes hand in hand with over saturation.

Years ago, watching your weekly NFL game was an event. It was something you looked forward to all week and when the game was on, all eyes were on it. It was practically an entire day event.

Nowadays, people don’t have the time to watch games all day Sunday, Monday night and Thursday nights.

And for those that do have the time, there are so many other options to choose from. With Netflix and Hulu and streaming movies and TV shows. People can basically watch whatever they want, whenever they want to watch it.

There is FAR more competition for viewing eyes than there was even a decade ago. Why watch the Broncos vs Colts on Thursday night or some
Crappy game on a Sunday afternoon when I can stream pretty much any show or movie that I want?


Again, it’s not the only problem, but it’s one of them. The truth is, the NFL isn’t the only show in town anymore. And having it on all the time doesn’t help either.

 

[diefree666]

Verizon just re'upd for 2.5B over 5 year deal with the NFL. Story of the NFL's demise are greatly exaggerated.

Ratings are down as there are more and more ways to watch games and currently the only way to track viewers is through nielsen boxes.

I know everyone wants to crap on the NFL because it makes them feel better about what is probably a lost Cowboys season but it doesn't stand up to reality of league economics.

so are you a paid shill for the NFL or do you do it for free? Ignoring reality gets you nowhere.

 

[DallasDomination]

I haven't watched other games since week 4. After all the b.s. I will only watch cowboys games and I'm sticking by that. Won't even flip the channel.

 

[iceberg]

wouldn't it be great if they just designated Sunday Night Football as the Dallas Cowboys game. GIve up Thanksgiving for it. Play every Sunday night the whole season.

hell no - i'd never see a full game anymore.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/fin...tests-will-lead-to-account-suspension.388211/

If you got benched...read the link.

 

[Reality]

I posted this before in the Drama Zone, but reposting it here without the extra stuff ..

I think there are many reasons why the NFL is struggling to maintain its viewership and pointing to any specific one as the largest impact is not being very realistic. I can list many reasons off the top of my head why fewer people are watching the NFL (in no particular order) ..

• The quality of the NFL in terms of product (team competitiveness) has declined with many teams in perpetual "rebuild" mode.
• The lack of young superstar quarterbacks to replace the retiring superstar quarterbacks. Yes, there are good young quarterbacks, but none of them are proving to be superstar level beyond 1-2 years, and even then, just being good does not mean "superstar". Maybe Prescott, Wentz, Goff, Watson, etc. will turn into the Bradys, Mannings, and Rodgers of tomorrow, but for now, they are just good quarterbacks.
• A lot more TV options on Sundays than in the past. Netflix and other streaming services are now available 24/7 which means a Sunday afternoon can be dominated by non-NFL/sports media consumption. In the past, NFL fans controlled their TVs on NFL Sunday afternoons because there was really nothing else on worthy of watching beyond old movies, TV show reruns and documentaries. Now, there's plenty to watch whenever you want.
• Fewer people are going to church these days which is impacting the ritual of going to church, eating Sunday lunch and football for the rest of the day.
• Having more games on TV every week by adding Thursday games has diluted the uniqueness of NFL games.
• Having Monday night games on a paid-for TV channel (ESPN) as more and more people cut the cord from cable and satellite TV services.
• Showing half of Thursday night games on a paid-for TV channel (NFL Network) as more and more people cut the cord from cable and satellite TV services.
• MLB teams with long standing histories and huge fan followings such as the Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, etc. fighting for and making the post season in baseball.
• The rising costs of NFL game tickets increasing each year for most teams.
• The rising costs of NFL merchandise increasing each year for most teams.
• The rising cost of NFL Sunday Ticket increasing each year.
• The NFL turning into criminal prosecutors by going after popular players year after year, month after month, in court.
• The quality of refereeing in the NFL continuing to decline despite mistakes that are clearly identified by fans and sports commentators with HD TV and high frame rate video.
• The lack of consistent penalty calling and enforcement depending on which team of referees you get, while fans being told the right call was made, and then the opposite ruling is made the next week and again said to be correct.
• Constant changes to the game by the NFL to make it more competitive such as shorter kickoffs, longer extra points, new overtime rules, etc. moves the game further away from the one most grew up watching.
• The constant effort to make the game safer for players at the expense of removing hard hits causing fewer turn overs and game changing plays.
• The increased protection of players who may or may not have suffered concussions helping to remove more and more players from games.

.. and those are just the ones I thought of while writing this.

Before someone chimes in with their agenda flag waving like mad, I listed these as objectively as I could. Most of them have had no impact on my NFL my viewing habits. These are just things I have heard people complaining about either in conversations or throughout the internet and while one or two may not be enough to impact someone's viewing habits, I am sure the more boxes that get checked on this list will eventually start to make that impact for many people and likely already have.

 

[Tass]

Years ago, watching your weekly NFL game was an event. It was something you looked forward to all week and when the game was on, all eyes were on it. It was practically an entire day event.

That's still how it is for me because the Cowboys are the only team I want to watch.

 

[CapnCook]

Verizon just re'upd for 2.5B over 5 year deal with the NFL. Story of the NFL's demise are greatly exaggerated.

Ratings are down as there are more and more ways to watch games and currently the only way to track viewers is through nielsen boxes.

I know everyone wants to crap on the NFL because it makes them feel better about what is probably a lost Cowboys season but it doesn't stand up to reality of league economics.

Your explanation for ratings decline is a valid one. And I would imagine that is the largest contributor. But something is still broken.

There are still too many people who are experiencing their own decline in interest. I see it throughout all fans. I know this is anecdotal, but almost every single fan I come across, whether it be friends, family, or acquaintances, .fellow forum members in all forums, and article commentators, they are all experiencing their own apathy towards the league.

 

[IheartRomo]

Rust?

Unfortunately my 4 letter options were limited so I had to improvise.

 

[big dog cowboy]

NFL football is over saturated.

At 3 hours per game that is 15 hours per Week. having it on all the time doesn’t help either.

15 hours a week is oversaturation? That's nothing. Especially given the crappy games which are shown that no one cares about. Last night was a perfect example. You use the total number of hours as prove of oversaturation, but you really can't even count those 3 from last night because so few watched.

There are 16 games a week. 6 are shown on tv. That's only 37.5% of the games Saying it's on all the time is simply weak. Every week the NFL is only shown 9% of the total time. My local news is on far far more than that.

 

[cowboyblue22]

I posted this before in the Drama Zone, but reposting it here without the extra stuff ..

I think there are many reasons why the NFL is struggling to maintain its viewership and pointing to any specific one as the largest impact is not being very realistic. I can list many reasons off the top of my head why fewer people are watching the NFL (in no particular order) ..

• The quality of the NFL in terms of product (team competitiveness) has declined with many teams in perpetual "rebuild" mode.
• The lack of young superstar quarterbacks to replace the retiring superstar quarterbacks. Yes, there are good young quarterbacks, but none of them are proving to be superstar level beyond 1-2 years, and even then, just being good does not mean "superstar". Maybe Prescott, Wentz, Goff, Watson, etc. will turn into the Bradys, Mannings, and Rodgers of tomorrow, but for now, they are just good quarterbacks.
• A lot more TV options on Sundays than in the past. Netflix and other streaming services are now available 24/7 which means a Sunday afternoon can be dominated by non-NFL/sports media consumption. In the past, NFL fans controlled their TVs on NFL Sunday afternoons because there was really nothing else on worthy of watching beyond old movies, TV show reruns and documentaries. Now, there's plenty to watch whenever you want.
• Fewer people are going to church these days which is impacting the ritual of going to church, eating Sunday lunch and football for the rest of the day.
• Having more games on TV every week by adding Thursday games has diluted the uniqueness of NFL games.
• Having Monday night games on a paid-for TV channel (ESPN) as more and more people cut the cord from cable and satellite TV services.
• Showing half of Thursday night games on a paid-for TV channel (NFL Network) as more and more people cut the cord from cable and satellite TV services.
• MLB teams with long standing histories and huge fan followings such as the Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, etc. fighting for and making the post season in baseball.
• The rising costs of NFL game tickets increasing each year for most teams.
• The rising costs of NFL merchandise increasing each year for most teams.
• The rising cost of NFL Sunday Ticket increasing each year.
• The NFL turning into criminal prosecutors by going after popular players year after year, month after month, in court.
• The quality of refereeing in the NFL continuing to decline despite mistakes that are clearly identified by fans and sports commentators with HD TV and high frame rate video.
• The lack of consistent penalty calling and enforcement depending on which team of referees you get, while fans being told the right call was made, and then the opposite ruling is made the next week and again said to be correct.
• Constant changes to the game by the NFL to make it more competitive such as shorter kickoffs, longer extra points, new overtime rules, etc. moves the game further away from the one most grew up watching.
• The constant effort to make the game safer for players at the expense of removing hard hits causing fewer turn overs and game changing plays.
• The increased protection of players who may or may not have suffered concussions helping to remove more and more players from games.

.. and those are just the ones I thought of while writing this.

Before someone chimes in with their agenda flag waving like mad, I listed these as objectively as I could. Most of them have had no impact on my NFL my viewing habits. These are just things I have heard people complaining about either in conversations or throughout the internet and while one or two may not be enough to impact someone's viewing habits, I am sure the more boxes that get checked on this list will eventually start to make that impact for many people and likely already have.

spot on post hit the nail on the head

 

[LocimusPrime]

Let's all ignore the elephant in the room here.

Yes that which cannot be named.

 

[ksadler1]

Sarcasm?

If I wasn't being sarcastic, I'd deserve a lifetime ban from this board.....

 

[Floatyworm]

The NFL has become the WWE.....it's fixed garbage. And the league can't figure out why people aren't eating it up?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

There was a boycott organized 4 weeks ago and NFL ratings improved anyway. The NFL salary cap projection was just announced and it is a 6% increase.

People may be dissatisfied with the product but the NFL is not going to give the players 6% more money for public credibility. They are saying the NFL made 6% more money over the year before and they continue to beat GDP growth.

And of course Cowboys attendance has increased.

https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-co...ce-up-this-season-despite-struggles-112224797

Ticket sales are a drop in the bucket compared to the $8b the NFL gets annually from media outlets and they just signed a massive new deal.

 

[MonsterD]

age 10 to 25 is a powerful sector and will eventually drive the economics of sports entertainment. Cognitive, Cloud9, Epsilon, Envy, Luminosity, Fnatic. If you recognize these, you know what I'm saying.

E-sports? Seriously? You think E-sports is eating into physical ball sports? Why wouldn't they be able to like both types of sports?

 

[DFWJC]

Even Thanksgiving Day NFL ratings were way down.

 

[DallasEast]

Big question is what are the subscription numbers for NFL Sunday Ticket? With every provider getting red zone I doubt it’s as valuable as it once was and I don’t even watch Red Zone since the Zeke suspension and because the noon games are generally meaningless.

They put the load of bad games early and then feature the good ones in the 3:00 window but then there’s no need for Red Zone since it’s already on national broadcast.

Given by Week 10 half the league is either garbage or obviously not good enough to win a super bowl why watch games that aren’t your team?

I could not locate the information in about a half-dozen ATT financial documents on the Directv site but did find this nugget during a Google search:

"DirecTV does not disclose its Sunday Ticket subscriber numbers, but Bloomberg has estimated as many as 10% of the satellite TV provider's 20.8 million customers subscribe to it. "

So the numbers (if accurate) may be approximately 2 million subscribers (per September 2017 article).

 

[Nightman]

15 hours a week is oversaturation? That's nothing. Especially given the crappy games which are shown that no one cares about. Last night was a perfect example. You use the total number of hours as prove of oversaturation, but you really can't even count those 3 from last night because so few watched.

There are 16 games a week. 6 are shown on tv. That's only 37.5% of the games Saying it's on all the time is simply weak. Every week the NFL is only shown 9% of the total time. My local news is on far far more than that.

I never understood the over-saturated theory

It used to be 3 games max on Sunday.....1pm NFC, 1pm AFC and 4pm AFC/NFC.... then Monday Night

Now they added Sunday Night and Thursday Night..... how does that turn off viewers.... I watch almost every game over other stuff on TV...... if I don't watch on Thurs or Sun that is just scheduling, not that my appetite has satiated