NFL Ratings Down 16% in the Playoffs from a Year Ago

[GimmeTheBall!]

From Outkick the Coverage:

This past weekend the NFL had three very competitive games among its four divisional round playoff contests.

Unfortunately for the league, ratings continued to plummet.

In fact, ratings are plummeting so much that virtually no major media outlets are even talking about ratings at all. It’s almost like the league and its television partners have put out the code red not to acknowledge the collapse in viewership so far in 2018.

...

Adding all these numbers up 120.8 million viewers watched the NFL divisional round playoffs in 2018 vs. 144.1 million who watched in 2017, a decline of 23.3 million total viewers.

That’s an overall viewership decline of over 16%, even steeper than last week’s 13% playoff decline. (Even if you leave out the Packers-Cowboys numbers completely the NFL playoff ratings would have still been down 10.3%).

These playoff numbers weren’t just bad compared to last year either, they hit a ten year low.

Will that change this coming weekend with the AFC and NFC title games? We’ll see. But no matter how you slice it, the NFL ratings, both playoff and regular season, are collapsing in 2018.​

Read the whole thing

Intriguing.
I wonder if millions of fans are now like me:
I didn't intentionally set out to ignore the playoffs. I just did.
I did see the last quarter of one game to cheer the demise (again) of the arrogant Cam Newton. But other than that, I just didn't look forward to the playoffs like last year.
Strange. Seems that many are just unconsciously moving away from the NFL and its largely overpaid and overhyped players....

 

[Jumbo075]

Lol..Blake Bortles vs Case Keemun..clash of the titans! I hope the commercials are good

Ahem. The Titans were eliminated...

 

[okstateCowboy]

In fact 37 of the top 50 rated shows in 2017 were NFL games.

How many of those 37 games were the Cowboys?

 

[Vanilla2]

There was only one way to go after all the record breaking years

 

[rynochop]

There was only one way to go after all the record breaking years

Exactly.. nfl still dwarfs everything else

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I'm looking forward to watching "Heidi".

I support you and all senior citizens!
Thank you for your service!

 

[TheBlackChuckle]

Love it - the respectful American have clapped back

 

[Cas2800]

Go ahead and show those overpaid, arrogant players kneeling for the Superbowl. I guess American took them seriously when the players said "If you don't like it...Don't watch." Dummies forget fans are what pays their big salaries.

 

[Jumbo075]

I support you and all senior citizens!
Thank you for your service!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi_Game

 

[hornitosmonster]

I'm looking forward to watching "Heidi".

Not many will get that reference

 

[Jumbo075]

Go ahead and show those overpaid, arrogant players kneeling for the Superbowl. I guess American took them seriously when the players said "If you don't like it...Don't watch." Dummies forget fans are what pays their big salaries.

Panthers owner getting out at just the right time...

 

[Captain-Crash]

yep and don't forget the anti-american half time show.. can't miss that crap...

 

[big dog cowboy]

This league is in desperate need of some star power...
You know guys like Zeke Elliott, Dak, and Dez...

Instead fans are being fed a healthy dose of Case Keenan, Nick Foles, and Blake Bortles.

At least the owners agreed to pay Goodell another $200 million.

 

[hornitosmonster]

Panthers owner getting out at just the right time...

Selling high is smart

 

[Captain-Crash]

Panthers owner getting out at just the right time...

yep but he said he was going to "keep pounding"..........lol

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

Good. The only enjoyment of the Cowboys becoming irrelevant from a competitive standpoint, is the NFL will falter because of it.

 

[KJJ]

If the league would stop their assault on Dallas they would go up. Also people are tired of the patriots. Go away already.

The Cowboys are sitting home because of the league? Get real!

 

[Soth]

I think the NFL is not that worried because they are still able to negotiate huge TV deals. Streaming hurts the ratings, but it has also made sports more valuable for TV providers. Why do people still get comcast/directv? You can get all the TV shows you want on Amazon and netflix, but if you want to watch the NFL you need cable or one of the more expensive live TV streaming services. Live sports is the one thing most TV providers can't afford to lose.

This is why I think that the NFL is not suffering too terribly from the ratings yet. But at some point it will catch up to them. Even TV deals with providers will start to suffer if ratings continue to decline. I am guessing the NFL thinks the trend will reverse itself.

 

[DakBringMeBack]

Not surprising ratings are down, GB, the Gents, and us were all in the playoffs last year. Big followings.

It's the kneeling and as the article stated...

It’s almost like fans are fed up with the politicization of football.

When they extended Goodell.... I felt like a crook got re-elected. I associate that guy with a lot of bad things. He's a slimeball. It's hard for me to support this league anymore but the Cowboys and football around certain times of the year are all I know.

 

[Bleu Star]

Vikings vs. Jaguars

#15 TV market vs. #47 TV market. I can't wait...

I've got the Vikings vs the Jags with the Jags taking the prize.