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

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

Nightman said:
Those revenues are from TV contracts locked in 4 years ago

The ratings have only been dropping the last 2 seasons but they dropped over 20%

We will see with the next wave of TV deals but even then small increases might replace huge increases

Their is no good way to explain/spin these ratings......the drop-off is real and impactful

The question is will the major nets pony up again with the other issues they're facing from additional competition or will Amazon, Apple, Google or Netflix pick up the shortfall because everything in the NFL is dependent on the rights fees which have insured every owner of a profit before they play a down.

And if the stop downs within the game are the real culprit in viewers losing interest, how will the NFL address that? They tried streamlining the TNF games and that didn't work. I don't think they want to consider that TNF is just a bad idea. Or that MNF has run it's course.

For me it's simple. Too many games and too many stop downs with decreasing attention spans. I would pay an annual fee to have the Cowboys games sans commercials which would eliminate part of the problem. Gimme two games on CBS, FOX and one on NBC just on Sunday's and I am fine and do not have to have that SNF game. Gimme too much trail mix and I'll just pick out the M&M's.

The other issue that the NFL must address is that the officiating is ruining the game. That speaks more to the quality side of it but this past season I saw more phantom calls and blatantly missed calls than ever before. And the NFL is far worse than college in that regard. I even heard Aikman commenting on these phantom calls and he's usually reluctant to do that.

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

diefree666 said:
that is where you fail. those watching other than live tv have options to either fast forward or outright delete commercials. I know a fair number of people who are willing to wait an hour or so and then begin to watch so that they can fast forward past commercials. almost all those alternatives are being used to bypass advertising in various ways.

Count me in that growing number because the DVR is allowing viewers to time shift and still end up at the end of the game at the same time as everyone else so the spoiler issue is gone.

JakeCamp12 · Jan 21, 2018

PA Cowboy Fan said:
All I can say is I hated this NFL season more than any other. Five years ago I was watching games all day Sunday plus MNF. This year it was reduced to just Cowboys games.

This is exactly what I did, my interest in the NFL is at an all time low and I will not watch any games today or the Super Bowl. I will not spend one dollar on NFL merchandise or watch any other games but the Cowboy until Sir Roger is gone. I am voting with my wallet and time.

waldoputty · Jan 21, 2018

JakeCamp12 said:
This is exactly what I did, my interest in the NFL is at an all time low and I will not watch any games today or the Super Bowl. I will not spend one dollar on NFL merchandise or watch any other games but the Cowboy until Sir Roger is gone. I am voting with my wallet and time.

lets hope their ratings drop by 1/3

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

The impact to the NFL has not been felt yet but it is being felt to the underwriters of it. Can they continue to do make goods or issue credit to agencies because guaranteeing points is now the lay of the land and that wasn't always the case. Used to be, the one sure thing in ratings was the NFL and every time they expect a rebound, they don't get it.

Or can the NFL go PPV with their NFLST set up and cover the short fall. Will people pay for what they've been getting for free?

LocimusPrime · Jan 21, 2018

If they change somethings that have to do with societal issues, people will come back.

JDSmith · Jan 21, 2018

CouchCoach said:
The question is will the major nets pony up again with the other issues they're facing from additional competition or will Amazon, Apple, Google or Netflix pick up the shortfall because everything in the NFL is dependent on the rights fees which have insured every owner of a profit before they play a down.

And if the stop downs within the game are the real culprit in viewers losing interest, how will the NFL address that? They tried streamlining the TNF games and that didn't work. I don't think they want to consider that TNF is just a bad idea. Or that MNF has run it's course.

For me it's simple. Too many games and too many stop downs with decreasing attention spans. I would pay an annual fee to have the Cowboys games sans commercials which would eliminate part of the problem. Gimme two games on CBS, FOX and one on NBC just on Sunday's and I am fine and do not have to have that SNF game. Gimme too much trail mix and I'll just pick out the M&M's.

The other issue that the NFL must address is that the officiating is ruining the game. That speaks more to the quality side of it but this past season I saw more phantom calls and blatantly missed calls than ever before. And the NFL is far worse than college in that regard. I even heard Aikman commenting on these phantom calls and he's usually reluctant to do that.

The NFL is in its death throes. The game is FAR too long, but they need the advertising revenue to maintain the pay scale. So unless players are interested in taking a 20 - 30% hit on their pay the league is screwed. Games should not take more than 2 hours. There is an hour of clock time, 10 minutes for halftime and miscellaneous stoppages - a game could easily be streamlined to 90 minutes, but the NFL can't even get below 3 hours because they need to sell advertising so the network makes money on the game. Watching a condensed game on NFL.com (where they only show from the time they line up to the end of each play) only takes 20 - 30 minutes.

And because of the advertising stoppages players have become conditioned to do a lot of nothing all game long. I can't even imagine how play would deteriorate if they actually made them play for an hour rather than have a 4 second play and then stand around for nearly a minute.

The ball is in play for 11 minutes during a broadcast that takes more than 3 hours. That's just not an efficient use of time, and there are far too many other things to do now.

Blackspider214 · Jan 21, 2018

Reality said:
The NFL has to be worried what will happen if the Jaguars win against the Patriots

You really think they are going to allow this to happen? You can call it tin foil or whatever but the refs definitely influence the game to whatever discretion told. Just like it was so convenient Dallas didn't have a offensive hold called in their favor right after Jerry goes after Goodell.

The refs stepped in last week after the Titans went up 7-0 and the Pats looked off. Changed the complexion for the rest of the game.

DIAF · Jan 21, 2018

JDSmith said:
The NFL is in its death throes.

hahahahahahah. no.

Nightman · Jan 21, 2018

CouchCoach said:
The question is will the major nets pony up again with the other issues they're facing from additional competition or will Amazon, Apple, Google or Netflix pick up the shortfall because everything in the NFL is dependent on the rights fees which have insured every owner of a profit before they play a down.

And if the stop downs within the game are the real culprit in viewers losing interest, how will the NFL address that? They tried streamlining the TNF games and that didn't work. I don't think they want to consider that TNF is just a bad idea. Or that MNF has run it's course.

For me it's simple. Too many games and too many stop downs with decreasing attention spans. I would pay an annual fee to have the Cowboys games sans commercials which would eliminate part of the problem. Gimme two games on CBS, FOX and one on NBC just on Sunday's and I am fine and do not have to have that SNF game. Gimme too much trail mix and I'll just pick out the M&M's.

The other issue that the NFL must address is that the officiating is ruining the game. That speaks more to the quality side of it but this past season I saw more phantom calls and blatantly missed calls than ever before. And the NFL is far worse than college in that regard. I even heard Aikman commenting on these phantom calls and he's usually reluctant to do that.

We know it can be done

International and MLS Soccer all play 45 minute halves with no breaks...... also they have not added replay and all the delays and controversy it brings...... every soccer match has bad calls but play goes on

My theory on officiating has always been that they are there to make a call....asking them to be perfect is a fools errand...... just make a call, make the decision and move on...... this system we have today is terrible.........it doesn't get everything right and delays the game and takes all the fun out of TDs and INTs

During the game ads run in banners and on the field there are standups surrounding the fields...the top soccer guys make just as much as the NFL and the franchises are just as valuable, so big money is being made

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

JDSmith said:
The NFL is in its death throes. The game is FAR too long, but they need the advertising revenue to maintain the pay scale. So unless players are interested in taking a 20 - 30% hit on their pay the league is screwed. Games should not take more than 2 hours. There is an hour of clock time, 10 minutes for halftime and miscellaneous stoppages - a game could easily be streamlined to 90 minutes, but the NFL can't even get below 3 hours because they need to sell advertising so the network makes money on the game. Watching a condensed game on NFL.com (where they only show from the time they line up to the end of each play) only takes 20 - 30 minutes.

And because of the advertising stoppages players have become conditioned to do a lot of nothing all game long. I can't even imagine how play would deteriorate if they actually made them play for an hour rather than have a 4 second play and then stand around for nearly a minute.

The ball is in play for 11 minutes during a broadcast that takes more than 3 hours. That's just not an efficient use of time, and there are far too many other things to do now.[/QUOTE]The NFL had the warning shot across their bow but neglected to heed it.

The prime TV money demo is Adults 18-49 but the core of the football audience is Men 18-34. ABC was losing M 18-34 to Turner on wrestling and moved it to ESPN where they cannot get the rate to even cover the expense of the rights fee and production. Of course, it doesn't help that they were paying Gruden 6.5M, which was mind boggling to me. Who in the hell watched MNF to listen to Gruden run his mouth? MNF needs a star of the show?

The real problem for the NFL and their partners is that the business model they created is weakening and in order to strengthen it they have to make sacrifices. I don't see those owners making any sacrifices. That leaves the partners that must be willing to increase their commitment. Might happen if they want to bad enough and if they want to keep the internet big dogs out of the yard.

PA Cowboy Fan · Jan 21, 2018

CouchCoach said:
The impact to the NFL has not been felt yet but it is being felt to the underwriters of it. Can they continue to do make goods or issue credit to agencies because guaranteeing points is now the lay of the land and that wasn't always the case. Used to be, the one sure thing in ratings was the NFL and every time they expect a rebound, they don't get it.

Or can the NFL go PPV with their NFLST set up and cover the short fall. Will people pay for what they've been getting for free?

I woudn't. And I said that years ago. I was a big boxing fan until they went to PPV in the 1980's and I stopped cold turkey. Don't miss it at all and the way I feel about the NFL right now this would be easier.

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

Nightman said:
We know it can be done

International and MLS Soccer all play 45 minute halves with no breaks...... also they have not added replay and all the delays and controversy it brings...... every soccer match has bad calls but play goes on

My theory on officiating has always been that they are there to make a call....asking them to be perfect is a fools errand...... just make a call, make the decision and move on...... this system we have today is terrible.........it doesn't get everything right and delays the game and takes all the fun out of TDs and INTs

During the game ads run in banners and on the field there are standups surrounding the fields...the top soccer guys make just as much as the NFL and the franchises are just as valuable, so big money is being made

Agree, bad calls are a part of every sport where there is the human element involved. This trying to get it "right" is backfiring and just as many calls and reviews are being questioned as before. And for cryin' out loud, take those little red flags away from the coaches.

CouchCoach · Jan 21, 2018

PA Cowboy Fan said:
I woudn't. And I said that years ago. I was a big boxing fan until they went to PPV in the 1980's and I stopped cold turkey. Don't miss it at all and the way I feel about the NFL right now this would be easier.

I think there are a lot more people like you than me. I would pay for the Cowboys games on an annual basis and they could add the East teams for 25% but they would have to cut way back on the commercial content and mini timeouts for the players. But, that isn't going to happen. If they go PPV, they will keep the commercial content about where it is and take the money directly instead of indirectly from the nets.

Subscription NFL would work. HBO grossed 5.4B in 2014 with no ad revenue. But the perception is that we are paying not to have commercials so it gets a little iffy as to could they hit the numbers the nets have been providing with subscription and ad revenue?

But that does not address the real problem the NFL is facing. Young people are not coming into the NFL as they once were and the number of parents refusing to let their kids play is growing rapidly. Without that influx of new fans, the long term prognosis is not good.

Nightman · Jan 21, 2018

CouchCoach said:
Agree, bad calls are a part of every sport where there is the human element involved. This trying to get it "right" is backfiring and just as many calls and reviews are being questioned as before. And for cryin' out loud, take those little red flags away from the coaches.

Any system that depends on the Home Team or TV running a replay on the Jumbotron before the Offense can run a play is ridiculous

khiladi · Jan 21, 2018

Everybody outside New England know the Patriots get favoritism and cheat. Even against the Titans first half, everybody on Twitter was calling out the awful calls that kept the Titans defense on the field the whole time, to be exhausted by the second half.

That being said we are in sports bubble territory economically anyways.. you can only grow so much..

khiladi · Jan 21, 2018

Nightman said:
NBA ratings are way up ......so the cord cutting, streaming, redditt argument is void

It is the protests, the replays, the commercials and the parity

Fantasy and gambling propped it up for awhile but the NFL has peaked ...... it is still a monster for live viewers but it isn't the untouchable arrogant beast it used to be

NBA ratings are taking even worse of a hit that football.

ESPN spinning its numbers while laying off employees in the hundreds..

Nightman · Jan 21, 2018

khiladi said:
NBA ratings are taking even worse of a hit that football.

ESPN spinning its numbers while laying off employees in the hundreds..

NBA ratings are way up

http://adage.com/article/media/nba-ratings/311486/

Of the two NBA media partners, ESPN is showing the greatest year-over-year increases. Through its first 20 games, ESPN's NBA coverage is averaging 1.84 million viewers, up 18 percent versus the 1.56 million viewers it scared up last fall. More to the point, ESPN's NBA telecasts are up 33 percent in the demo, with an average draw a little north of 1 million adults 18-49, or a 0.8 rating.

khiladi · Jan 21, 2018

Nightman said:
NBA ratings are way up

http://adage.com/article/media/nba-ratings/311486/

Of the two NBA media partners, ESPN is showing the greatest year-over-year increases. Through its first 20 games, ESPN's NBA coverage is averaging 1.84 million viewers, up 18 percent versus the 1.56 million viewers it scared up last fall. More to the point, ESPN's NBA telecasts are up 33 percent in the demo, with an average draw a little north of 1 million adults 18-49, or a 0.8 rating.

That’s not a real soample size and that from ESPN itself.

The last two years ratings dropped substantially. If anything these numbers could be argued are a slight rectification of the hammering they’ve been taking,

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/amp....atings-drop-substantially-2016-17-season.html

Nightman · Jan 21, 2018

khiladi said:
That’s not a real soample size and that from ESPN itself.

The last two years ratings dropped substantially. If anything these numbers could be argued are a slight rectification of the hammering they’ve been taking,

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/amp....atings-drop-substantially-2016-17-season.html

that is old as hell

here are current numbers

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2018/01/nba-ratings-warriors-cavs-tnt/

Entering Thursday’s action, the NBA season has averaged 2.10 million viewers across ESPN, ABC and TNT — up 15% from last year (1.83M) and up 6% from two years ago (1.99M).

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

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