ESPN: Anthem protests led poll of reasons viewers tuned out (of the NFL)

[Reality]

Anthem protests led poll of reasons viewers tuned out

The pollster said it asked more than 9,200 people who attended either one football, basketball or hockey game if they tuned into fewer games and why. Twenty-six percent of those who watched fewer games said national anthem protests, some which were led by Colin Kaepernick, were the reason.

After that, 24 percent of those surveyed who said they watched fewer games said they did so either because of the league's off-the-field image issues with domestic violence or with game delays, including penalties.

One in five (20 percent) listed excessive commercials and advertising as a reason, something the NFL is seeking to address by moving around traditional ad blocks.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-protests-no-1-reason-viewers-tuned-nfl-games

 

[Nightman]

We said this last year and we got laughed at....... the NFL is not immune from stepping in it and being too PC

 

[65fastback2plus2]

I tuned in more.

 

[Idgit]

24% is actually a huge number. I never even considered not watching games because one guy is an idiot, so that surprises me.

That said, I'm considering not watching the games if Zeke is suspended for his pre-NFL DV accusation. Is that weird? I don't know if I can do it, anyway, but it's at least crossed my mind.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I tuned in more.

 

[John813]

Interesting.

Commercials are getting annoying. Glad they may have a "fix" for that.

XP: Commercials. Kickoff: commercials. 3 and out: commercials. Timeout: commercials.
5-8 plays and it took 10-15 minutes lol.

 

[Sarge]

I'm in the excessive commercial group. Drives me NUTS.

 

[Trouty]

I'm in the excessive commercial group. Drives me NUTS.

Same here, Sarge. And there's no way around it! Even with Sunday Ticket! Grrr

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Yea my Dad has been a football fan since the 1950's and he boycotted the games last year. I'm not really surprised.

 

[DFWJC]

I'm in the excessive commercial group. Drives me NUTS.

By far the worst thing about it.

 

[DFWJC]

Yea my Dad has been a football fan since the 1950's and he boycotted the games last year. I'm not really surprised.

My father-in-law did too.
The pig socks (and all the overall media coverage over one player) was his final straw

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

My father-in-law did too.
The pig socks (and all the overall media coverage over one player) was his final straw

Well it was getting to me too. There are 32 teams and all the media wanted to talk about was one backup QB.I started boycotting the pre-game shows which I used to love and just watched the games.

The penalties and the officiating is another problem with the league. They better fix it. I don't like all the commercials either but the penalties and bad officiating bother me more.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

24% is actually a huge number. I never even considered not watching games because one guy is an idiot, so that surprises me.

That said, I'm considering not watching the games if Zeke is suspended for his pre-NFL DV accusation. Is that weird? I don't know if I can do it, anyway, but it's at least crossed my mind.

I don't know if I can do that. Boycotting an NFL game isn't hard but boycotting a Cowboy game is something else. lol

 

[Trouty]

I don't know if I can do that. Boycotting an NFL game isn't hard but boycotting a Cowboy game is something else. lol

Touché, PA. Just too much. Take my first born, sure. But ask me to not watch our Boys, **** off!!

 

[Tabascocat]

I'm too weak, could never boycott even if I wanted to

 

[Idgit]

I don't know if I can do that. Boycotting an NFL game isn't hard but boycotting a Cowboy game is something else. lol

It kills me to consider it. And if Zeke gets pinched for something he actually did, I'd feel very different about it. But I just can't stand the thought of him getting suspended for what looks like a false accusation that the police refused to prosecute. I know it won't change anything, obviously, but I'd feel better about it.

 

[punchnjudy]

24% is actually a huge number. I never even considered not watching games because one guy is an idiot, so that surprises me.

That said, I'm considering not watching the games if Zeke is suspended for his pre-NFL DV accusation. Is that weird? I don't know if I can do it, anyway, but it's at least crossed my mind.

Eh, I thought about the same thing but unless you're participating in a Nielsen survey I don't think there's any impact, is there?

 

[Idgit]

Eh, I thought about the same thing but unless you're participating in a Nielsen survey I don't think there's any impact, is there?

None at all, I'm sure. Maybe I'll resort to twitter-bombing the NFL, instead. The thought of playing those suspension games bugs me, though. I'd honestly be ok with Jerry/Jason trotting out backups those weeks, just to protest. Not that that'd ever happen.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

My dislike for the NFL has less to do with commercials and more to do with the overprotection of the QB. That's where generally the worst calls are being made these days. The defense will make a nice stop on an important play that could change the momentum of the game, but the offense is given a freebie with a 'hit the helmet' penalty and come to find out the defender hit the QB in the shoulder pad.

They did cut down on the amount of offensive PI in the game. Schematics is interesting on paper, but in the end fans want to see one athlete beat out the other athlete. Not some schematics that allow the receiver to get wide open where anybody could look great on that play.

I think with the National Anthem nobody in their right mind ever said that Kaepernick didn't have the right to sit out the National Anthem. However, it was the media's portrayal of him and giving him so much attention and then going out of their way to stick up for what he did as being 'good' and never sticking up for law enforcement.

I remember watching Hacksaw Ridge at the movie theater and afterward a total stranger came up to me and said 'after watching that it really burns me when I hear about these athletes refusing to stand for the National Anthem.' I think the stranger made a good point...Desmond Doss couldn't reconcile the idea of killing another man, but instead of protesting his own country he instead found another demonstrate his beliefs because he did love his country. The players that protested have every right to be suspect of our judicial system (even though I may disagree), but they could have found far better ways to preach their beliefs. Instead, they decided to disrespect the flag but still reaped the rewards of being an American citizen (not to forget how much of Kaepernick's views are completely hypocritical).

The fact that the football media did little to defend the flag and did everything to give protesters like Kaepernick the spotlight really hurt the image of the league.





YR

 

[casmith07]

Please. Anthem was 1 guy not all 16 games for 16 weeks.

Commercials. Too fricken many.