TV Ratings decline

[gjkoeppen]

The issue for the NFL is the next contract and this drop will be used by the nets in the negotiation. The real question is what other entity is out there that would compete with the TV nets for the games? Amazon, Apple, Disney and Netflix have huge pockets. Just don't know how interested they are in running live sports

The league would be domed for sure if they decided to have the bulk of or all of the games on a platform where the viewers would have to pay additional costs just to watch their team. All of those companies you listed not only does it take cable or a dish but additional cost to then get those companies. Now the bulk of the games all the viewer needs is an antenna to see them. I just bought a new TV about 4 months ago and Target threw in an antenna for free. I already had an antenna so I put that one on the smaller TV I have on my desk so I can watch while on my computer.
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[ScipioCowboy]

I don’t think it has anything to do with what we can’t talk about it. It’s a steady decline in the quality of the product that begins with officiating. Rules seem hopelessly subjective and arbitrarily enforced. It’s been a major issue since the Dez non-catch in the Green Bay playoff game. Viewers don’t trust what they see.

And then there’s “parity.” It was supposed to expand the number of teams capable of winning the whole thing ever year. But it’s done the opposite. There’s more turnover in playoff teams from season to season, but the teams who advance far are usually the same. And those teams always seem to be on the good side of subjective and arbitrary calls.

 

[blueblood70]

For every browns-ravens great game, there’s 10 snoozers like jets vs anyone, jags vs Texans....and hate to say it, but most of the games our Cowboys have thrown out this year have been just bad football. IMO, the NFL was waaaaay better when there were less teams. 24 is probably about right instead of 32.

I’m always going to watch the Cowboys cuz I’m a lifelong fan, but lots of casual Cowboys and NFL fans aren’t that interested in watching a bad football game when there are 150 other choices available for their entertainment. It’s not like 1980, when there were 5 channels available.

My 3 sons, all now in their 30s, grew up watching the Cowboys every week with their old man. These days, they consider the Cowboys a complete joke. My youngest son, now 33, says he last watched a Cowboys game wall to wall in 2009. My older two sons, 35 and 37, are both huge Dallas Mavericks fans. They were in 5th and 7th grade respectively the last time the Cowboys won a divisional playoff game. They are huge Dallas sports fans, but gave up on the Jones boys years ago.

well if you are talking offensive big score battles the DC proved the first 4-5 games of that i know it felt different but we took the browns to the end in a shootout..i get your point

 

[gjkoeppen]

For every browns-ravens great game, there’s 10 snoozers like jets vs anyone, jags vs Texans....and hate to say it, but most of the games our Cowboys have thrown out this year have been just bad football. IMO, the NFL was waaaaay better when there were less teams. 24 is probably about right instead of 32.

I’m always going to watch the Cowboys cuz I’m a lifelong fan, but lots of casual Cowboys and NFL fans aren’t that interested in watching a bad football game when there are 150 other choices available for their entertainment. It’s not like 1980, when there were 5 channels available.

My 3 sons, all now in their 30s, grew up watching the Cowboys every week with their old man. These days, they consider the Cowboys a complete joke. My youngest son, now 33, says he last watched a Cowboys game wall to wall in 2009. My older two sons, 35 and 37, are both huge Dallas Mavericks fans. They were in 5th and 7th grade respectively the last time the Cowboys won a divisional playoff game. They are huge Dallas sports fans, but gave up on the Jones boys years ago.

All you've done is explain that your boys are casual or fair weather fans at best. I now live in Green Bay and I have a friend, well someone I see during happy hour, that was born and raided in Green Bay who has been a Cowboys fan since he was a little kid. He's about 35 now and when he's there and when we talk about the Cowboys or if he to is wearing a Cowboys cap the other people really get down on him asking how does someone born in Green Bay become a Cowboys fan and not be a packers fan. Before I had the means to watch all of the Cowboys games there was a sports bar that had the NFL ticket and I would go there to watch games when they weren't shown locally and every week there were 20-25 Cowboys fans there of all different ages. I still see some of them and they're still watching games.
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[Lutonio]

I don’t think it has anything to do with what we can’t talk about it. It’s a steady decline in the quality of the product that begins with officiating. Rules seem hopelessly subjective and arbitrarily enforced. It’s been a major issue since the Dez non-catch in the Green Bay playoff game. Viewers don’t trust what they see.

And then there’s “parity.” It was supposed to expand the number of teams capable of winning the whole thing ever year. But it’s done the opposite. There’s more turnover in playoff teams from season to season, but the teams who advance far are usually the same. And those teams always seem to be on the good side of subjective and arbitrary calls.

The Saints vs Rams non PI was probably even worse. Then they added PI challenge, and the officials were too stubborn to overturn calls that were obviously incorrect.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Meanwhile E-Sports is seeing more growth.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Actually Pres election years have impacted viewership for several decades.

That holds no water. If declines were only during this year, I might agree there but the declines are systemic. They don't support the idea that it's election related, even thou the election may have contributed to the numberss.

 

[CouchCoach]

The league would be domed for sure if they decided to have the bulk of or all of the games on a platform where the viewers would have to pay additional costs just to watch their team. All of those companies you listed not only does it take cable or a dish but additional cost to then get those companies. Now the bulk of the games all the viewer needs is an antenna to see them. I just bought a new TV about 4 months ago and Target threw in an antenna for free. I already had an antenna so I put that one on the smaller TV I have on my desk so I can watch while on my computer.
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That is a valid point. As of 10 years ago when the digital conversion was taking place, 18% of all homes with a TV were terrestrial signal.

 

[jterrell]

It's also worth noting the NFL has been pretty bad this year. The lack of any pre-season or real practice has produced a pretty ugly product with a ton of front line starters out. Not much fun watching Ben DiNucci types. That can't help viewership but again any other sport in this pandemic would cry tears of joy at this viewership retention. Hockey was down like 75%, NBA like 25%.

 

[Diehardblues]

That holds no water. If declines were only during this year, I might agree there but the declines are systemic. They don't support the idea that it's election related, even thou the election may have contributed to the numberss.

Ratings were down in 2016 election as well. It’s obviously a contributing factor not the sole cause.

 

[jterrell]

The issue for the NFL is the next contract and this drop will be used by the nets in the negotiation. The real question is what other entity is out there that would compete with the TV nets for the games? Amazon, Apple, Disney and Netflix have huge pockets. Just don't know how interested they are in running live sports

The NFL's next contract will be insanely high because they will bundle streaming rights with TV.
Right now they sell to networks who sale to Cable/SAT companies.
In next round the rights will go to folks who can directly market to customers and also sell to cable/sat as a 2nd tier of revenue.

For instance Disney/ESPN will most definitely push games to it's app. NBC with Peacock and CBS, Fox and others.
They've got to outbid Amazon Prime/Netflix and others for that chance though.
More comp means more money to be made, more ways to divide up the pie.

No serious executive is going to use Pandemic numbers as a baseline and be taken seriously. The NFL would just walk out and go to the next bidder

 

[Diehardblues]

It's also worth noting the NFL has been pretty bad this year. The lack of any pre-season or real practice has produced a pretty ugly product with a ton of front line starters out. Not much fun watching Ben DiNucci types. That can't help viewership but again any other sport in this pandemic would cry tears of joy at this viewership retention. Hockey was down like 75%, NBA like 25%.

Right . All TV viewership is down except cable news has record increases with elections and pandemic. This isn’t a NFL issue.

 

[csirl]

Some random thoughts on this subject.

A lot of people are now watching via the NFL gamepass streaming service. Dropping US network does not mean less people are watching. Gamepass also gives the NFL extra revenue.

The international audience is growing significantly. NFL is now mainstream in Europe and Asia with a lot of coverage on both sports channels and regular news bulletins. 10 years ago it was a niche minority sport. Even a small percentage of the global audience more than makes up for any decline in US viewers .

US networks show way too many commercials. Games broadcast in Europe have less commercials and go to the studio analysts during US breaks. This isnt just a sports issue - US networks show commercials with short breaks for the programs! In the era of streaming, netflix etc. this is a very poor strategy.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Ratings were down in 2016 election as well. It’s obviously a contributing factor not the sole cause.

Perhaps it is obvious to you but the data does not support the conclusion you present IMO.

 

[Diehardblues]

Perhaps it is obvious to you but the data does not support the conclusion you present IMO.

This article would directly dispute your claim sir.


“The 2020 presidential election and other national news events are driving substantial consumption of cable news, taking meaningful share of audience from all other programming,” Rolapp wrote, via Ourand. “Historically, NFL viewership has declined in each of the past six presidential elections.”

NFL ratings took a major hit during the 2016 election, with a 14-percent drop. After the election, the numbers were flat in comparison to the prior year.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...-told-teams-not-to-worry-about-lower-ratings/

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

This article would directly dispute your claim sir.


“The 2020 presidential election and other national news events are driving substantial consumption of cable news, taking meaningful share of audience from all other programming,” Rolapp wrote, via Ourand. “Historically, NFL viewership has declined in each of the past six presidential elections.”

NFL ratings took a major hit during the 2016 election, with a 14-percent drop. After the election, the numbers were flat in comparison to the prior year.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...-told-teams-not-to-worry-about-lower-ratings/

I'm sure they think it would but it doesn't.

 

[iceberg]

Nobody watches live tv anymore. It has nothing to do with politics or whatever crap people with questionable agendas want to believe so bad.


We’re in the Netflix era

you may be.

it's the politics for me. i've not watched more than 10 minutes of football all season.

 

[big dog cowboy]

No serious executive is going to use Pandemic numbers as a baseline and be taken seriously. The NFL would just walk out and go to the next bidder

Exactly.

 

[gjkoeppen]

The NFL's next contract will be insanely high because they will bundle streaming rights with TV.
Right now they sell to networks who sale to Cable/SAT companies.
In next round the rights will go to folks who can directly market to customers and also sell to cable/sat as a 2nd tier of revenue.

For instance Disney/ESPN will most definitely push games to it's app. NBC with Peacock and CBS, Fox and others.
They've got to outbid Amazon Prime/Netflix and others for that chance though.
More comp means more money to be made, more ways to divide up the pie.

No serious executive is going to use Pandemic numbers as a baseline and be taken seriously. The NFL would just walk out and go to the next bidder

This is foolishness. If they NFL gives the bulk of the games to some pay service they know that will be the end of the NFL. People aren't go to pay extra to watch their team play. Even if this pandemic ends soon it's going to take more than a month or so for the vast majority of people to get caught up financially. To get any of those companies like Amazon Prime or Netfix or other companies like that they first have to have cable or a dish and then pay even more to get those companies. Cable and dish companies have been losing customers because people are short on money with not working. The ONLY way the NFL will survive is if the vast bulk of their games are on a network that doesn't cost the customer anything to watch their games. I had DirecTV for years and I got injured and was off work for 5 months and I had to make some decisions so I cancelled DirecTV. This was about 5 years ago and I haven't gotten it back and don't plan to either. And no I don't have cable either.
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[catiii]

I don’t think it has anything to do with what we can’t talk about it. It’s a steady decline in the quality of the product that begins with officiating. Rules seem hopelessly subjective and arbitrarily enforced. It’s been a major issue since the Dez non-catch in the Green Bay playoff game. Viewers don’t trust what they see.

And then there’s “parity.” It was supposed to expand the number of teams capable of winning the whole thing ever year. But it’s done the opposite. There’s more turnover in playoff teams from season to season, but the teams who advance far are usually the same. And those teams always seem to be on the good side of subjective and arbitrary calls.

It's got to do with what you said AND with what we can't talk about.