NFL Losing Fans..Or Are They?
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 11:11 am
TV ratings for the NFL were in full retreat this season, posting a nearly 10% decline in 2017, continuing a trend that started in 2015.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21960086/nf ... lar-season
However, within the same article, there is some evidence that the decline may not be as big as you would think:
Despite the drop in NFL ratings, Nielsen data shows that the 20 of the 30 highest-rated shows on television in 2017 were football games. Both NBC and ESPN had the most-watched shows every single week, in terms of audience and in all key male demographics, for Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football games this season.
Last year, many were attributing the ratings drop to the US POTUS election, but obviously that wasn't a factor this season. But wait! The POTUS called for a boycott of the NFL in response to the anthem protests, so maybe politics did influence this year's ratings decline.
My take is that although the NFL isn't in deep trouble yet, they are losing ground to some of the other sporting enterprises, like MLB and the NBA. They are already telling people not to be shocked if this year's SB ratings doesn't break records.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21960086/nf ... lar-season
However, within the same article, there is some evidence that the decline may not be as big as you would think:
Despite the drop in NFL ratings, Nielsen data shows that the 20 of the 30 highest-rated shows on television in 2017 were football games. Both NBC and ESPN had the most-watched shows every single week, in terms of audience and in all key male demographics, for Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football games this season.
Last year, many were attributing the ratings drop to the US POTUS election, but obviously that wasn't a factor this season. But wait! The POTUS called for a boycott of the NFL in response to the anthem protests, so maybe politics did influence this year's ratings decline.
My take is that although the NFL isn't in deep trouble yet, they are losing ground to some of the other sporting enterprises, like MLB and the NBA. They are already telling people not to be shocked if this year's SB ratings doesn't break records.