The NFL last week "sent a memo to team owners seeking to ease concerns about the ratings decline that has hit football this fall," according to Joe Flint of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. NFL Exec VP/Media Brian Rolapp and NFL Senior VP/Broadcasting & Media Operations COO Howard Katz in the memo wrote, "While our partners, like us, would have liked to see higher ratings, they remain confident in the NFL and unconcerned about a long-term issue." The league said the large drop in ratings for primetime games on ESPN, CBS and NBC is likely because of "unprecedented interest in the Presidential election." The NFL said that it was "issuing the memo to all the teams in response to media inquiries about the decline in ratings" (WSJ.com, 10/7). The memo, which was obtained by SBD/SBJ, stated the league sees "no evidence that concern over player protests during the National Anthem is having any material impact on our ratings." It also stated the first few weeks of the previous two seasons "from a ratings perspective were two of the three best starts that we have had in the last 10 years" (THE DAILY).
HOST OF REASONS: THE MMQB's Peter King writes "one factor that seems clear" is that in a presidential election year, pro football ratings "go down." However, that "doesn't explain the size of the drop this season." King: "Theoretically, once the election is over, the ratings should logically recover ... correct?" Rolapp acknowledged there may be a "ceiling out there, somewhere," with regards to the league's ratings growth. Rolapp: "When you are this big, it's hard to grow significantly year to year. I suppose there is a ceiling, but we try to push it." King notes that history says the audience "comes back." King: "Maybe not this year, but soon. Let's see if the ratings continue to fall this significantly after Thanksgiving. If so, then the league has something big to worry about" (MMQB.SI.com, 10/10). In Richmond, Wes McElroy noted the "absence of the most marketable stars have shortened" the amount of marquee NFL matchups. There also have been "some flat-out bad games" in primetime. McElroy: "The NFL also might want to look internally for reasons behind TV viewership decline, such as streaming games and the increasing popularity of the NFL Network's RedZone channel" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 10/9).
SORTING THINGS OUT: In N.Y., Gary Myers gives a few of his theories regarding the NFL's decline in ratings, including a "lack of star power" and being "trumped" by the presidential election. There are also the issues of CTE, "oversaturation" and player protests (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/9). In Pittsburgh, Ed Bouchette wrote the reasons for the dip in ratings "are twofold: Greed and stupidity." Bouchette mentioned a host of other potential reasons, including the RedZone channel, penalty flags, instant replay, player safety and "diminished kickoff returns." He wrote of fantasy football, "The NFL picked up the ball on this hobby and ran with it big time and now it’s helping to kill the game. Fantasy players are not interested in watching a three-hour football game between two teams" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 10/9). In DC, Cindy Boren wrote Patriots QB Tom Brady yesterday returned from suspension to an NFL "badly in need of a star." Boren: "Even if it's one who is adored and despised, depending on whose fans are talking. TV ratings are down" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/9).
NO TV, NO PROBLEM: NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus said having Thursday night games airing on Twitter is "awesome because you don’t have to be in front of a television to keep up with the game.” Rosenhaus: “It’s a great way to watch the game on your mobile device, and the quality is outstanding of the telecast. I love the accessibility that we have right now to watch the National Football League.” CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla: “The sandbox is definitely getting bigger, which is great for the sport. Maybe not great for those who have had legacy rights over the years” (“Squawk on the Street,” CNBC, 10/7).
