The NFL's downward ratings trend continued through Week 5, and the league's problems "are going nowhere" based on a look at upcoming primetime games, according to Matt Bonesteel of the WASHINGTON POST. NBC is slated to broadcast Eagles-Cowboys and Broncos-Raiders in Weeks 8 and 9, which provides some "signs of hope" for both the league and the net. However, that makes "two probably good prime-time games, 16 likely bad ones" over the next four weeks. While the games might ultimately offer a good on-field product when they are played, they will "struggle to add to the NFL's pre-baked audience of gamblers and fantasy players" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/11). In N.Y., Claire Atkinson writes under the header, "The NFL Has A Serious Ratings Problem." Atkinson: "The king of TV ratings is much less powerful this season" (N.Y. POST, 10/12). Pilson Communications' Neil Pilson said observers "don't really know" why ratings are down so much this season. Pilson: "I can't give you a specific reason why the NFL's ratings are down. ... It's very hard to find one reason" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/12).
MAKES YOU THINK: SPORTING NEWS' Michael McCarthy wrote the NFL is "dreaming if it thinks the alarming double-digit drop in TV ratings this season has nothing to do with a fan backlash" against 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and other players protesting during the National Anthem. McCarthy: "Does it occur to the marketing-savvy NFL that some fans are exercising their right to protest Kaepernick's protest by changing the channel?" The hashtag "#BoycottNFL might not be the No. 1 reason for the ratings falloff," but for the NFL to "claim the 'Kaepernick Effect' is non-existent looks like PR spin ... or willful blindness" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 10/11). In Tacoma, John McGrath offers several explanations for the NFL's ratings dip, including "saturation," "unappealing matchups," the presidential election and PR. But he notes it is "clear some fans are boycotting the NFL (and the products of its sponsors)" because of Kaepernick and other players "protesting incidents of police brutality by refusing to stand." The gulf "separating working-class television viewers and millionaire pro athletes has been widening in recent years." McGrath: "Whether you perceive Kaepernick as a social-justice pillar or a punk disrespecting the nation that enabled him to accrue a fortune, we can agree on this much: The controversy Kaepernick created has made the gulf wider than ever" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 10/12).
ALL IS NOT LOST: In Orlando, Hal Boedeker notes the NFL "remains the biggest draw this season in prime time." While the league is down 11% across NBC, CBS, Fox and ESPN, it still "impresses in the rankings as technology changes viewing habits." Giants-Packers on "SNF" this past Sunday was the "most-watched" program last week in terms of total viewers, drawing 16.6 million. Meanwhile, the "favorite programs" of the 18-49 demo are "SNF," "TNF" and "Football Night in America Part 3" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/12).
ROCKY TOPPED: In Nashville, Mike Organ notes for the third time this season a Univ. of Tennessee football game earned a higher local TV rating than a Titans game. Nashville-based WTVF-CBS Program and Research Dir Mark Binda said that Saturday's UT-Texas A&M contest "earned a 22.8 local rating, which means 230,645 Nashville households tuned in." Meanwhile, Sunday's Titans-Dolphins game on CBS "earned a 20.5 local rating (207,378 households)." UT also earned higher local ratings during the weekend of Sept. 10-11 and Oct. 1-2 (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 10/12).
