Falcons Owner Arthur Blank said the "most significant" factor in declining NFL ratings was the presidential election. Blank said, "If you look through week nine of our season, our ratings were down close to 14%, post week nine -- 10 through 17 -- our ratings were only down by 1% that clearly was a major factor. Having said that, I think the league understands that there are changes in our demographics taking place." Blank added, "There's a lot of competition to make sure that the in-game experience ... is exciting, is bringing fans together in a sense of community" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 1/26).
THE GODFATHER: Showtime said that its "first digital-only documentary series, Legacy: Bob Hurley, will premiere on Feb. 20 at SHO.com and via the Showtime Sports YouTube channel." The free, six-part series, which "does not require a subscription to Showtime," follows the potential final season of Basketball HOFer Bob Hurley, who coaches at St. Anthony high school in Jersey City, N.J. Showtime said that the series will document the '16-17 season via the "weekly release of 10-minute segments, with the latter half to premiere in 'real-time'" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 1/26).
FINAL FAREWELL: Clippers F Paul Pierce will "chronicle the remainder of his 19th and final NBA season in multimedia fashion" for The Players' Tribune. TPT on Thursday unveiled a "Pierce-devoted section of its website called 'I Called Game.'" On it, Pierce personally will "contribute first-person essays and post photo galleries, video features, social activations and podcast conversations with important figures from his life and career, on and off the hardwood" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 1/26).
