USA TODAY's Larry Weisman examines in a front-page
Cover Story why "popularity soars" for the NFL. Weisman
writes that with "baseball, basketball and hockey -- lagging
in appeal, with leisure time at a premium and the
entertainment dollar sliced ever thinner, the NFL doesn't
just rule. It's the sovereign, the monarch, the king."
Former Univ. of MD professor Neil Isaacs, who taught sports-
related literature courses, said, "The main thing is the
television appeal. It's the perfect marriage of
commercialized sport and view-ability for the fan." Weisman
notes that TV "might be the NFL's great friend and partner,
but the viewing numbers do offer some troubling notions."
He notes that "MNF" is down 8% this season, and has seen a
"downward draft" in ratings for five consecutive seasons.
Weisman partly attributes lower ratings to pro wrestling,
which "scores strongly" with males in the 12-24 demo. NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said of the league's ratings:
"The important thing is that everything else has declined a
lot faster than NFL football." Weisman notes that the NFL
has become "equal parts" of brand and football, and that
"success in the competitive sports arena derives from
marketing and selling" (USA TODAY, 12/22).
