The NFL's falling TV ratings are a "major concern" for the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell, and are something the league office discusses "on a daily basis," according to SportsCorp President Marc Ganis. Appearing on a Bloomberg.com podcast, Ganis said, "They want to have a product that more and more people want to watch and enjoy. Although it may be an easy thing to say that the NFL’s ratings drop this year is consistent with the viewership drop for television broadly, the NFL has generally been in a better position." Ganis, who in the past has worked with numerous NFL teams, said the NFL is in the same position as other pro sports leagues in that it needs to "find a way to attract” new and younger viewers. The league also needs to be "broadcast on the platforms that the youth are using ... and to monetize it in a way consistent with the way they’ve been able to monetize over decades on broadcast television and later cable television." He said that is a "major focus" at the NFL. Ganis: "It has been one for a few years and is going to be one of the major focuses over the next three years. It would not surprise me if in the next television broadcast negotiations we see one of the major digital players buying a major, full-blown package" (BLOOMBERG.com, 11/9).
ALL SUNSHINE & RAINBOWS: In Seattle, Bob Condotta notes the "debate that continues nationally" about the reasons for declining NFL TV ratings "remains one that isn’t necessary in Seattle." Recent Seahawks’ games have "continued to draw ratings" near what the '13 season drew. Seahawks-Cardinals last Thursday on NBC/NFL Network had a combined local rating of 39.3 (34.2 on KING-NBC and 5.1 on NFL Net), while the Week 9 game against the Redskins had a 39.9 rating on KCPQ-Fox and Week 8 against the Texans on KIRO-CBS drew a 37.6 rating (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/15).
