CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus last night emphasized the importance of live sports to the network model, as well as the fact that he was not concerned with lower NFL ratings. McManus was part of a panel on the future of TV that closed the first day of the annual NFL owners meeting in Orlando, alongside NFL COO Maryann Turcke and 21st Century Fox President Peter Rice. The panel was moderated by NFL Chief Media & Business Officer Brian Rolapp.
McManus, speaking after the panel, said “More people are consuming the NFL in different ways, TV ratings have been down marginally, but that doesn’t mean that there is not the same amount of people who are consuming the product, whether it is through Red Zone, whether it’s through the mobile app, or whether it’s through highlights on social media. The NFL is more popular than ever.” McManus also said he was satisfied with the changes to the game presentation that were rolled out last year, and that the move from five advertising pods to four is staying. He noted there will not be any more major alterations to the presentation this season.
