League regular season TV ratings down 9.7%

[Reebis21]

How much of it is also due to ppl cutting cable and streaming online? Most of the streaming is technically illegal right? Therefor ppl are still watching but they aren’t accounted for in the numbers...just a thought...not saying the main issue by any means but I’ve always wondered this when ratings gets brought up

[Jangler]

You make the NFL appointment TV, ya know like Will and Grace used to be.... ;) and rating will go up.

 

And God said rest, and watch football one day, all day.

[TylerVagyler]

What are the ratings for TV shows and movies on cable? I bet they're down too. People are cord cutting. 

[Goondal]

5 minutes ago, Jangler said:

@Goondal 2b)Over saturation of the sport and FF has not helped.

Agreed.  Those things provided immediate gains, but have not been good long term.

If not for the Red Zone I think the decline would worse to be honest.  

[Goondal]

5 minutes ago, Reebis21 said:

How much of it is also due to ppl cutting cable and streaming online? Most of the streaming is technically illegal right? Therefor ppl are still watching but they aren’t accounted for in the numbers...just a thought...not saying the main issue by any means but I’ve always wondered this when ratings gets brought up

This could have an issue.  There are also cord cutters that cannot watch certain channels so they simply will not bother.  CBS for example has a garbage app so I never watch anything they show.

[Jangler]

1 minute ago, Goondal said:

This could have an issue.  There are also cord cutters that cannot watch certain channels so they simply will not bother.  CBS for example has a garbage app so I never watch anything they show.

So you are missing Star Trek Discovery?

[Ornias]

Reffing sucks, product is watered down, and I have no idea what a catch is. I will watch the Panthers regardless, but have stopped watching most other game. I am tired of all the stoppages, commercials, 5 minute reviews of obvious catches (that are then overturned). I should add that I cut the cord 10 years ago, but I do have a streaming package and an antenna for local channels.

[jtm]

I think the ratings drop is a combination of the kneeling and too much NFL football on TV. We have Thurs night, two Monday night, Sunday morning in London, Sunday night, etc. Also, many cord cutters don’t have NFL network and can’t watch those games. 

I use to look forward to Sunday and Monday night football and now I’m generally burned out of football for the week by the time these games are on. I think many feel the same way and tune out. 

[jtm]

Also, with so many people cutting the cord I question how the networks can actually track ratings now. 

[tondi]

I would be curious to know if betting On NFL games is down as well. That may be a truer indicator of interest than tv ratings. 

[BananaGrabber]

Are we still pretending that this is a thing?

I'm not sure what year the rest of you are living in, but you do realize people are no longer tethered to the box in their living room in order to watch games now, right? Between online streams, NFL Mobile and those who cut cable entirely, it's extremely easy to watch the game you want, wherever you want. Yes, the NFL ratings may be down 9.7%, but you know what else is down in terms of viewership? Everything.

Fox (non-football programing) - Down 20%
ABC (non-football programing) - Down 11%
CBS (non-football programing) - Down 6%
NBC (non-football programing) - Down 4&
*In addition, the NBA Finals and MLB World Series ratings each dropped in viewership from 2016.*

Lastly, and I know you all like to pretend this is a real issue (spoiler alert...it's not), not one single football fan walking this earth has ever stopped/started watching football due to a player's stance (or lack thereof) during the national anthem. As badly as you political peeps want to debate it and act as if it's a huge deal......it's not a thing. Sorry.

[LegioX]

1 minute ago, BananaGrabber said:

Are we still pretending that this is a thing?

I'm not sure what year the rest of you are living in, but you do realize people are no longer tethered to the box in their living room in order to watch games now, right? Between online streams, NFL Mobile and those who cut cable entirely, it's extremely easy to watch the game you want, wherever you want. Yes, the NFL ratings may be down 9.7%, but you know what else is down in terms of viewership? Everything.

Fox (non-football programing) - Down 20%
ABC (non-football programing) - Down 11%
CBS (non-football programing) - Down 6%
NBC (non-football programing) - Down 4&
*In addition, the NBA Finals and MLB World Series ratings each dropped in viewership from 2016.*

Lastly, and I know you all like to pretend this is a real issue (spoiler alert...it's not), not one single football fan walking this earth has ever stopped/started watching football due to a player's stance (or lack thereof) during the national anthem. As badly as you political peeps want to debate it and act as if it's a huge deal......it's not a thing. Sorry.

How do you know? Have you done interviews? Have you conducted your on poll via phone or door to door? If not your only speculating on people not watching because of kneeling.

[Shonuff]

20 minutes ago, jtm said:

Also, with so many people cutting the cord I question how the networks can actually track ratings now. 

This is the primary reason...I know people who refused to watch because Kap basically got ostracized from the league.  The problem isn't the refs or kneeling, but a combination of product quality and other media platforms to pipe in signals.    People rave about college football game ratings but remember thre are gazillion games and they're all included in traditional TV packages.  However, CFB is also having issues filling stands at plenty of stadiums.

Part of the product quality is rooted in the spread offense in college football.  QBs and Lineman aren't as prepared for NFL style play.  Toss in concussions and targeting rules, the game has fundamentally changed so a time adjustments is necessary.  I for one am not worried because once the star power beefs up and the new rules settle-in, the sponsors will figure out a way to account for ratings outside of traditional broadcast platforms and how to generate additional revenue.

[Shonuff]

16 minutes ago, BananaGrabber said:

Are we still pretending that this is a thing?

I'm not sure what year the rest of you are living in, but you do realize people are no longer tethered to the box in their living room in order to watch games now, right? Between online streams, NFL Mobile and those who cut cable entirely, it's extremely easy to watch the game you want, wherever you want. Yes, the NFL ratings may be down 9.7%, but you know what else is down in terms of viewership? Everything.

Fox (non-football programing) - Down 20%
ABC (non-football programing) - Down 11%
CBS (non-football programing) - Down 6%
NBC (non-football programing) - Down 4&
*In addition, the NBA Finals and MLB World Series ratings each dropped in viewership from 2016.*

Lastly, and I know you all like to pretend this is a real issue (spoiler alert...it's not), not one single football fan walking this earth has ever stopped/started watching football due to a player's stance (or lack thereof) during the national anthem. As badly as you political peeps want to debate it and act as if it's a huge deal......it's not a thing. Sorry.

This is true because the past few years I will watch parts or whole games on the iPhone while I'm getting oil changes, running errands with kids, etc.  It's a different media world, especially if you're moderately tech savvy.  I don't know how they track that kind of stuff cause I might only watch a quarter on regular TV, even Panthers games.