I think part of it is just that the NFL is less popular, less must-see, than it used to. Like the NBA with Bird, Magic, and then Jordan, there is a decline in interest once you've kind of seen the best that the game has to offer. Manning and Brady were must see for 15 years and the current product, while not really worse, is certainly not better either. People are just bored with it a little I think...no new great thing to wow people. It's hard to sustain being as popular as the NFL was for such a long time. Almost inevitable that there would be some slippage. And while Dallas-LA is certainly large market, there aren't the headliners at QB that are going to attract eyeballs. I'm just saying that I don't think it's all political/covid/BLM anger
The decline has been going on for awhile, and it is in younger audiences. Millennials and Generation Z do not watch sports or live television as much as older generations, and the gap is growing.
Nfl got boring to me a few years ago before all this other stuff. Plus i will watch college football saturday and wasting sunday on nfl became un fun
Video games are really fun. I could easily waste large chunks of my life playing them. I think that a lot of societal trends can be explained by them. Teen pregnancies, types of drugs used, etc.
I'm less into it. I cannot really latch on to a team post Peyton. I've tried the Packers because my wife likes them but truth be told she really doesn't care that much. Tried the Titans last year but they really pissed me off with not understanding what JJ means to the state/a big chunk of their fanbase.
He’s on the 49ers practice squad right now. I believe all teams had a chance to sign him between being cut and placed on the practice squad, but I’m not 100% sure how that all works.
I imagine there is a LOT of "don't mess with my guys and I won't mess with your guys" going on in that, too. Sort of the unwritten Gentlemen's Agreement.
My kids watch ZERO sports and do nothing but play video games. I hope these corporations are paying attention or they are going to be left holding a very large bag when their revenue streams evaporate.
We have good friends with sons on the HS football team. Cheerleader parents. One kid carries a flag and dresses up each week. He cant wait. I ask my 17 yr old if hes going to the battle of the woods game friday and he laughs at me. Not even a consideration. Doesnt want to watch and doesnt need the big social interaction
Progression from real battle, to sports, to online games over the last couple 100 years. Competition is still there but just in a different format and less physical.
The next NFL TV deal is, by all accounts, supposed to be for substantially more than their current deal which pays them close to $40 billion for their broadcast rights. The current deal expires after 2022, I think. They’re going to be just fine. Even if Jim Bob from Ohio tells us he is never going to watch, ever again, because he’s mad at peaceful civil rights protests.
The only thing that's going to slow it down is if kids today don't grow up watching football, but that's probably 15 to 20 years down the road before it hits
Also, I don't know how they figure streaming networks into the ratings either. I'm sure they do, but a lot of cord cutting is happening. This is random thought of the day