5 ms·

If the league agrees with you on this reasoning (I've heard it pushed a lot recently so I'm sure some do) they will fail to address the real contributing factor

by PKop 10y ago

If the league agrees with you on this reasoning (I've heard it pushed a lot recently so I'm sure some do) they will fail to address the real contributing factor for many abandoning the league this year which is: the national anthem protests, and to some degree the multi season string of domestic violence amongst players and the leagues handling of theses issues. Those are the 2 reasons I and a lot of the people I talk to have stopped watching. Subpar product on field has never been discussed. The quality of play seems he same as it has any other year (from some highlights I've seen... but I haven't watched a game so I guess I wouldn't know).

scurvy 10y ago
No Fun League: Why all the celebration bans? Come on. It's ridiculous. Is it a catch? This seems to change every week. No more hits: It's good for players' health, but maybe the players should change their style of play and not go up for that super high pass across the middle and show some self-preservation rather than penalizing a defender. Reviews: this can be reviewed but this cannot. Why? If the ultimate goal is to get it right, everything should be reviewable. Officiating: Tumbled to terrible quality recently. Even the league, which is loathe to criticize its officials, has admitted that officials have screwed up that changed the outcome of several games. This is historically bad. Games in far off lands: This needs to end. Now. Preseason: Stop making ticketholders buy these worthless games. Should be 2 preseason games. NFL doesn't make the networks carry preseason games, why should season ticketholders foot the bill? Teams moving around for money: Talk about fan alienation.
- caltelt 10y ago
  Teams moving around for money: I couldn't agree more. I was recently living in STL and this left a really bad taste in my mouth, and I'm a Packer fan who will never have to worry about this. It really pulls to the forefront that these teams are purely profit-driven, which in professional sports is a given, but gives the appearance of excessive greed. In some ways it's the antithesis of all of those feel-good sports movies where they play through adversity to overcome. I'd be interested in knowing how these sorts of stunts play out in a more macro sense. As a whole, it may be a net profit for the NFL, but I wonder if it's more of a medium-term win.
  - cardiffspaceman 10y ago
    The Rams moving to St. Louis didn't sit too well with this native of Los Angeles. Roman Gabriel! Fearsome Foursome! Come on!!!
- hxegon 10y ago
  I don't watch football, but the rams going to LA and NOT THE RAIDERS. WHAT?!
  - bcoates 10y ago
    The Rams have spent half their history in Southern California, them moving back isn't weird.
- scurvy 10y ago
  Also, Thursday night football is trash. The matchups are bad and everyone hates the short week.
icebraining 10y ago
The jingoism in the US is always surprising. Why is the anthem even playing in a national game? Why should the players even be forced into this display of subservience before doing their job? It's not like they're representing the national team! What a weird society.
- b2600 10y ago
  It's simply tradition. I've been to a couple of sports events in the U.S. and it doesn't seem overtly nationalistic or jingoistic.
  - scurvy 10y ago
    God Save America in the 7th inning stretch post 9/11 couldn't get more jingoistic.
- carsongross 10y ago
  It is weird. I think it is in part because America is the first enlightenment nation. We have no blood or deep history binding us together, so superficial and melodramatic shows of solidarity become much more important in generating a stable sense social identity. Think of it as a bunch of deracinated individuals attempting to say "see, 'we' are a 'we'!" The puritans were virtue-signallers par excellance, so that probably also flows through to what you see today.
  - lostlogin 10y ago
    What do you mean by "first enlightenment nation"? I haven't heard this before. I thought the ideas of the enlightenment were first in various European countries but I don't think that's what you mean?
    - b2600 10y ago
      Built on the foundations of the enlightenment? Without the historical baggage of Europe? Monarchies, feudalism, etc.
mozumder 10y ago
Literally no one cares about the anthem protests. They don't even show them during the games. The big problem is that a lot of star players were injured at the beginning of the season - Brady, Romo, Dez Bryant, JJ Watt, RG III, Adrian Peterson, etc. Just so many injuries this year. And we have millennials doing a lot more online games, so we have that competition now.
- jghn 10y ago
  Brady was suspended, not injured. But your point is still valid.
  - mozumder 10y ago
    Yes. All the suspensions/injuries/retirement (Peyton) aren't helping ratings. The audience wants their stars.
    - jghn 10y ago
      I knew I was missing one when I was thinking about this, and that was Peyton. Thanks
- PKop 10y ago
  That's not what the polls say. Here's one: https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/poll-main-reason-for-nfl-ratings-drop-due-to-players-kneeling-during-anthem/amp/?client=safari https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/poll-m... But yea, I'm sure it's seems like it wouldn't matter.... to people still watching.
  - mozumder 10y ago
    You can ignore that poll, since it doesn't account for likely viewers that turned away from watching.

by PKop 10y ago

scurvy 10y ago

No Fun League: Why all the celebration bans? Come on. It's ridiculous. Is it a catch? This seems to change every week. No more hits: It's good for players' health, but maybe the players should change their style of play and not go up for that super high pass across the middle and show some self-preservation rather than penalizing a defender. Reviews: this can be reviewed but this cannot. Why? If the ultimate goal is to get it right, everything should be reviewable. Officiating: Tumbled to terrible quality recently. Even the league, which is loathe to criticize its officials, has admitted that officials have screwed up that changed the outcome of several games. This is historically bad. Games in far off lands: This needs to end. Now. Preseason: Stop making ticketholders buy these worthless games. Should be 2 preseason games. NFL doesn't make the networks carry preseason games, why should season ticketholders foot the bill? Teams moving around for money: Talk about fan alienation.

caltelt 10y ago
Teams moving around for money: I couldn't agree more. I was recently living in STL and this left a really bad taste in my mouth, and I'm a Packer fan who will never have to worry about this. It really pulls to the forefront that these teams are purely profit-driven, which in professional sports is a given, but gives the appearance of excessive greed. In some ways it's the antithesis of all of those feel-good sports movies where they play through adversity to overcome. I'd be interested in knowing how these sorts of stunts play out in a more macro sense. As a whole, it may be a net profit for the NFL, but I wonder if it's more of a medium-term win.
- cardiffspaceman 10y ago
  The Rams moving to St. Louis didn't sit too well with this native of Los Angeles. Roman Gabriel! Fearsome Foursome! Come on!!!
hxegon 10y ago
I don't watch football, but the rams going to LA and NOT THE RAIDERS. WHAT?!
- bcoates 10y ago
  The Rams have spent half their history in Southern California, them moving back isn't weird.
scurvy 10y ago
Also, Thursday night football is trash. The matchups are bad and everyone hates the short week.

icebraining 10y ago

The jingoism in the US is always surprising. Why is the anthem even playing in a national game? Why should the players even be forced into this display of subservience before doing their job? It's not like they're representing the national team! What a weird society.

b2600 10y ago
It's simply tradition. I've been to a couple of sports events in the U.S. and it doesn't seem overtly nationalistic or jingoistic.
- scurvy 10y ago
  God Save America in the 7th inning stretch post 9/11 couldn't get more jingoistic.
carsongross 10y ago
It is weird. I think it is in part because America is the first enlightenment nation. We have no blood or deep history binding us together, so superficial and melodramatic shows of solidarity become much more important in generating a stable sense social identity. Think of it as a bunch of deracinated individuals attempting to say "see, 'we' are a 'we'!" The puritans were virtue-signallers par excellance, so that probably also flows through to what you see today.
- lostlogin 10y ago
  What do you mean by "first enlightenment nation"? I haven't heard this before. I thought the ideas of the enlightenment were first in various European countries but I don't think that's what you mean?
  - b2600 10y ago
    Built on the foundations of the enlightenment? Without the historical baggage of Europe? Monarchies, feudalism, etc.

mozumder 10y ago

Literally no one cares about the anthem protests. They don't even show them during the games. The big problem is that a lot of star players were injured at the beginning of the season - Brady, Romo, Dez Bryant, JJ Watt, RG III, Adrian Peterson, etc. Just so many injuries this year. And we have millennials doing a lot more online games, so we have that competition now.

jghn 10y ago
Brady was suspended, not injured. But your point is still valid.
- mozumder 10y ago
  Yes. All the suspensions/injuries/retirement (Peyton) aren't helping ratings. The audience wants their stars.
  - jghn 10y ago
    I knew I was missing one when I was thinking about this, and that was Peyton. Thanks
PKop 10y ago
That's not what the polls say. Here's one: https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/poll-main-reason-for-nfl-ratings-drop-due-to-players-kneeling-during-anthem/amp/?client=safari https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/poll-m... But yea, I'm sure it's seems like it wouldn't matter.... to people still watching.
- mozumder 10y ago
  You can ignore that poll, since it doesn't account for likely viewers that turned away from watching.