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Title: Deflated: NFL popularity at new low, just 3 in 10 are 'favorable'
Source:
Washington Examiner
URL Source: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ ... -low-just-1-in-3-are-favorable
Published: Jun 1, 2018
Author: Paul Bedard
Post Date: 2018-06-02 15:25:53 by Tooconservative
Keywords: None
Views: 4866
Comments: 21
The National Football League has done nothing to recover during the off season from it’s miserable popularity ratings that are now at the lowest ever. Rocked by the issues of players taking a knee during the playing of the National Anthem, overly long games, and scandalous players, just 35 percent say they have a favorable view of “America’s sport.” According to an Economist/YouGov poll taken May 27-29 another 47 percent have an “unfavorable” view of the NFL. What's more, only 15 percent called the NFL a "top interest," and 37 percent said that they are "Not at all interested" in the games. Many teams are already in early training camp and the season kicks off Thursday September 6 when the Atlanta Falcons play the 2018 Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles. The new approval ratings follow a trend that Secrets charted last year in polling provided exclusively by the Winston Group and pollster David Winston. In August of last year, Winston surveys put the approval rating of the NFL at 57 percent. In September, it had dropped to 44 percent favorable. YouGov’s poll did find support for the new NFL policy on taking a knee. Under that rule, players who protest will be fined, though they can now stay in the locker room instead. However, the public is still evenly split on the issue overall.
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#1. To: Tooconservative (#0)
I'll stick with college football on occasion. More exciting sport IMO with more human error makes it interesting to me.
I think a lot of NFL fans have dropped out of the club and are going back to college football. What the drop in NFL popularity means is a tear in the social sports fabric. Whereas you had a pervasive following of NFL games, and they were the subject of innumerable casual conversations, social media posts and such, now a certain number of former NFL fans have "dropped out" of the NFL and that means it's no longer a conversation they want to be part of. The biggest hit to the NFL, IMO, is the toll taken on the social ubiquity of the NFL. Major damage, self-inflicted.
The NFL *was* Empire, a Religion, an Institution that wasn't even done growing as it infected and affected all facets of society. UNTIL this One Step Too Far. What the drop in NFL popularity means is a tear in the social sports fabric...A certain number of former NFL fans have "dropped out" of the NFL and that means it's no longer a conversation they want to be part of. The NFL wishes it was just a mere "tear in the social sports fabric" -- this was a fabric that was set ablaze in kerosene. The NFL and their chose stupidly. Long-time NFL fans were totally alienated by the attempting to recruit SJW-BLM sympathy. They overplayed their hand and presumed captive audiences would put up with it. There's no more putting Humpty-Dumpty back together. Don't expect the true extent of damage and alienation to be reported. As to College Football, what's really left to anticipate? Every year, every game, every play is basically the same as the next or previous year. The lack of sportsmanship and hot-dogging has infected College Football to a disturbing degree. And now IT is under the microscope. I believe what's happened in the NFL has gone as far as causing football fans to reassess why they're even watching these games to begin with. IT'S THE SAME OL' SAME OL'. (Only with Hot-Dogging at 11 on a scale of 1-10. NOT a fan.) College coaches had better keep their players in line and tread carefully. Any SJW-BLM displays will seriously dent that audience as well.
Remember when Monday Night Football was a weekly event, kicked off by Hank Williams Jr., Are you ready for some football, a Monday night party? I just discovered they brought back Hank Jr. in 2017. I guess I forgot to watch Monday Night Football last year. - - - The entertainment value of the game has diminished. The popularity of the game has diminished, as has its relevance. Worse than having an audience that is pissed off is having a former audience that no longer cares. Players want to boycott - go for it. Players want to stay in the locker room during the national anthem, stay there for three and a half hours and you will not be missed. Management wants to rearrange the deck chairs on their Titanic - full speed ahead. The alienated former fans do not care. The NFL formulation was popular like Coca-Cola. The new NFL formulation is popular like New Coke, and may one day be remembered like New Coke. - - - - - - - - - - Remember when baseball was the national passtime? MLB year, number of games, total attendance, average attendance 2018 ----- 900 games --- 24,619,628 --- 27,355 2017 --- 2430 games --- 72,678,797 --- 29,908 2016 --- 2428 games --- 73,159,044 --- 30,131 In 2018, after 28 games the Miami Marlins averaged 10,567 tickets sold at 28.2% of capacity for home games. Only 12 teams have averaged more than 70% of tickets sold versus capacity at home games. - - - - - - - - - - The NBA is breaking attendance records every year. This year marked the first season that average league attendance was at least 95 percent or more of arena capacity. The NBA established a new regular-season record for average attendance (17,987), surpassing the previous high established last year (17,884). The 2017-18 regular season also set a new sellout record (741), exceeding the previous mark (723) which was achieved during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
I just discovered they brought back Hank Jr. in 2017. I guess I forgot to watch Monday Night Football last year. Yup, sure do remember Hank William's raucous', "Are you ready for some football?"! No. Really? After jettisoning Williams and his theme and replacing it with a few chicks' lame intro? Haaa!! Desperate move by the NFL. Of course WE wouldn't know Williams' version had returned since we no longer watch MNF. Bwaahaa! The entertainment value of the game has diminished. The popularity of the game has diminished, as has its relevance. Worse than having an audience that is pissed off is having a former audience that no longer cares. Players want to boycott - go for it. Players want to stay in the locker room during the national anthem, stay there for three and a half hours and you will not be missed. Management wants to rearrange the deck chairs on their Titanic - full speed ahead. The alienated former fans do not care. Exactamundo. I concur with your entire characterization. By most metrics the NFL "entertainment value" has fallen off a cliff. This IS the sports version of Titanic, except the NFL doesn't realize or accept it. No PR stunt or change in policy will fix this gaping iceberg hole. Why not? That would require a majority of NFL's to denounce the BLM movement, Kaepernick, and the hatred of whites by OTHER black players; AIN'T HAPPENING. The NFL: "We still believe you are addicted to our games. We don't believe you will stop watching 6 hours of games on Sunday PLUS Monday...just because most our players hate and disrespect you and your White-Capitalist-Trumpist country!" BUZZZZZZZ!!! Seems like a case of cognitive dissonance. Gaslighting. Projection. False memory. The NFL is like the crazy girlfriend who was treated like gold, but suddenly one night began beating her sleeping boyfriend...and afterward called the cops claiming she'd been raped. Remember when baseball was the national passtime? MLB year, number of games, total attendance, average attendance 2018 ----- 900 games --- 24,619,628 --- 27,355 2017 --- 2430 games --- 72,678,797 --- 29,908 2016 --- 2428 games --- 73,159,044 --- 30,131 Yeah, MLB *was* the American pastime. Even that is a faltering trend. To what do you theorize are the reason(s)? I have my theories. Part of the waning interest may be tsunami of Latin players replacing Americans; Rapid turnover of rosters, impeding continuity and familiarity; Astronomical costs to attend games (compared to comfy cable MLB package); Too many pitching changes, loooong games; Too few Day Games and playoff games; watered down competition. Nolu, I believe a YUGE part of the growth and continuity of spectator sports is in passing it down to the next generation OR circles of friends bonding over their "teams". To a substantial degree, MLB has been affected. But the NFL is absolutely demolishing the foundation and nexus of that basis. The NBA is breaking attendance records every year. This year marked the first season that average league attendance was at least 95 percent or more of arena capacity. That's hard to believe or understand. There's not much difference between the hate-'tudes of NBA and NFL socially or politically. Moreover from what I've seen of the NBA, there's little team work to admire. No sportsmanship. Many of its players are unlikable narcissists and thugs. It's just brute strength and size, aided by liberal officiating. BUT THAT'S JUST ME. Now NHL hockey...THIS is a game that to me is THE best spectator sport to watch, especially LIVE.
MLB game is getting boring because a lot of hitters are trying to elevate the ball ⚾️ more to hit HRs. Hitting a HR might be exciting to some fans but it comes with a cost, fewer stolen bases, fewer strategic moves, fewer exciting rallies and batters striking out at astronomical rates with batting averages right about the Mendoza Line. You also have starting pitchers that can barely control one pitch much less the 3 it takes to be an effective starter, consequently they're trying to throw the one they can halfway control thru the catcher, umpire and the backstop.
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#3. To: Fred Mertz (#1)
I'll stick with college football on occasion. More exciting sport IMO with more human error makes it interesting to me.
#8. To: Tooconservative, Fred Mertz (#3)
The biggest hit to the NFL, IMO, is the toll taken on the social ubiquity of the NFL.
#16. To: Liberator (#8)
The NFL *was* Empire, a Religion, an Institution that wasn't even done growing as it infected and affected all facets of society. UNTIL this One Step Too Far.
#17. To: nolu chan, CZ82, redleghunter (#16)
Remember when Monday Night Football was a weekly event, kicked off by Hank Williams Jr., Are you ready for some football, a Monday night party?
#21. To: Liberator (#17)
Replies to Comment # 21.
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