NFL Excuses Run Out After Ratings Declines Continue

[Eleazar]

NFL's Litany of Excuses Runs Out After Ratings Fall for Second Year

By Lucas Shaw
Bloomberg.com
November 2, 2017, 11:30 AM CDT



TV networks are running out of excuses for the dwindling popularity of the National Football League.

They blamed the election for ratings declines last year, and hurricanes for a soft week one in September. Protests during the national anthem, and President Donald Trump’s criticism of the league, have faded from the headlines.

Advertisers are starting to believe a different explanation: the viewers aren’t coming back. Audiences are down an average 7 percent from a year ago through the first eight weeks of the season, excluding last Monday. That’s on top of a decrease of about 8 percent last season that spurred numerous changes in the broadcasts, from shorter commercials to better matchups earlier in the year.

“There’s just not as many people watching TV the way they used to watch TV,” said Jeremy Carey, managing director of Optimum Sports, a sports marketing agency. “It’s going to be an issue for advertisers when they can’t reach a large-scale audience the way they have.”

With CBS Corp., 21st Century Fox Inc. and Walt Disney Co. set to report earnings in the next few days, analysts are bound to raise questions. These companies have used the popularity of the games to extract additional fees from cable operators, promote other shows on their networks and sell lots of commercials. Pro football games drew about $3.5 billion in ad spending last year, including the postseason, according to SMI Media Inc.

Media companies have spent billions of dollars on the right to air football games, which had been immune to the erosion of viewership for other TV programming. Audiences for TV networks have diminished for years as the growing popularity of online alternatives Netflix and YouTube and the availability of most shows on-demand have reduced the appeal of dramas and comedies. Live TV, like sports, was supposed to be immune, but that theory looks highly questionable now.

Ratings for the NFL suggest the same societal trends are now affecting the league, even if the declines aren’t as dramatic. The drop in game viewership ranges from 5 percent for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” to 11 percent for the CBS Sunday package. “Monday Night Football,” on Disney’s ESPN, has attracted more fans this year than a year ago, but the numbers are still down from 2015.

Viewership of the four main broadcast networks fell 8.7 percent last year, and 12 percent among adults 18 to 49, an important demographic for advertisers.

CBS’s 11 percent slump for NFL games is the steepest of the networks. Its parent company, which reports earnings after the close Thursday, is more vulnerable than rivals to the trend because the vast majority of its earnings come from the broadcast network. The declines at CBS reinforce a complaint that has gotten louder and louder in recent weeks: The league got greedy in adding the Thursday night game on broadcast.

Reserving top games for Thursday night robbed other time periods of good match-ups. After a nosedive in ratings at “Monday Night Football” last season, the league has scheduled better games for that time period, further damaging Sunday afternoon.

“Ratings declines on both general entertainment and NFL programming could be the single biggest point of focus for investors this quarter, and we’re not sure what media companies can say about the health and tone of the ad market to assuage fears,” Steven Cahall, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a note last month.

Viewership is dropping fast among people under 54 -- a key demographic for advertisers -- and even faster among those 18 to 34. Audiences for games on CBS, NBC and Fox have slid at least 10 percent among that younger cohort.

Advertisers aren’t abandoning the NFL, one of the only places they can still reach more than 10 million people at once. But they are growing concerned. John Schnatter, who appears in TV spots on behalf of his Papa John’s Pizza International Inc., laid into the league on a conference call this week, blaming the ratings for his company’s slow revenue growth and calling for the league to put an end to player protests.

Networks and other advertisers identify a wide range of reasons for the NFL’s struggles. The league has overexposed itself by making highlights available on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat. Identifiable stars like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers have either retired or gotten hurt. The quality of play has deteriorated. Player protests and concussions have driven away some fans.

Some executives argue viewership of the league has still improved over the long term while dropping for every other show. Yet the amount of time people have spent watching football this season is at the lowest point since 2011, back when there were fewer televised games, according to Mike Mulvihill, Fox Sports’ head of research.

“The cumulative effect of everything happening in the world at large is having an impact on NFL viewership,” Mulvihill said. “ The league was defying the laws of gravity.”

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

So what you're both saying in different ways is that once both sports tried to "grow" their business instead of enjoying their success. trying to get more market share and more money, the fans seemed to lose interest, ratings fell, and suddenly the fan base was one that really didn't give a real shit about the sport but were just there because it used to be cool?

I personally would watch more football if it were a sport again and not so much an entertainment program. When helmets used to come off and the fights ensued the NFL started going to commercial... Been going downhill ever since.

When NFL Football and NASCAR Had to be everything to everybody, I for one slowly lost interest.

Yes and no.

In some ways, they tried to grow their market share by diluting the NFL brand. Like putting more games in London even though it ****s over American fans or making the game appealing to fantasy football owners instead of diehards. But they've also made decisions that took away access for fans, like pricing most people out from going to stadiums and by significantly restricting TV viewership.

The common theme is putting $'s over fans. Whether that's caring more about casual fans over diehards, or restricting the game. That's backwards. Good sports leagues focus on the diehards and expect that casuals will hop on board.

[cooper barrett]

WE used to order from the Liberty location. (the guy paying liked PaPa's)
15 minutes after it arrived we called the location and bitched about the same thing. Salty, 2" of crust were ours.
When the new arrived it was loaded with topping and cheese and looked like the TV commercials. Our same driver delivered the replacements and told us that managers are paid on profits, food and labor expenditures, and lack of complaints. We found that mentioning that our last order was jacked and they had to bring us new, and refund our money is what we found "makes for better pizza"

Originally Posted by Bwana

I have to hand it to the guys that were saying Papa Johns pizza sucks. I hadn't ordered one for years so I gave it a shot last night. Some meth head shows up with my pizza and some wings last night after about an hour. They got one of the ingredients wrong but it was close enough so I tied into the first piece. It was so salty I though I was eating a salt block. All I could choke down was one piece. I literally wouldn't even give it to my dogs, I just tossed it. The wings were soso, but nothing I would ever order again. They also forgot the ranch with the order. Papa John and old 5 head can both kiss my ass.

[cooper barrett]

I always buy a "Classic Sausage" Home Run Inn pizza for the game. it least it doesn't have faux cheese, faux meat, and so much salt my hands swell.

Based on 14" pizza cut into 6 slices

HRI is 860 mg sodium 360 calories

PJ's is 1226 mg and 510 calories

And Yes, it looks just like this:

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

I haven't had one of their pizza's in years but when they first went national, it was pretty good. Definitely better than the other chains at the time. But that happens to every pizza company; the bigger they get, the worse the quality becomes over time. Pizza Hut today is NOTHING like it was in the 70's and early 80's.
As near as I can tell, only Dominoes has made an effort to keep the crust legit and evolve with the times in terms of toppings. A lot of people seem to dislike them, though. Godfathers seems to be making a comeback but I haven't been compelled to give them a try.
Most people I know buy a good cheese pizza at the store and then load it up with their own toppings. I like making a Chef Boyardee pizza now and again myself. If you can make one of those work, you definitely know your shit.

As to the football...

I started watching pro ball in the mid 70's as a youngster. Off the top of my head I would say that the pro game was golden from the time of the AFL until about the mid 2000's. From the time I turned KC off(1999-2008)until I came back, you could tell that the entire tone of the game had changed, and not for the better. It didn't help that the Chiefs were sucking heap big shit at the time, but even the teams that were doing well weren't churning out a very watchable product. The focus had shifted almost entirely to offense and the elements of defensive play that had brought me to the table to begin with were dead or dying.
I just looked up Goodell's tenure: 2006-present. What a shock. I'm shocked I say. Jeez...
And now, certain elements of everyday living and the assault of politics that we could all enjoy a break from on Sunday have become a part of the package as well. It's no surprise to me at all that people are turning away or becoming less involved. Add to that the growing suspicion of a scripted outcome, and it's the beginning of the end.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

CP should start you a "Go Fund Me" page> Nobody should be forced to watch TV at their parents house

Unless its to share some Dad/Son time?

[cooper barrett]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Unless its to share some Dad/Son time?

My dad always liked being invited to my place over me watching at home...Much more than I would have enjoyed watching at home, but you have a point.

Plus the only beer at home was Falstaff or Schlitz...

[GloryDayz]

Meh, I pretty-much only watch Chiefs games anymore. There was a time when "Sunday was football", that's not the case anymore. I don't know if it's age, other hobbies/activities, or the overall quality of the product, but I don't think I'm alone. From kneeling, to officiating gaffs (tuck rule and others), to blind officials (Chiefs being held against Steelers), to implementation of rules that I'm sure many simply think are wrong (DPI vs. OPI), I think explains some of the decline.

[cooper barrett]

Just got a call from SO who reminded me to get all the Football in that I can because the days are numbered to be able to watch live games...

So I would say that wives, GF's and SO's are becoming more and more a force on what you do on Sundays, and Mondays and Thursday nights. I know mine isn't happy when I spend that much time on the sofa watching games.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

Just got a call from SO who reminded me to get all the Football in that I can because the days are numbered to be able to watch live games...

So I would say that wives, GF's and SO's are becoming more and more a force on what you do on Sundays, and Mondays and Thursday nights. I know mine isn't happy when I spend that much time on the sofa watching games.

.......

[FlaChief58]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

Just got a call from SO who reminded me to get all the Football in that I can because the days are numbered to be able to watch live games...

So I would say that wives, GF's and SO's are becoming more and more a force on what you do on Sundays, and Mondays and Thursday nights. I know mine isn't happy when I spend that much time on the sofa watching games.

Grow a pair and send her fat ass to the kitchen to fetch you a sammich

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Do people actually watch games on their phones? I pads? Laptops?

I am to the point where I am thinking about replacing the 12 year old 50 inch Tv, wanting a bigger one.

I find a stream on my iPad (free) and then mirror that HD stream to my TV. It's the only way to go. And that's only if i care enough about that game.

I'm a "no cable" guy. (Thanks Fish for showing me the light?). Saving that kind of $ has given me a Hawaiian vacation and one to Mexico.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

Plus the only beer at home was Falstaff or Schlitz...

Oh man, I haven't had any of this in years! I used to work for a beer distributor in NKC years ago, after work we could drink all the beer we wanted on tap, Falstaff,Schlitz and Olympia.

Didn't get drunk too many times but got use to drinking it since it was free.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Direct TV NOW has more than 130 channels, including HBO, Showtime, Starz/Encore and Cinemax. It *looks* like they don't have as many channels because it's not necessary to promote 12 HBO's, 4 Cinemax, 16 Starz/Encore, etc., but if you look carefully, every channel that you'd presumably want is there. The price for every channel is $96 dollars, substantially less than the cost of a satellite, DVR, DVR service, HD service and the Premium package.

As for Sunday Ticket, I've been told that just like every other channel, it's a licensing agreement issue and that it's very possible that it will be available next Fall for Direct TV NOW.

Direct TV would be wise to open up Sunday Ticket to non-Direct TV subscribers but as in most cases, dinosaurs run these companies and they're generally 5 years behind the public's needs.

FYI - you can get nfl sunday ticket streaming pretty easily if you know someone with a valid student email: https://nflst.directv.com/?CMP=LEC-P1-FM-EM-G-10072001

You can also do the same if you know someone in a place that can't get DTV (house, apartment complex etc.)

It's not very hard to get around the eligibility.

[displacedinMN]

This was in the Minneapolis paper today-from Patrick Reusse. I'm unable to get an electronic copy but it sums up with a lot of people are feeling. Apologies for sideways.



Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[trndobrd]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

FYI - you can get nfl sunday ticket streaming pretty easily if you know someone with a valid student email: https://nflst.directv.com/?CMP=LEC-P1-FM-EM-G-10072001

You can also do the same if you know someone in a place that can't get DTV (house, apartment complex etc.)

It's not very hard to get around the eligibility.

NFL making it hard to buy the product...great business model. Surely they can work out something with the networks to include ads on streaming product.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

This was in the Minneapolis paper today-from Patrick Reusse. I'm unable to get an electronic copy but it sums up with a lot of people are feeling. Apologies for sideways.




Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Thanks I will check this out once I learn how to permanently crank my head sideways