Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet

by WARNER TODD HUSTON6 Oct 20160

As each week passes during this ongoing NFL season, more evidence piles up to indicate that viewers tune out in droves.

But why is this happening? Well, one clue in a new poll indicates that one third of viewers change the channel out over the anti-American protests during the national anthem.

A new Rasmussen poll finds that 32 percent of adults surveyed say that they have stopped watching NFL football because of the protests while only a scant 13 percent said they are more likely to tune in because of the anthem protests.

Drilling down into the results shows that more women than men are tired of the Black Lives Matter-like protests with 29 percent of men saying they are less likely to watch pro football compared to 38 percent of women, who intimated that they are uncomfortable with the protests.

The NFL preseason kicked off in controversy when San Francisco 49ers second string quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to remain seated during the playing of the national anthem instead of standing in honor of the nation’s theme like everyone else was.

As the weeks rolled on and Kaepernick began kneeling on the field during the regular season, his protest spread not only throughout the NFL but into other sports.

Poll says Colin Kaepernick most hated football player

As the season rolls into Week Five, though, television ratings have been seen tumbling each week to new lows.

The ratings for Week Three’s Sunday featured game between Chicago and Dallas measured in at 12.9 in the Neilsen ratings. This is down from the previous Sunday’s 13.7 and that was down from week one’s 13.9 rating. Ratings also dropped by 18 percent over week three from last year for all the midday regional games, according to Sports Business Daily.

The ratings for Monday Night Football are even worse. The game between Atlanta and New Orleans received a low 5.7 rating. It was a 38 percent plunge over the same week last year.

During these protests, Colin Kaepernick’s reputation has also taken a major hit. Since he started his rants against America, he has become the most hated player in the NFL.

Despite that, Kaepernick has continued his anti-American attacks even off the field. Recently he attacked the U.S. saying it has never been great as he talked about Donald Trump’s now well-loved slogan.

“He always says, ‘Make America great again,'” Kaepernick said about Trump. “Well, America has never been great for people of color and that’s something that needs to be addressed. Let’s make America great for the first time.”

Kaepernick’s hate for the country has spread to other sports, and even high schools, have begun indulging these protests. And just last weekend a college marching band drew criticism from its own school administrators for taking a knee during the national anthem.

But, if the news on the ratings are any indication, Americans are beginning to get fed up with the constant drumbeat of liberal politics shoehorned into their once beloved forms of apolitical entertainment.

Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet - Breitbart

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

We need a LOVE button.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I honestly don't think this has anything to do with the ratings drop. Players have been doing this way before this year. Abdul Ryul (Chris Jackson) NBA was doing it 20 years and nobody cared.

I honestly do not watch the games anymore. I follow live fantasy stats and highlights. I talk to other people who play fantasy FB and they tell me the same thing. The NFL is in a decline in viewership because the game has evolved into this Disney full contact sport.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I seem to recall a lot of people caring when Abdul-Rauf did the same thing. And I think it is contributing to the decline in ratings, but, I agree that the game is turning into something other than what most of it's fans want to see.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Their just might be to much NFL. Monday Night, Thursday Night, Sunday all day Sunday. I love it. The causal fan might not.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

You are entitled to that opinion, but I highly doubt it's correct in this case.

You might follow stats and not the games, but most people still prefer to watch the games as well. Or they used to. I think this unquestionably has almost everything to do with the protests. These are steep drop offs, not a steady decline.

As for what Chris Jackson did, he definitely took a large amount of heat for that, and it still comes up. But that was one incident, and it was basketball. This is far more widespread, and it's happening in a much more popular sport. So people are sick of it.

I'm absolutely tired of the touch football style of play these days, as well as all of the arbitrary dictates of Roger Goodell. But this rapid decline is happening right at the point that all of this garbage protesting began. I don't think that's an accident.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I can only speak for myself, but I've stopped watching most games because of the anthem protests. I have read that many others are too.

Hollywood is taking a hit as well. People are finally sick of their crap.

Another reason I'm sick of it is all of the in your face crap and stupid celebrations after every play. And its bleeding over into NFL promos and commercials.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

It was more than one incident, and like Kap, it took a couple of games before people even noticed. I think what he eventually did was decide, since he was refusing to stand during the anthem for religious beliefs, was to just pray while the anthem was being played.

It kind of died down after that.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Here is my take from a Saints fan perspective...

NFL launches NFL Network in 2003

Hurricane Katrina
Immediately after Tom Benson claimed the Saints facilities were damaged beyond repair and he set everything in motion to move the Saints to San Antonio.

Commissioner Tagliabue along with other NFL owners stopped Benson and Saints from moving.

Roger Goodell becomes commissioner in 2007

• NFL Network begins to become a PR mouth piece for the NFL commissioners office
• Rediculous player suspensions start
• Player misconduct not handled internally but in the public eye
• Patriots caught wiretapping into Jets lockerroom - public specticle
• Thursday Night Football comes along....
• More public PR disasters, Goodell becomes even more powerful
• Bountygate - Where former commissioner Tagliabue had to return to mediate and release players from suspensions because of made up evidence. Players were about to bring the NFL to its knees in federal court.
• Blah blah blah - drama drama
• Concussions - NFL knew about them then get busted and start changing all rules.
• More drama
• Deflategate - more Goodell drama
• Tom Brady suspension - more Goodell drama

Colin Krapinjack starts boycotting America flag before games and it's allowed
(even though U.S. Olympias stood for the U.S.S.R.'s national anthem during the cold war, players protest their own country's flag - unsportsmanlike...)

So really the recent protest and allowing politics to start every game is only the latest B.S. that fans have to put up with watching the NFL. To me, there's a very consistent pattern involving the de-evolution of the game of American Football since Roger Goodell became commissioner.

And Qbrees9 is right - the market is saturated. Way too many MNF, TNF, SNF games. GIVE IT A REST NFL. Even I get tired watching games.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I'm saying that it was just him. People definitely took notice and didn't appreciate it. But you didn't see any boycotting because it wasn't a widespread thing. That was the point.

This whole situation doesn't remotely compare to that. A guy, here and there, doing something spread out over a lot of years doesn't generate the level of outrage that these BLM protests do.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

There's no question that the NFL has had one PR disaster after another. The train wreck that is Roger Goodell has been, I would say, well documented.

But when specifically talking about this protesting crap, there has never been a time that I am aware of where there has been such a sudden drop in ratings. The NFL has been gradually watering itself down for years. I absolutely agree with that. But allowing these protests is, by the numbers I see, the worst thing that has happened to the league in a long time, and maybe ever.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I have watched a grand total of maybe 5 minutes of the NFL that wasn't a Saints game this season. I haven't really talked to many people about what they think but I can certainly believe that a lot of people are fed up, all over.

I have lost a great deal of interest over the years due to the lack of what I consider "real football". The league just doesn't have the lure and mystique it once had. Too much mediocrity and highly restrictive (often confusing) rules. But up until now, there didn't seem to be a noticeable drop in ratings or attendance. You can tell the difference when people are truly pissed off.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Okay. I see your point.

And did the league step in on that one? The more I think about it, the more I think they did. I think because they play anthems for more than one country, they required the players to be respectful of both anthems.

But, that was awhile ago, and I'm old now.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I'm not sure what the NBA did about it. I just know that it didn't become a trend, so it never went far. If it had, it would have been a big deal like it is now, I would assume. Times have changed dramatically, obviously. People will protest anything, just to feel important, and not enough people are willing to hold them accountable anymore.

They protest in ignorance, and they pick the worst platform to do so. I find it both sad and ridiculous.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Mark Cuban was saying the NFL just got greedy. Over saturated their brand, quality went down. They also increased the aspect of kicking which is the worse part of the game.

There is something like maybe 3 minutes total of actual playing meaning the ball is in motion or some crazy number like that. That is almost 3 hours of clock winding down and commercials with no action. It's a painful experience outside of those few minutes of the ball in motion.

Maybe the protest did have an effect some but there are many other factors involved. I know Cuban made that statement a while back before the protest so he was not factoring it in and came to his conclusion.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Got to back to preseason before all the "protesting" started. What did you see? Thousands of empty seats. Flash back 20 years to NASCAR in it's prime. Packed tracks and a growing fan base. Today thousands of empty seats. With a boring product on display. A fan base consisting of "hard core" fans who still hold up 3 fingers every time "JoonYa" drives by. In many ways the NFL is heading into turn 1! Boogity Boogity!!

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Again, we all know the quality of the league has suffered under this regime of the NFL. But up until now you hadn't seen a huge drop off in ratings or attendance, because people want football, no matter how painful it might be to watch, at times.

And as for empty seats in a preseason game... Who cares? That's every preseason. It takes a really starving fan to pay money to watch that garbage, and it's amazing how many actually do. There are posters here who do it. If they can afford it, more power to them. I wouldn't spend my money on that.

But when the games matter, the fans have shown up. The biggest influence on these numbers we're seeing has to be from the protests. It's not a gradual decrease. I have bashed the league for years over it's crappy product, but for all that any of us have complained, there hasn't been enough of a decline to talk about in attendance. We can blame the economy, the product, big foot or whoever. But I don't see where any of that has impacted the bottom dollar quite like what we're seeing now.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Could be that more people are watching the Trump Show, conceivably more entertaining. Reality TV at it's best so it's said.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I personally blame the Color Rush uniforms (e.g.--->Dolphins)

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I've stopped watching the NFL all together. Period. Yes, even the Saints games. The Colin Kaepernick/Black Lives Matter BS is the direct reason why. It is the main reason why the ratings have dropped. Any other reason the NFL gives you is blowing smoke up your ***. When CK took a knee during the National Anthem, my blood boiled. What a POS. Then it continued in other stadiums and other teams/players, with some coaches encouraging it. These ***holes not only protested the flag, IMO they protested all the men who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that allow these over paid, under educated, POS to achieve what they have in life. Then Roger Goodell gave them his and the NFL's blessing. Another POS. It then started trickling down into college, High School, Middle School and yes, even elementary school games. Me and thousands of fans around the nation were sickened and done at that point. Colin Kaepernick and Roger Goodell have single handedly ruined the reputation of the NFL. They have single handedly cost the NFL millions of dollars. I have watched football literally all my life, but I will not watch another game until this protest is stopped and Roger Goodell is gone. The NFL under Roger Goodell can KMA.

Do you want to continue see this kind of BS with the NFL and the naton? Think real hard how you vote in November.

This is no reflection on you guys on this board. Even though I haven't been around, I love you guys and consider you all my friends. Thanks for letting me rant.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Yeah, but the Hardcore fans are still here.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Giving up watching the Saints is a sacrifice I haven't been able to make.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Me too, but I don't watch 1/2 the games I used to. Most of it is due to the spoiled brat protests and the NFL promoting thugs and thuggish behavior.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Kaepernick doesn’t think anthem protests affect ratings | ProFootballTalk

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ill-shrinking/

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Goodell on ratings: “We don’t dismiss any theory” | ProFootballTalk

Does this mean RG is stepping down or is he getting fired?

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Ah, Breitbart ...

When was the last time any channel showed the singing of National Anthem during a regular season game? I don't remember nothing but commercials until kickoff. And why is it that no one is offended networks show commercials during the singing of the National Anthem? How disrespectful is that?

And why would people turn to the channel to begin with, if they know there will be someone kneeling down during the singing of the National Anthem?

it is not brand saturation (MNF, TNF, SF, 24x7 channel).
It is not the demonstrations of greed (pink October, charging for Armed Forces "salutes", London games).
It is not gross mishandling of social issues.
It is not bad product on the field.
It is not atrocious officiating.
It is not the perception (now more than ever) of games being fixed.
It is not that the Commissioner is now even turning on the sacred cow (Brady and the Pats).
It is not the web packages that allow to watch games the next day.
It is not the proliferation of "alternate media" which Nielsen doesn't get to count.
It is not the proliferation of fantasy football-only fans, who'd watch the redzone channel or follow stats on the web.
Not even a compelling MLB postseason...

No. Nothing of that matters. It is that very few players kneel down during the singing of the National Anthem, which is not even televised...

Yeah, makes sense.

BTW, overall, NFL ratings have been going down for a while. It's not new.

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

Uhhh, since forever?:lolup:

Re: Evidence Shows Results of NFL Boycott as Ratings Plummet
 

I haven't watched a game through a regular TV channel since 2014, but the great majority of regular season games, it's talking heads in studio, then a few secs from the booth to introduce the game calling crew, cut to commercials, then back for kick off, unless there was a "tribute" to the Armed Forces.