Is It Preseason NFL or Is Something Else Going On?

The NFL preseason is underway and there are already some strange things happening. Is it just the preseason or is something else going on?

The NFL’s TV Ratings Are Down

The NFL’s television ratings are down. This is not a new story, as the league’s ratings have been in decline for the past few years. But this year, the ratings are down even more. In fact, they are down so much that some are wondering if it is because of the preseason.

Why Are the Ratings Down?

TV ratings for the NFL are down 7% overall from 2016, with a 16% drop in the all-important 18-49 demographic. That’s a significant drop, and it’s worth taking a look at why it might be happening.

First, let’s look at some of the possible factors:
1) The quality of play has decreased. This is the most common reason cited by fans, and there is some evidence to support it. 2) Iconic players have retired. Players like Peyton Manning and Calvin Johnson were huge draws, and their retirements have definitely had an effect. 3) There’s too much off-field drama. The NFL has been embroiled in a number of scandals in recent years, from domestic violence to concussions to Deflategate. 4) cord-cutting is finally starting to affect the NFL. More and more people are cancelling their cable subscriptions and opting for streaming services instead. This could be a factor, especially among younger viewers who are less likely to watch live TV.

It’s likely that all of these factors have contributed to the decline in ratings, but it’s impossible to say which one is the most important. It’s also worth noting that ratings are down across all sports, not just the NFL. It’s possible that this is just a general trend that has nothing to do with specific league controversies or on-field performance.

Whatever the reason, the decline in ratings is a cause for concern for the NFL. The league will need to figure out how to address this issue before it becomes a bigger problem.

The National Anthem Protests

Since 2016, some NFL players have been taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. While this has been a source of contention for some fans, it’s worth noting that television ratings for the NFL have been steadily declining for years now, long before the protests began.

It’s possible that the protests are contributing to the decline in ratings, but it’s also worth considering other factors, such as the growing popularity of streaming services and the fact that young viewers are increasingly turning to social media for their news and entertainment. In any case, it’s clear that the NFL is facing some challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining viewers.

Competition from Other Sports

In any given year, the NFL’s ratings will usually ebb and flow depending on how interesting the season is. But this year, it’s not just that interest in the NFL has waned—it’s that interest in TV sports as a whole appears to be down. The Olympics, for example, had their lowest ratings in two decades. And even though the NBA Finals were must-see TV, they still had fewer viewers than last year.

So what’s going on? It’s hard to say for sure, but there are a few possible explanations:

1) There’s more competition for viewers than ever before. In addition to the Olympics and NBA, there are now a number of other options for live sports streaming, including MLB baseball and WWE wrestling. And let’s not forget that this is an election year—audiences may simply be more interested in politics than sports right now.

2) The NFL has been embroiled in a number of controversies lately, from domestic violence to concussions to player protests during the national anthem. It’s possible that some viewers have been turned off by all the drama.

3) It could just be that people are watching TV differently than they used to. With so many options for streaming content online, audiences may be less likely to tune in to live broadcasts—especially if they know they can just catch up later at their convenience.

The Election

The NFL has seen a decline in ratings over the past few years, and many people have cited the 2016 presidential election as a major reason why. It’s no secret that President Donald Trump is a big fan of the NFL, and he has often tweeted about various games and players. However, many fans believe that Trump’s divisive rhetoric has turned them away from the sport. In addition, some viewers may simply be tired of all the politics surrounding the NFL right now.

The NFL’s TV Ratings Aren’t Really Down

It’s preseason NFL, which means a lot of things. For one, the quality of play isn’t going to be as good as it is during the regular season. Secondly, the games don’t count towards anyone’s record. So, why are the TV ratings for preseason NFL games down?

Why Aren’t the Ratings Really Down?

There are a few reasons for the NFL’s ratings drop that have nothing to do with the quality of the play on the field.

The first is that last year, the presidential election dominated October and November. This year, there’s no similar competition for viewers’ attention. In 2016, the NFL averaged 16.5 million viewers per game in October; this year, it’s averaging 15.1 million. In 2016, the NFL averaged 17.6 million viewers per game in November; this year, it’s averaging 16 million.

The second reason is that live sports is one of the few types of programming that people still watch “live.” That means it’s competing with social media and other ways people spend their time for viewers’ attention. It’s not just that there are more things to watch now than there were a few years ago; it’s that people are used to watching what they want, when they want, on their own schedule. The NFL is working on this problem by making its games available on more platforms, including Twitter and Amazon.

The third reason is that cord-cutting—people cancelling their cable or satellite TV service in favor of streaming services like Netflix—isn’t just affecting cable channels like ESPN, which airs NFL games on Monday nights. It’s also affecting networks like NBC and CBS, which air Sunday night and Thursday night games, respectively. In other words, people who don’t have cable or satellite TV are less likely to be watching NFL games than they were in the past.

The NFL isn’t worried about its ratings drop because its games are still some of the most-watched programming on television. But it is working on ways to make sure its ratings don’t continue to fall as more and more people cancel their cable TV service.

The NFL’s Audience Is Still Huge

Even with a decline in ratings, the NFL is still the most-watched television programming in America. In fact, its audience is still significantly larger than that of its nearest competitor, broadcast television. The average NFL game was watched by 16.5 million viewers in 2017, compared to 11.6 million for the average broadcast TV show.

So why the decline? There are a few possible explanations:

It could be that people are simply watching NFL games less often, even though they’re still interested in the sport. According to Nielsen, the number of people who tuned in to at least one minute of an NFL game declined by about 1% last season.

It’s also possible that more people are choosing to watch NFL games on digital platforms such as streaming services, rather than on traditional television. This would explain why ratings for live broadcasts are down even as NFL viewership on digital platforms is up.

Finally, it’s worth considering that the overall decline in television viewership may be a factor. In recent years, there has been a shift away from traditional linear TV viewing, especially among younger audiences. This trend is likely to continue, which could result in further declines in NFL ratings.

The NFL’s Audience Is More Diverse Than Ever

One reason why NFL ratings may be down is that the league’s audience is more diverse than ever. According to a 2016 Nielsen report, African Americans make up 21% of NFL fans, Latinos make up 12%, and Asians make up 4%. That means that nearly 40% of NFL fans are people of color.

The NFL’s Audience Is More Engaged Than Ever

Despite what some people might say, the NFL’s TV ratings aren’t really down. In fact, the league’s audience is more engaged than ever.

Here’s a look at the numbers:

In 2017, the average NFL game was watched by 16.5 million people. That’s down from the 2016 average of 17.9 million, but it’s still a very sizable audience. And, importantly, it’s an engaged audience.

According to Nielsen, the NFL has the most “out of home” viewers of any sport. In other words, people are more likely to watch NFL games outside of their homes than any other sport. This is likely due to the fact that people like to watch games in bars and restaurants, or on mobile devices while they’re on the go.

So, even though the overall TV ratings are down slightly, the NFL’s audience is still very engaged.