The real story behind falling NFL TV ratings and game attendance - -

[BLUTO]

Seventy percent (70%) of African-American men comprise NFL rosters despite representing only six percent (6%) of the United States' population.

While the majority of NFL players are Black, the NFL fan base is 83 percent White and 64 percent male.

As Black QB's take over the key position in the game interest in the NFL game has declined. Kneel down protests by Black players has highlighted the racial divide within the game. Owners of NFL franchises are White. They seek profits through TV revenue and having Blacks play a game similar to gladiator battles in a Roman Coliseum.

It's the truth! Don't hide your eyes!

[endzone]

It's interesting to see Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers appearing in so many commercials during the NFL games. Why not Newton, Prescott or Winston ??? Something is strange in the NFL!

[jamze132]

It's interesting to see Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers appearing in so many commercials during the NFL games. Why not Newton, Prescott or Winston ??? Something is strange in the NFL!

Maybe it has something to do with those guys being HoFers or soon to be HoFers...

For the record, Newton is in several commercials which can be seen quite frequently. Unfortunately for him, his attitude towards reporters and women will lose him sponsors. He is a ****ing crybaby....

Prescott and Winston are very new and until they prove that they can sustain their level of play, you won't see much of them on nationally aired commercials.

Please stop trying to race-bait.

[jamze132]

Seventy percent (70%) of African-American men comprise NFL rosters despite representing only six percent (6%) of the United States' population.

While the majority of NFL players are Black, the NFL fan base is 83 percent White and 64 percent male.

As Black QB's take over the key position in the game interest in the NFL game has declined. Kneel down protests by Black players has highlighted the racial divide within the game. Owners of NFL franchises are White. They seek profits through TV revenue and having Blacks play a game similar to gladiator battles in a Roman Coliseum.

It's the truth! Don't hide your eyes!

I can count on one hand how many black guys I've known throughout my entire life that do not watch football. Your stats are most definitely off.

[kishoph]

The protest may have some impact on ratings and attendance being lower, but I don't believe it's anything substantial. I think it has a lot more to do with being able to stream games thru the internet or streaming devices, the lifting of the blackout rule and the quality of the game because of stupid ass rules.

[jamze132]

The protest may have some impact on ratings and attendance being lower, but I don't believe it's anything substantial. I think it has a lot more to do with being able to stream games thru the internet or streaming devices, the lifting of the blackout rule and the quality of the game because of stupid ass rules.

Ticket prices are on the rise as well...

[Buddo]

Let's not forget the generally abysmal officiating, either. The rule changes will not have helped, for sure, but add on to that a bunch of muppets trying to enforce/'interpret' them, you have a head start on a devalued product.

[kishoph]

Let's not forget the generally abysmal officiating, either. The rule changes will not have helped, for sure, but add on to that a bunch of muppets trying to enforce/'interpret' them, you have a head start on a devalued product.

It's the inconsistency of officiating that drives me crazy, not just the on field officiating but the video replay also has no consistency. I'm starting to feel that I'd rather have video replay done away with and just have the call on the field go. Video replay slows the game down and too many times it's just someone's interpretation of the play anyway. It infuriates me when a play is reviewed and the call or overturn is still obviously wrong.
Get younger full time officials and get rid of the old boys club of businessmen that can't even decide if they want pureed beets or pureed prunes for breakfast without getting confused, or overruled.


WTF is a catch nowadays ?

[Novacane]

Let's not forget the generally abysmal officiating, either. The rule changes will not have helped, for sure, but add on to that a bunch of muppets trying to enforce/'interpret' them, you have a head start on a devalued product.


This has a lot to do with it. It's the reason the Bills game is the only game I watch now. I used to be the Bills. then the 4pm game, Sunday night, Mon night and Thursday night. It's gotten boring plus the officiating decides games.

[Wally The Barber]

I see problems coming with this thread

[swiper]

It's interesting to see Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers appearing in so many commercials during the NFL games. Why not Newton, Prescott or Winston ??? Something is strange in the NFL!

Those white QBs have been around longer.

[Wally The Barber]

Those white QBs have been around longer.

here we go......:rocker:

[Night Train]

All great points.

Poor officiating, protests, insane ticket prices & bad commish. Saturday football has been #1 with me for years. Never had any care for the Sunday ticket. Watch Redzone outside of the Bills and that's it for the NFL. Primetime games are ignored.

The color of players doesn't make any difference to me. I have lots of minority friends (I'm casper white) and the color of their skin,ethnic background means nothing to me. Good people are good people.

[YardRat]

The ratings are down because the league decided to kick true parity to the curb and rigged the system and 'purists' are saying '**** off, I've got better things to do than watch 21st century professional wrestling'.

[swiper]

here we go......:rocker:

I stated a fact grandpa.

[swiper]

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[Wally The Barber]

I stated a fact grandpa.

And you shall be rewarded for this son

[WagonCircler]

Those white QBs have been around longer.

That's impressive. Facts don't normally matter to you squishy lefties. Just stories that fit the narrative. (Hands up, don't shoot, for instance--urban myth).

This whole pathetic episode is part of the larger "divide and conquer" strategy. "Let's tell these spoiled millionaire rockheads that they're being treated like plantation workers and watch them go bats_hit crazy. This will be awesome!"

How'd that Antifa thing work out for you yesterday?

I actually think these protests are wonderful. They will ensure that there will never again be another Democrat president or Democrat led congress. All of this "non-binary gender" crap too. It's like electoral gold. Keep it up!

When you can't even beat Donald ****** Trump, you know you're on a freight train that's speeding off a cliff.

[YardRat]

That Play60 commercial is a classic, IMO.

[CoolBreeze]

I actually think these protests are wonderful. They will ensure that there will never again be another Democrat president or Democrat led congress. All of this "non-binary gender" crap too. It's like electoral gold. Keep it up!

When you can't even beat Donald ****** Trump, you know you're on a freight train that's speeding off a cliff.
No joke either, painfully obvious. it's been year, and they have not learned a thing. Lol They fuel the fire nightly.


The protest absolutely hurt the league. The biggest reason is whether you're for or against the protesting, this is Football. Everyone should be able to watch it without having to think about politics, religion, or social issues. It's one of the last things in this country that binded us together without the division of political, and social leanings.

[swiper]

That's impressive. Facts don't normally matter to you squishy lefties. Just stories that fit the narrative. (Hands up, don't shoot, for instance--urban myth).

This whole pathetic episode is part of the larger "divide and conquer" strategy. "Let's tell these spoiled millionaire rockheads that they're being treated like plantation workers and watch them go bats_hit crazy. This will be awesome!"

How'd that Antifa thing work out for you yesterday?

I actually think these protests are wonderful. They will ensure that there will never again be another Democrat president or Democrat led congress. All of this "non-binary gender" crap too. It's like electoral gold. Keep it up!

When you can't even beat Donald ****** Trump, you know you're on a freight train that's speeding off a cliff.

What are you talking about?

[ticatfan]

Big name injuries could make it worse.

[ParanoidAndroid]

This is possibly the worst ****ing thread I've read on this site. Skooby's threads are one thing. This is another, entirely. The things you folks think are amazing. The boneheaded opener was not to be outdone.... Trump blows his dog whistle and even the conservative and libertarian pseudointellectuals come running. You think you're so ****ing smart but you still get the issues wrong because your understanding of history is so ****ed.

[kingJofNYC]

What a useless thread.

[WagonCircler]

What are you talking about?

Oh, and I almost forgot about the whole Muslim terrorist apologist thing. Great, great stuff. Tell your comrades to keep up the good work.

Waiting eagerly for the Che Guevara style Kaeprnick t-shirts. Rock on!

[ParanoidAndroid]

What are you talking about?
He's having a conversation with himself.

[justasportsfan]

There may be some truth to it but it's got nothing to do with racism. Look at the stands on game day. Mostly white people watching.

Switch sport to basketball, then you have more black stars with commercials because a lot of basketball fans are black.

[kgun12]

All these excuses, it's called deflection, a great political strategy. Let's face it, rating started noticeably falling after Kaepernick started his misguided protests, yes misguided protests! Cops killing black men (only after putting themselves is really bad situations), oppression of blacks (after 8 years of a black president), pig faced cops socks, then wearing a Castro shirt (one of them most oppressive leaders ever!

The NFL is in trouble, Papa John's is the first major sponsor to feel the pain and threating to pull out and they won't be the last. BTW watch his profits go back up if he pulls out. The 65 million that voted for Trump has had it and the stupidity of the NFL and this countries PC bullcrap.

The NFL should have stopped Kaepernick first time he started his crap. Don't gave me 1st Amendment crap, this is a private company, they set company policy and what he did was against company policy. If my company told me I have to wear purple shirt, black pants and green shoes and I speak out and say no, not going to do it, I'm fire.

The bottom line, Free Speech Does Not Equal Freedom from Consequences. Kaepernick did what he did and it came with consequences, the NFL decided to take a stance and now they are feeling the consequences.

[kingJofNYC]

Kap isn't the reason, when will you dudes wake up?

NBA has players that are much more outspoken, they will collectively **** on the POTUS by not showing up to visits or calling him out in public, and yet their ratings aren't going down. They appeal to a broader audience, and it hasn't hurt them a bit. It's an international sport, and try as the NFL might, it will never appeal internationally.

NFL has too much baggage, from safety to off field, to only being on Sunday (exception being an awful Thursday night game and a hit or miss MNF), there's a host of reasons why they're losing viewers. It's not down to Kap, and if you think so you're a fool.

Edit: Not to mention that younger generations just stream NFL Redzone, don't care one bit about watching a full game until the playoffs show up. NFL with their long commercials and down time has forced viewers to focus on one channel that actually has **** happening instead of watching the 20th Papa John's commercial. Young folks need instant gratification, or they'll just watch some **** on instagram/youtube/facebook etc, the NFL can be a slog.

[kgun12]

Kap isn't the reason, when will you dudes wake up?

NBA has players that are much more outspoken, they will collectively **** on the POTUS by not showing up to visits or calling him out in public, and yet their ratings aren't going down. They appeal to a broader audience, and it hasn't hurt them a bit. It's an international sport, and try as the NFL might, it will never appeal internationally.

NFL has too much baggage, from safety to off field, to only being on Sunday (exception being an awful Thursday night game and a hit or miss MNF), there's a host of reasons why they're losing viewers. It's not down to Kap, and if you think so you're a fool.

Edit: Not to mention that younger generations just stream NFL Redzone, don't care one bit about watching a full game until the playoffs show up. NFL with their long commercials and down time has forced viewers to focus on one channel that actually has **** happening instead of watching the 20th Papa John's commercial. Young folks need instant gratification, or they'll just watch some **** on instagram/youtube/facebook etc, the NFL can be a slog.

NBA players aren't taking a knee or speaking out during game and not visiting the POTUS isn't disrespecting the flag and/or the military. What they are doing is well within their rights under the 1st amendment, HUGE Difference.

As far as the NFL and NBA product, they both suck. Haven't watched a NFL game all year, and it's probably been at least 10 years for a NBA game.

and yes Papa John's pizza sucks like all chain pizza.

[ParanoidAndroid]

As a vet, I have no issue with the anthem protests but guys on the sideling playing Army dress up makes me cringe. I also cringe at armchair patriots getting their panties in a bunch over someone not standing during the anthem. You people have all the intellectual depth of a kiddie pool.

[BertSquirtgum]

Seventy percent (70%) of African-American men comprise NFL rosters despite representing only six percent (6%) of the United States' population.

While the majority of NFL players are Black, the NFL fan base is 83 percent White and 64 percent male.

As Black QB's take over the key position in the game interest in the NFL game has declined. Kneel down protests by Black players has highlighted the racial divide within the game. Owners of NFL franchises are White. They seek profits through TV revenue and having Blacks play a game similar to gladiator battles in a Roman Coliseum.

It's the truth! Don't hide your eyes!
Horse****

[bdutton]

It's interesting to see Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers appearing in so many commercials during the NFL games. Why not Newton, Prescott or Winston ??? Something is strange in the NFL!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx2PMnSzCB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YqofWqS7d4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LqVd6UHuUs

And to add Russel Wilson for good measure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hN7ecH2MK4

[Mad Max]

Luckily for the NFL it didn’t have black QBs back in the day like they do now, otherwise even way back when it’s ratings would have been abysmal.

I mean if there were black dudes like Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Daunte Culpepper, Rodney Peete, Mike Vick, Doug Williams, Shaun King, or Kordell Stewart playing QB back in the day the NFL would have been bankrupted.

[BLUTO]

Luckily for the NFL it didn’t have black QBs back in the day like they do now, otherwise even way back when it’s ratings would have been abysmal.

I mean if there were black dudes like Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Daunte Culpepper, Rodney Peete, Mike Vick, Doug Williams, Shaun King, or Kordell Stewart playing QB back in the day the NFL would have been bankrupted.
I think you don't get the NFL dilemma in 2017. Rodney Peete, Shaun King, Kordell Stewart - - ????? All were back-ups. Moon, Cunningham, Culpepper and Vick didn't win anything. VICK did win at dog abuse. Also, the NFL teams back then were close to 50-50 white & black. I find you naive!

[Historian]

There are a lot of good points made in this thread...the officiating, the commercials, etc.

The problem, IMHO, is money and greed.

I can only speak for me, but I used to look forward to Sundays, and couldn't wait for MNF. Now, I look at football with the same enthusiasm as mowing the lawn.

First of all, I think the NFL is over-saturated. Part of that is games on Thursday, games on Sunday night, Sunday morning, etc...etc...and it's usually the same teams over and over.

Also, it's more of a pageant these days, as opposed to a game. Weird uniforms, fireworks, people dressed in Halloween costumes (in September) it can be a real freak show at times, and that doesn't include the stupidity outside the stadium.

Personally, I'm sick of the franchise relocations. You think all these London games are by accident? They're testing the waters for the Jags.

But I think what's really ruined it for me, is free agency, which in general, usually benefits the large market teams.

Paul Maguire once said that free agency actually hurts the team that's losing the player, more than it helps the team that is signing him. I think that's true, and to counter it, the owners instituted the salary cap.

I hate how the cap dictates who stays and who goes, as opposed to talent and production.

To me, this is why football is rotting from within. Accountants and MBAs are making decisions, not coaches. It's one of the reasons the Bills have been bad for so long.

And while on the topic of the Bills...

I don't root so much for the team, as I do the area. Like it or not, they are our link to the big time, albeit a small one.

So I continue to buy tickets each year, and share them with my family, which is one of the ways I've stayed sane through the drought, and the ever-changing fabric of the NFL.

Also, I take weekends off. Not just by sharing tix, but by not turning on the tv at all, especially if the Bills are on a bye, or the like.

Another tip I have for those tiring of the pro game, is to go watch a local HS game. Go see your alma mater play one Friday night. It will remind you of the days when players played for the love of the game.

It works for me.

/end rant

[swiper]

You don't root for the team, you root for the area?

:rofl:


Bull.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

There are a lot of good points made in this thread...the officiating, the commercials, etc.

The problem, IMHO, is money and greed.

I can only speak for me, but I used to look forward to Sundays, and couldn't wait for MNF. Now, I look at football with the same enthusiasm as mowing the lawn.

First of all, I think the NFL is over-saturated. Part of that is games on Thursday, games on Sunday night, Sunday morning, etc...etc...and it's usually the same teams over and over.

Also, it's more of a pageant these days, as opposed to a game. Weird uniforms, fireworks, people dressed in Halloween costumes (in September) it can be a real freak show at times, and that doesn't include the stupidity outside the stadium.

Personally, I'm sick of the franchise relocations. You think all these London games are by accident? They're testing the waters for the Jags.

But I think what's really ruined it for me, is free agency, which in general, usually benefits the large market teams.

Paul Maguire once said that free agency actually hurts the team that's losing the player, more than it helps the team that is signing him. I think that's true, and to counter it, the owners instituted the salary cap.

I hate how the cap dictates who stays and who goes, as opposed to talent and production.

To me, this is why football is rotting from within. Accountants and MBAs are making decisions, not coaches. It's one of the reasons the Bills have been bad for so long.

And while on the topic of the Bills...

I don't root so much for the team, as I do the area. Like it or not, they are our link to the big time, albeit a small one.

So I continue to buy tickets each year, and share them with my family, which is one of the ways I've stayed sane through the drought, and the ever-changing fabric of the NFL.

Also, I take weekends off. Not just by sharing tix, but by not turning on the tv at all, especially if the Bills are on a bye, or the like.

Another tip I have for those tiring of the pro game, is to go watch a local HS game. Go see your alma mater play one Friday night. It will remind you of the days when players played for the love of the game.

It works for me.

/end rant

Good post except rooting for the area and not the team to an extent. No lie, I jumped on the Bills bandwagon in 1990 when the Bills were elite. I have been loyal to them ever since. Honestly, it was only finding this site and that other Range in the early 2000s that made me actually care about the region of WNY. That said, if the Bills left WNY I don't think I would follow the Bills or whatever they renamed themselves or the NFL any more. Actually outside of the Bills I really don't follow the NFL. My Sunday during Bills season? Mass, find livestream for the Bills, Laundry, read a good book or watch a good movie, take a nap. I haven't spent a Sunday watching football including the post season since at least the mid 00s

Want to know what era of the league I follow? 1960 to about 2000 via the narration of the voice of God John Facenda, God Jr. Harry Kalas and others such as Pat Summerall, Jeff Kaye, and Chris Berman who did the 1988 Bills film. These, especially the years before 1995, were the greatest years in football. There was heart, there were compelling stories, there were actual rivalries, there were characters, and generally you could see even from the films the sense that these players stayed on the same team for a decade plus. The game was more fun.

So great post

[Historian]

You don't root for the team, you root for the area?

:rofl:


Bull.

Yes.

Sure I want he team to win, but I'm satisfied if they don't embarrass us on national tv. We have enough idiots doing that in the parking lots being broadcast on the internet.

I like when they show the sites, like Niagara Falls, The Anchor Bar, or Chestnut Ridge.

I'm happy when they do an aerial shot and the fall foliage is in bloom, or when it's 65 degrees for a December game.

Most of you came from here. Good people still live here. I'm happy when the area is presented in a positive light.

[swiper]

https://media.giphy.com/media/14aUO0Mf7dWDXW/giphy.gif

[WagonCircler]

Want to know what era of the league I follow? 1960 to about 2000 via the narration of the voice of God John Facenda,

This, probably more than anything else (and I include the amazing background music of Sam Spence) made me an NFL fan when I was a kid.

In those days, TV coverage of the league was the opposite of saturated. Sundays only. One, maybe two games a week. So those NFL highlight shows WERE the NFL. They made the games so dramatic, but not overly so. Watching them today on YouTube can still send a chill up my spine.

They exist in such marked contrast to the absolute garbage that today's NFL has become. Ubiquitous blathering idiots on dozens of pre/post game shows who never STFU and who exist mostly to amuse each other. Idiot players openly insulting the symbols of the country that gave them the opportunity to become rich beyond their wildest dreams. Announcers lecturing us on politics. Commercial breaks every seventeen seconds. Touchdown reversals. Incomprehensible rules (what constitutes a catch THIS week?). Incompetent referees.

It's been really easy to boycott this flaming dung heap.

Oh, and regarding rooting for the area rather than the team--I TOTALLY get it. When I fantasize about the ball not sailing wide right in SB XXV, the vision in my head is not of the players celebrating in the locker room, it's of the would-be ensuing parade, and the fans lining Delaware Avenue for miles and miles. I want a championship for Buffalo far more than I want one for the organization.

[Historian]

Back then, if your team had a really good outing on Sunday, you hoped they made Howard Cosell's halftime highlights.

:up:

[Bill Cody]

Thursday night football has hurt the league a lot more than a small % of players kneeling during the anthem. The players hate it, the games stink, bad matchups, just adds to to the over exposure of the league.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

This, probably more than anything else (and I include the amazing background music of Sam Spence) made me an NFL fan when I was a kid.

In those days, TV coverage of the league was the opposite of saturated. Sundays only. One, maybe two games a week. So those NFL highlight shows WERE the NFL. They made the games so dramatic, but not overly so. Watching them today on YouTube can still send a chill up my spine.

They exist in such marked contrast to the absolute garbage that today's NFL has become. Ubiquitous blathering idiots on dozens of pre/post game shows who never STFU and who exist mostly to amuse each other. Idiot players openly insulting the symbols of the country that gave them the opportunity to become rich beyond their wildest dreams. Announcers lecturing us on politics. Commercial breaks every seventeen seconds. Touchdown reversals. Incomprehensible rules (what constitutes a catch THIS week?). Incompetent referees.

It's been really easy to boycott this flaming dung heap.

Oh, and regarding rooting for the area rather than the team--I TOTALLY get it. When I fantasize about the ball not sailing wide right in SB XXV, the vision in my head is not of the players celebrating in the locker room, it's of the would-be ensuing parade, and the fans lining Delaware Avenue for miles and miles. I want a championship for Buffalo far more than I want one for the organization.

If you grew up out of market and your parents were too poor to afford Sunday Ticket, there was a very special day in early summer every year when the previous year's highlight film showed up at the video store. You saw the Thundering Herd narrated by Harry Kalas and had the radio calls of Van Miller, and right after the victory over Phoenix the Shout Song. My God is was great. I about wore out and ultimately did wear out that tape. In 1991-1994 you had Jeff Kaye. He was not Kalas, but Van Miller's calls more than made up for it with the background music. Then Kaye came back in 1996 and was there to 1999 and Van Miller. Damn. Its still so much joy to see the old team films some from as far back as the 60s when Van Miller before age gave his voice that rasp and strain narrated the highlights from from the world championship years.

[YardRat]

Yeah, Thursday night, Sunday night and early Sunday AM games suck. Gimme back the ol' three games on Sunday (alternating double-headers) and Monday night, only.

If I'm being completely honest, however, that still wouldn't encourage me to return to viewing habits I had 20, 30, 40 years ago. The refs will still suck, the rules will still suck, etc.

[kingJofNYC]

Yeah, Thursday night, Sunday night and early Sunday AM games suck. Gimme back the ol' three games on Sunday (alternating double-headers) and Monday night, only.

If I'm being completely honest, however, that still wouldn't encourage me to return to viewing habits I had 20, 30, 40 years ago. The refs will still suck, the rules will still suck, etc.

That's also part of the problem. Fans are getting old, they don't have the time nor the desire to wade through this every week, and the younger generation that got hooked via Madden/FF are now getting older as well, so where does the NFL go? Demos are changing for them, and their might not be much they can do.

[Bill Cody]

That's also part of the problem. Fans are getting old, they don't have the time nor the desire to wade through this every week, and the younger generation that got hooked via Madden/FF are now getting older as well, so where does the NFL go? Demos are changing for them, and their might not be much they can do.

Well they can start by spending some money on researching much safer helmets. Parents of kids today are not dopes. Ok they are but they still don't want their kids to get screwed up playing football and yeah damn good chance they will. The sport dies unless they can make it safer. These are basically the same helmets from 50 years ago, not nearly good enough.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Well they can start by spending some money on researching much safer helmets. Parents of kids today are not dopes. Ok they are but they still don't want their kids to get screwed up playing football and yeah damn good chance they will. The sport dies unless they can make it safer. These are basically the same helmets from 50 years ago, not nearly good enough.

You can have the safest helmet in the world, but that does not stop the brain from smacking into the skull

[Night Train]

Thursday night games are the worst idea ever in the NFL.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Alas, player safety is the great and perhaps fatal paradox facing the game. The game was at its best when you had those bone jarring hits. Who can forget Tasker saying good night to that Rams kick returner or Bruce turning off Montana and Esiason's lights? Or the 85 bears dismantling Dallas or the Purple Gang or Doomsday I-II or the Raiders or Orange Crush or Steel Curtain in the 70s or the Packers and Colts in the 60s. Then there is Stratton's Hit on Lincoln that basically won the 64 championship game. Those hits made football awesome. The hits and brutality were great and gave one respect for qbs from Unitas to Kelly who put up great numbers despite the threat of them getting brutalized.

Unfortunately, The price for damn good football was brutal football with guys maimed for life and dying young in retirement. So the league had to make the game safer and now we have two hand touch type football where even sneezing on the qb- if he is a big name- gets a flag and where the running game is boring and you don't get the jarring hits that made the game great. Sadly, you can't have player safety and great hits and so really the league is now gripped in a fatal paradox

[upstart]

Soon the owners will come to realize, albeit far too late, that placating the lunatics in the asylum has sent them into a fast moving downward spiral. From what I hear,ratings are down 20%, attendance and sale of merchandise down about the same, the players should get hit much worse than 20% when negotiating new contracts.

I watched some highlights yesterday. Mostly players fighting, cheep shots and those ridiculous end zone antics.

BTW, I'm a Pats fan and I haven't watched their games since about 12 players took a knee and spit in my Nation's face.

I've found golf is especially nap-worthy; very soothing.

[BLUTO]

Soon the owners will come to realize, albeit far too late, that placating the lunatics in the asylum has sent them into a fast moving downward spiral. From what I hear,ratings are down 20%, attendance and sale of merchandise down about the same, the players should get hit much worse than 20% when negotiating new contracts.

I watched some highlights yesterday. Mostly players fighting, cheep shots and those ridiculous end zone antics.

BTW, I'm a Pats fan and I haven't watched their games since about 12 players took a knee and spit in my Nation's face.

I've found golf is especially nap-worthy; very soothing.

"I watched some highlights yesterday. Mostly players fighting, cheep shots and those ridiculous end zone antics."

I saw the same things. Players punching each other. Have the inmates taken over the big buck asylum?

[Chet]

All I gotta say is thank Christ for NFL Redzone, which almost always spares us from the petty charades of the dindus.

[Arm of Harm]

You can have the safest helmet in the world, but that does not stop the brain from smacking into the skull

Granted. That said, the NFL can and should be doing a much, much better job with helmets.

The hardness of modern helmets encourages players to use their heads as weapons. If the NFL were to go back to leather helmets, you'd see the "head as a weapon" concept go away very quickly! And that would cut down on concussions.

Leather helmets are not the only option. An innovative company has invented a helmet designed to greatly reduce the harm caused by glancing blows. The inner layer of this helmet is attached to the player's head. It also has an outer layer. But if a player's head is dealt a glancing blow, the outer layer is capable of moving, relative to the inner layer. That way you're dissipating the force, instead of directly transmitting it to the player's brain. This innovative helmet would all but eliminate concussions caused by torque or glancing blows.

Why hasn't the NFL adopted these new helmets? Protect the shield. To use these new, innovative helmets would be to admit that the helmets they're currently using aren't good enough. Which, the thinking goes, could open the NFL up to lawsuits from current and former players. If on the other hand the NFL continues using their current helmets, they can (erroneously) claim they're using the best available technology to protect players' brains, and that any brain trauma is unavoidable and intrinsic to the sport.

[Turf]

The officials and the obvious belief by most people that the officiating is so bad the games must be fixed.
Thursday night football should be Sat night football, great cross over into Sunday and won't wear down the players. I would in fact replace Monday night football with Sat night football.
Most no one talks about the horrible camera coverage of the game. We get high def TV and the camera now pans out to blimp view and shows 40-50 yards of the field. The camera men are just plain lazy. Watching tiny little football players run around is not dynamic coverage of the sport. Neither is watching close ups of the huddle. They should be showing close ups of the play.

[Bill Cody]

You can have the safest helmet in the world, but that does not stop the brain from smacking into the skull

By that logic kids should not wear helmets riding bikes. The brain is still going to be at risk with better helmets but it could make a significant difference.

[stuckincincy]

You can have the safest helmet in the world, but that does not stop the brain from smacking into the skull

Yes indeed. F = 1/2 mv squared still applies.

Lem Barney predicted the end of the NFL on the injury angle a few years ago. He backtracked under assumed duress (my words), though.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

By that logic kids should not wear helmets riding bikes. The brain is still going to be at risk with better helmets but it could make a significant difference.

Kids aren't getting their heads smacked around 50 times a day when riding bikes, by your logic

[Bill Cody]

Kids aren't getting their heads smacked around 50 times a day when riding bikes, by your logic

Exactly. Even more reason to have the best protection possible. Why is this even an argument?

[Pennywise]

Granted. That said, the NFL can and should be doing a much, much better job with helmets.

The hardness of modern helmets encourages players to use their heads as weapons. If the NFL were to go back to leather helmets, you'd see the "head as a weapon" concept go away very quickly! And that would cut down on concussions.

Leather helmets are not the only option. An innovative company has invented a helmet designed to greatly reduce the harm caused by glancing blows. The inner layer of this helmet is attached to the player's head. It also has an outer layer. But if a player's head is dealt a glancing blow, the outer layer is capable of moving, relative to the inner layer. That way you're dissipating the force, instead of directly transmitting it to the player's brain. This innovative helmet would all but eliminate concussions caused by torque or glancing blows.

Why hasn't the NFL adopted these new helmets? Protect the shield. To use these new, innovative helmets would be to admit that the helmets they're currently using aren't good enough. Which, the thinking goes, could open the NFL up to lawsuits from current and former players. If on the other hand the NFL continues using their current helmets, they can (erroneously) claim they're using the best available technology to protect players' brains, and that any brain trauma is unavoidable and intrinsic to the sport.

Leather helmets? LOL

The game is MUCH faster than it was in the old days of dirt and mud. Head collisions are a hell of a lot more difficult to avoid. I’d like to see the first time a players head bounces off the turf while wearing leather.