I don’t know about you, but the NFL season is always something I look forward to. As die-hard football fans, my friends and I would huddle around on Sundays to watch the latest games and root for our favorite teams. Well, this year it seems like ratings for the NFL are down. It’s a real bummer!
We’ve seen so much news coverage about the decline in viewership, but have people really lost interest in the game? Could it be that the ratings are down because fans aren’t able to watch games in person due to the pandemic? That’s what I’m thinking but as of now I don’t know for sure.
I did a bit of research to try to get to the bottom of the mystery. From what I understand, there are a number of factors contributing to the dip in ratings. Some of it has to do with the negative press the NFL has been receiving over the past few years. Issues such as the way the league has handled national anthem protests, the concussion lawsuit settlement, and the anthem policy have all been sources of criticism.
Another factor is the lack of high-profile star players. We don’t have the same household names like we used to, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Brett Favre. As a result, the highlight plays we’re used to seeing and sharing on social media just aren’t there anymore.
Then, there’s the debate about the way the league is handling COVID-19 guidelines. It’s no secret the NFL didn’t respond the way other sports leagues have with the pandemic, and that has had an effect. Fans feel like the NFL isn’t taking player safety seriously, and that’s leading to a disconnect with the league.
At the end of the day, I think the biggest issue is the lack of fan engagement. Stadiums still aren’t at full capacity due to coronavirus restrictions, so there’s not the same excitement or atmosphere when watching games. The energy of an in-person experience just isn’t the same through a TV screen.
It’s hard to say exactly why NFL ratings are down, but the limited fan engagement is likely the biggest factor. The NFL has never been about one or two big stars, it’s about a collective of teams, personalities, and fans coming together to celebrate the game. Without that connection, the numbers are going to suffer, and until the crowd is back, it looks like the ratings are going to remain low.
That said, I think once the pandemic is over and the fan experience makes its long awaited return, the NFL ratings will pick right back up. Maybe it’ll take a bit of time, but I have faith in the resilience of the league and the loyalty of its fans.
Unfortunately, aside from the pandemic factors, there’s also a lot of talk about the NFL going towards a subscription model with its broadcast partners. This means that people might have to pay for access to NFL games. Who knows, you might find that you’ll need to start signing up for a streaming service soon if you want to watch every game.
There’s also been some new streaming services popping up, such as DAZN. They already offer a variety of sports streaming options, and now they’ve expanded to include NFL coverage. This could potentially be a great way to watch NFL games without a cable subscription.
It’s hard to predict the future of the NFL ratings, but right now the outlook isn’t great. Even though I have faith in the league’s resiliency, the potential that this decline in viewership will be long-lasting still makes me a bit sad. At least I can still watch games with my friends online!