NFL attendance and ratings are cratering.
The anti-American protests have created what seems to be an irreversible trend.
And the latest trend might have the NFL panicking.
The 2016 election was used as rationale for last season’s slumping ratings, but the trend has continued and worsened. People aren’t watching in the same numbers, and the attendance has continued to slide.
The most discouraging piece of this for the NFL is that even teams in the playoff chase aren’t getting the fan support you would expect.
The Carolina-Green Bay game that featured the Panthers fighting for a division title and the return of superstar Aaron Rodgers had lukewarm attendance.
From Zero Hedge:
As the NFL copes with a ratings slump and ESPN slashes $80 million in salaries after losing 15,000 subscribers a day in October, another major issue facing the league continued to play out in week 15 – terrible attendance.
While many blame the kneeing epidemic of unpatriotic players refusing to stand for the National Anthem – which started in the summer 2016 pre-season by former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, others point to a boring season, cord cutters and broke millennials staying home.
Either way, it’s ugly. Since most NFL attendance figures are based on “tickets distributed” as opposed to actual turnstile count, and most NFL ticket sales are to season-ticket holders, it’s nearly impossible to tell how many people are simply choosing not to attend games for which they’ve already bought tickets. Except, pictures don’t lie…
MetLife Stadium was a ghost town at the end of the first quarter, and “1/2 full” as the Philadelphia Eagles and NY Giants headed into the 4th quarter:
Ian on Twitter
Loving being at @Giants @MLStadium #GiantsPride #GiantsNation
The Arizona Cardinals vs. Washington Redskins at FedEx Field was ROUGH:
Dan Steinberg on Twitter
SRO not necessarily packed but I dunno
The Ravens vs. Browns game was also a hot mess of empty seats:
McNeil on Twitter
Beginning of the second half. Traffic to the stadium must’ve been bad today.
The poor attendance has even spurred WWE owner to flirt with bringing back the short-lived XFL.
From Breitbart:
With the NFL undergoing a nearly unprecedented decline in ratings, in-game attendance, and overall popularity; a bold and adventurous businessman with lots of resources, could consider launching a rival football league to compete with the NFL.
The WWE’s Vince McMahon is fits that bold and adventurous description and, reportedly, he is considering launching a new football league.
Brad Shepard 🤘🏻 on Twitter
EXCLUSIVE: Vince McMahon is looking to bring back the XFL and may announce it on January 25th, 2018.
The NFL has a huge problem and they don’t seem to be in search of solutions. Their answer appears to be pretending the issue doesn’t exist while giving the protesting players $90 million in money earmarked for social justice activist causes.