The NFL’s sum of all fears just became realized: Fans are tuning out.
After this past Sunday’s temper tantrum display of players taking a knee during the National Anthem, it looks like the league is losing viewers.
Deadline Hollywood just broke the news: “In metered market numbers, the primetime matchup that saw the Washington Redskins beat the Oakland Raiders 27-10 snared an 11.6/20, the worst SNF has performed this season so far. It’s an 8% dip from the early numbers of last week’s game, Atlanta’s 34-23 win over Green Bay.”
Did you read that? An 8% dip from last week.
Granted, this was only one game. But it was the only game broadcasting on cable during its time slot, and it came on after a full day of players protesting President Trump and the American flag.
Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Even NBC suspects that it was President Trump’s tweets about the NFL and the National Anthem that caused the ratings dip: “President Donald Trump’s tirade against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem received blanket news coverage, but that didn’t help the ratings for NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football,’ according to Nielsen’s early market data.”
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Looks like the NFL better get its act together, or their ratings will continue to plummet. An ESPN poll from earlier this summer revealed that 26% of viewers tuned the games out because of excessive political protests.
Something tells me, when the threat of decreased viewership, and the subsequent loss in salary, becomes more apparent, you’ll see whole teams standing for the National Anthem again.
And, of course, Colin Kaepernick will still be on the sidelines, not playing a single game.
Fans let the NFL know how they feel about its suffering ratings over Twitter:
NFL is to blame fo their ratings. Nice try though to pin someone else's fault on the @POTUS, after all he's to blame for everything, right?
— Byron_Shultz (@Byron_Shultz) September 25, 2017
SundayNightFootball ratings DOWN 13% follwing #TaketheKnee #NFL Protest WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN 2FIGHT! #BoycottNFL
https://t.co/NECzeiBYY5 pic.twitter.com/mbqJ1BxIN3
— MissAmericaPie (@MissAmericaPie) September 25, 2017
@NFL I'm enjoying watching your ratings going DONE. you can't stand, WE can't watch.
RIP NFL….— Rochelle~Neebes (@RneebesNeebes) September 25, 2017
Trump did not start this. Disrespectful ungrateful athletes did. In the NFL ratings have been dropping for 2 years because of it.
— james edward holley (@jedwardholley) September 25, 2017
What do you think? Did you boycott the NFL yesterday? Or did you watch? Tell us your thoughts below and share this story on Facebook and Twitter!
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Of course, I boycotted the National Felon League.
The kneeling thugs are the ones who ruined the game. NFL was a sport. Now it is a political sounding board for disgruntled blacks to vent their so-called anger that is from their own inadequacy and must place the blame on someone else.
They go through life fat, dumb, stupid and rich until 5 years after retiring and then they are destitute.
I won’t be watching any NFL or NBA again until see them stand for my flag and national anthem. High School ball is more fun anyway.
I’m not watching them. As a further measure, I’ll not be planting watermelons this year either.
I tuned out on football last year and President Trump didn’t and doesn’t influence my decision at all
you have theseoverpriced babies who think they know what is wrong with america siding with racist groupd like antifa and black lives matters….they don’t care that they re disrespecting the men and women who serve in the police..fire…medical..and military across america..they go right along with saying america is not great…well if it isn’t mr millionaire……then leave…..and since you are no longer proud to be an american..and stand for this great nation…….while you are in the kneeling position……here is my boot..clean it boy….thats a good slave of liberalism
I have no problem with them not playing the national anthem at sporting events..I cancelled my football package with Direct TV and it will be a very long time before I watch a bunch of millionaires playing for a bunch of Billionaires in stadiums funded by taxpayers….How screwed up is that…
What’d you NFL heads think…we’d join in with anything you’d put on the screen…that we’d take up this un American cause because these are our heroes? These aren’t our heroes…they’re entertainment and when they cease to be entertainment, they cease to be desirable. I have root beliefs that don’t require my being lectured by socialists and the unwitting lackeys, who disagree with those beliefs. This crosses the line and you’re going to find out what happens when you do that.
Time for a change. The collusion of national sports organizations with the government(s) authorizing monopoly structures, facilitating the subsidies for stadium construction, and allowing colleges to exploit athletes as indentured servants for profit, etc., need reform.
Don’t celibate just yet,give it a couple weeks and the numbers will be right back to normal or above,diehard NFLer’s wont be able to hold out and the owners know it so dont be doing the happy dance just yet.I for one will not budge and have cut NFL off at the knees and will never watch ever again,I hope I’m wrong but time will tell.
@Dennis: “Celibate” would mean to live without sex until this is solved. That would last forever. The black players certainly are not living without sex. They want their violence toward spouses codified by the natural rules and etiquette of the NFL.
“Celibate” doesn’t mean no sex. It means no marriage – that’s why the oath of celibacy, taken by some religious practitioners, lets them off the hook when hooking up.
When Team owners start feeling it in declining revenue they will find a “new patriotic stance” and “encourage” their players to respect the Flag . . . . . . or get a ticket on a Greyhound bus.
They have affected my major source of entertainment during the season. They were there to entertain me. I’m not concerned about their personal opinions just like they are not concerned about mine.
I agree
These people just don’t get it. For one most people look at football as nothing more than entertainment. It’s their means to get a break from all the hubbub of the workday or workweek in the case of the weekend. If they wanted to see political or social banter they could turn on one of the Lame Stream Media Network news channels and get all they wanted. But no, they turned on a channel that once was the haven for a sport that probably most Americans loved to watch. But then U have these overpaid “Pro” players that think we really want to see their insane protesting some social issue they personally have by showing their disrespect to our flag and Anthem. They obvioiusly don’t know or understand the pride of the VAST majority of Americans. But they have the right to act out and present themselves on nation television showing their ass proving their lack of pride and honor for the country represented by the flag and Anthem which they chose to dishonor in light of the fact that it is that country that allows them to show their lack of respect, and honor for those that have given their lives to allow them to continue to demonstrate their lack of knowledge or understand of what the flag and Anthem truly represent. So WE, “THE PEOPLE” of this great nation which they have taken for granted, taken so lightly, and shown such disrespect toward likewise have the right and ability to show our displeasure and lack of caring about their position on a social issue they see as injustice and will not tolerate their continued public display of disrespectful conduct on the world scene.
If the players have a social issue they want to highlight and get behind and support, that’s fine. Do it on their own dime and their own time. Lets see some of these millionaire players get behind their issue by getting involved with their Congress people, their Senators, put some money into the institutions that might help these social problems like supporting some group that is attempting to teach fathers to stay in their children lives and teach them right from wrong. Teach them respect for themselves and others. Lets see them do something that truly makes a difference in the big social picture rather than show their ass on the sidelines or after scoring or making a play on the field. Lets see them put their lives and life styles on the line for our country and then still show the disrespect they have for our national symbols.
If U are truly so displeased with our nation. Please by all means feel free to go to anyone of the hundreds of other nations that exist. I’m sure they’ll be happy to take U in and watch as U act out in their country. Good luck with that. And good luck continuing to be a millionaire by playing a game.
Boycott the NFL. I wouldn’t give U the satisfaction of me saying I’m boycotting the NFL. That would mean the NFL means something to me. It does not. And the individual players were nothing more than gifted American athletes to me. No, I’m not boycotting the NFL. I’ve simply given up on watching gifted athelets disrespect my country and it’s symbols which mean so much to so many while they and their teams get paid so much for so little. That is the real social injustice. I can get just as much enjoyment watching College Football, or local HS Football or Pop Warner Football, I don’t need these ingrates that in all probability don’t even understand the issue that they are “protesting”.
I THINK KAEPERNICK STARTED IT WHEN HE TOOK A KNEE DURING THE PLAYING OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, I THOUGHT THEN IT WAS DISRESPECTING OUR COUNTRY’S COLORS, A COUNTRY THAT ALLOWS THE PLAYERS TO MAKE OUTRAGEOUS INCOME TO PLAY A HIGH SCHOOL GAME!
This whole thing started with Obama dividing the country and Kaepernick is and was carrying Obama’s message against the cops. This is isn’t about race, but those who kneeled during the national anthem are they as guilty as those who resisted the cops. If I were the police union, I would not give them police protection at the games. Those games are a private interprise and they the NFL should have to have their own security. These poor boys have it so bad with their millions in salaries and most people don’t know that if any veteran’s income is over $30,000 you can’t use the VA facilities unless you have an injury from the wars. I had prostate cancer from agent orange and was being turned down because I used my VA school allowance to better myself and that was taking me out of the VA system until they found the cancer and being in Vietnam. I am only telling you this, because these people have millions to go wherever they please for their medical and their physical medicine is furnished for them by the team. HOW MANY VETERANS ARE IN THE VA DO TO THEIR WAR TIME INJURIES, LOSS OF ARM, LEG, DISFIGURED DUE TO AN IED, FIRE AND THE LIST GOES ON AND THESE POOR ATHLETES ARE SO DISCRIMINATED AGAINIST. FORGET ABOUT NFL, FORGET ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF NIKE AND USAA PRODUCTS.
I am not boycotting the NFL I have quit the NFL. To boycott would indicate that at some point I’ll be coming back – which is not true.
PLEASE, Do not make this into a RACE thing, That’s what the liberal Media wants, Anytime they lose the White House it becomes a White Racist thing, to divide the Country, This is a Respect thing, Respect the Country that gave you the ability to Make Millions playing a GAME, FREEEDOM, Stand For Your Anthem, and The Flag, If You Don’t OK, Just make the decision your Salaries are going to go down, Hire Scabs that will stand. I will watch them
Looks like the NFL and the Emmy’s are competing for the lowest ratings! Poetic Justice! LOL! The MAJORITY of Americans have spoken LOUD & CLEAR!
What’s REALLY funny Anne, is that although the American people are, and have been since November 8th, speaking loud and clear, everyone from the DNC, to Hillary Clinton, to ESPN, to the NFL, to Antifa, to everybody else on that side; they all seem to think it was everything OTHER than the will of the American people. They really just can’t fathom that we, the unspoken, forgotten Americans, can exercise our will when we’re angry enough, riled enough, enticed enough. They forgot that just because we’re the “silent majority”, that the word MAJORITY is still very much a part of that term.
Wonder what excuse they’re going to use this time next year when they’re getting voted out of office in droves? I can’t wait for that bloodbath.
RIP, NFL-SOON YOU’LL BE TOAST, SAME AS CNN, NBC, ETC. ETC.
Outrageous! Sports figures stage a completely undocumented, and demented protest due to one incompetent quarterback who decides to disrespect the flag in order to get attention, and the thing snowballs out of control. And the president comments on it, and suddenly it is HIS FAULT? What are people smoking? This is in on the players, and on the NFL leadership. Blaming Trump is like blaming Queen Elizabeth for the Mayor of London being an Islamic radical. And, after seeing a great American tradition being trashed because of one crybaby quarterback, he isn’t supposed to comment? What about that ‘freedom of speech’ they claim to be using?
I won’t watch again until every team and member that participated in this atrocious anarchy, apologizes, to the president, and to the citizens, which they so flagrantly insulted.
Don’t hold your hand on your ass waiting for that to happen it may grow there,they hate America to bad to ever apologize.
I will be boycotting the NFL AGAIN this year! If the players and league wish to be disrespectful to our nations flag and our President they can go to hell! The NFL is currently no longer welcomed in my home.
Back in 1990, Paul Tagliabue, then commissioner of the NFL, decreed that Arizona would not be allowed to host a Super Bowl until it had a Martin Luther King Day. Whether or not one supports such a day honoring MLK, I felt then, and still believe, that no professional sports team had any business interfering with the internal affairs of an independent American state. I believed then, and continue to believe now, that the NFL can be either a sports organization or a political entity, but not both.
I decided, despite my previous life-long love of American-style football, that I had had it with the NFL. Today, and since 1990, I can honestly say that I have not watched a single play of NFL football. Neither have I purchased a single item of football regalia, or memorabilia that in any way could possibly route even a single damned penny to the NFL.
The same goes for the NBA, either they’re a sports organization or a political entity. I get my football kicks from watching my favorite college football teams. I can easily give up the NBA and watch high quality basketball played by teams representing my favorite schools.
Hollywood, take note! I’ve already boycotted most of the left-wing, loud-mouthed, political ignoramuses and have no problem adding a few more to my “Don’t watch list.”
These spoiled athletic Millionaires Only clubs need us a hell of a lot more than we need them. Use some judgment and grow a pair of balls! Fight back against these idiots with their paychecks! Then, STANDBY FOR MASS REPENTANCE as they come sniveling and groveling back to protect their overvalued careers!
I don’t care now if the NFL fails and these misguided millionaire’s are outta work…
The NFL has helped in a horrible dumbing down of America. Protest is a right. And we have seen plenty of them. But the NFL did everyone a huge disservice by not stopping when it started. The NFL has emboldened all malcontents to hijack a game, and turn it into their personal bully pulpit. They did not do the very simple task of keeping their eye on one thing: Football. I don’t like their breast cancer month either. Good cause. But concentrate on what you do. Don’t support bad causes, don’t support good causes. Play ball.
In a way this is OK. Many of these players are just thugs, not all, but they have been working their way toward this end for some time now. Make NO mistake, this is not about unjust police actions against blacks, its about spoiled and entitled players exerting their negative will on what this great country stands for. If they cared so much they would demand something be done about the 600+ black on black killings in Chicago alone. But that’s not the problem, its the police who are the problem. Any right thinking American knows this IS about race and the superior attitude some of these players have towards others. Its just plain ugly. No more NFL or NBA for me….ever.
Professional Sports has always been about today. Take the peoples minds off their troubles and become tribal in nature. They found that songs could help the people through the great depression now they use that technique to take the heart out of our nation through disrespect of this nations true values, you know the ones that came from hard work. Today theres welfare to help the natives keep theuir minds on the TV and cell phones, while Rome burns the people play.
I am a 72 year old 100% disabled though ambulatory Vietnam Vet and Tet Offensive 1968-69 survivor who finds the protests in place offensive and not just to vets but, to seniors, active military and the rapidly shrinking Middle Class. Vets, seniors and the rapidly shrinking Middle Class pay OUTRAGEOUS prices to be entertained, not go to undeclared political rigging conventions setting poor examples of citizenship for our progeny we take to these events. If we wanted to do that, we’d have joined the DNC prior to the last election. The arenas are not a venue for this type of demonstration. These trolling termites should be boycotted into extinction and then be replaced with REAL American players, coaches, managers and others who RESPECT those whose blood and sacrifice , hardships endured and more courage and valor than they will ever know,have provided THEM with the freedom and opportunity to make millions. Many of those have been like myself merely injured while others made the ultimate sacrifice but these self-serving pond scum parasites think they are professional politicians.Well then, if that is so, LET’S VOTE THEM OFF THE PLAYING FIELD; PERMANENTLY; and replace them with those who unequivocally LOVE this country, not only when it suits their need or diseased political agendas.THEY HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY DEMONSTRATE THEIR VIEWS IN OTHER VENUES IF THEY SO DESIRE BUT THE FIELD OF PLAY IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE PLACE WHEN WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE PAYING THE FREIGHT! OTHER ATHLETES SHOULD TAKE NOTE AS THEY WILL BE LOOKED UPON WITH THE SAME LACK OF ESTEEM IF THEY FOLLOW THE POOR EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL FRAUD LEAGUE! i AM A LIFELONG NEW ENGLAND PATS FAN BUT NO MORE AND THAT IS THANKS TO THE COMMENTS OF TOM BRADY AND ROBERT KRAFT WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER! IF THESE DOLTS ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR VIEWS, THOSE OF US WHO SERVED AT GREAT PERSONAL RISK ARE SURELY ENTITLED TO OUR DISSENTING VIEWS AND UNLIKE THEM, WE EARNED THE RIGHT!
The NFL club ownerships have finally begun they to realize they a made a mistake by appointing Goodell as Commissioner. I suppose things take time, It is unrecoverable for the league, It was once America’s passion. It is now America’s mistake.
I have played football and loved the game since I was a child I used to respect and admire
may players regardless of race, color or creed. But they showed respect for the American
Flag and our Anthem. Now they a disrespecting our Flag, Our Nation, the men and women
who put their on the line to keep our Nation and all of our citizens safe. This is how they
act, then they can take a flying leap and find a new line of work.
Yay!
Politics and sports don’t mix; like oil and water. Stop all demonstrations on the field: before, during and after play. Let the players demonstrate on their own time and not while I am watching a game.
I wish I made multi-millions a year. I feel sorry for the “underprivileged” players. I will not watch or support unpatriotic athletics. GOD Bless the USA. It is a privilege to live here!!!
Another thought I often have at high school football games (while standing for the our National
Anthem): our veterans gave us the choice/freedom to be able to stand and salute them and our country at each sporting event; some of whom never came home to play any sport or see the fruits of their supreme sacrifice. Lets have some respect and reverence where it is due. Don’t be a political correct ignorant moron by hiding, sitting, fisting, kneeling or just bored with the veterans, who played a real team sport, with real life threatening consequences giving you the opportunity to play another team sport for money and glamour and less life threatening consequences—-get a grip on your uppity selves!!!!!
As a Wounded Vet with more then one Combat Tour and More Then One Purple Heart I can’t Stand To Watch These Anti American Millionaire Racist With Their Power, Black Muslim, Black panther White Hating Salutes. Sorry I Served To Protect This Bucket Of Male Bovine Excrement.
WORD DROPPED Not Power but THEIR BLACK POWER SALUTES
I do not watch the NFL anymore can someone report on the sponsors of the games, so I can avoid them too. I’m sure there are beer companies that would love to sell to Americans that will not support the Bigoted hateful players and teams that allow it. My new car company will be one that will not be support this crap either. Either no new car till they stop this or buy one from a company that takes a stand and denounces this disrespectful, hateful,racist bigotry.
We shut the NFL games off on Sunday… and will continue to boycott ANY game where the millionaire girlie-men pay disrespect to America! Their actions have ruined the idea of watching football or any sport where the players choose to demonstrate against America, and, in doing so, are disrespecting all patriotic U.S. citizens. These men should have been drafted into the Army when they were 18, instead of the game of football. They are nothing but a waste of space now.
Respect!!! Not enough of this today; for our veterans or our president. Time to stand up and draw the line. Like Hollywood (weed) paid way to much and have become way to important in their minds for any of us to pay attention to them anymore. We pay them and it is way to much for no respect and no accountability for performance. Watch high school football; not as glamorous but so far is way more down to earth and still about the kids and gridiron dreams and not so much money and material items (unless let NFL and agents in). Very much disappointed in coaches and players and owners and political comments. All negative about themselves. Where has America gone!!!!!!
And I will start looking at the sponsors who are involved with this mess. I will not do business with the sponsors as long as this trash continues.
As much as I love football, I will not watch anymore morons dishonor the MEN and WOMEN who gave their LIFE, too never come back to their LOVED ONES. Long live AMERICA. Long live President TRUMP is has the guts and backbone to stand up to the punks.
Happy to see that the people of this country care more about their flag, the National Anthem and our soldiers and veterans than the game of anything, any game! The NFL should be shamed all the way to the poorhouse! Some of the NASCAR owners were asked if they would fire anyone who disrespected the National Anthem and our flag, their answer without hesitation was yes. You can see who the true Americans are in the long run. Cher, I thought you were in an old age home and lost your teeth, but instead you chose to run your liberal mouth one more time. You should get out of this country that has propped you up for years and be ashamed of yourself for not knowing the difference of disrespect! Go to Canada or to North Korea where they would appreciate your antics, we don’t because you are un-American.
First of all God bless President Trump for standing up for this country and criticizing those NFL players who refused to honor the flag and this great country’s anthem. They are a disgrace to this country and hell yes I will boycott the NFL. And I couldn’t be more disappointed at Tom Brady’s standing up for those sorry NFL players who disgraced this great country. The flag isn’t about who the President is and neither is this country’s anthem. And I hope many many others will boycott the NFL and I just wish those players would lose their jobs for their actions. Justice would be served!!!!
They can take a knee, lock arms or do cartwheels…I won’t be watching them anymore.
The crybabies don’t know what they are protesting they just follow the crowd. Kaper was protesting Police brutality while he was never brutalized. The rest of the ungrateful buffoons don’t have a clue but lets protest, They went too far and now they reap what they sew.
Your Free Speech and Free Press should not force me to pay for your ink, press, distribution, and bullhorn. If they want advertizing time for their politics, pay for it just like Pepsi does.
WHO’S to BLAME? 0’Bama was bought into our White House without skills, accomplishments, talents, experience, credentials, knowledge, Legal ID, records, documents, previous employment (that would establish character and work ethics), history, family history other than tall tales, background of involvement with activists, anti-America factions, radicals, etc.! The only thing he knew how to do was talk (via teleprompter), teach people to organize themselves, follow the directions, agenda, and requirements of those he sold the power of his presidency to! Since he didn’t know HOW to do anything beneficial for America, he couldn’t DO anything beneficial for America! Which he hated anyway! And was taught to DO so from the time he was a small boy! His entire family and cabal of rebel friends ALL hated America! We are seeing the results of that hate now, being displayed all over our country AND the world! We’ve NEVER seen so much discord, division, demented and depraved actions in our history! Satan has all these gullibles and clueless ones in such a death-grip of his charcoaled “created” being, they don’t know which end is up! Because they never LOOK up! They all fell for ANOTHER ‘created’ being, a puppet, who cares about nothing but his EIGHT year old, ill-gotten wealth and fame! Now, they don’t know how to turn loose, and will only be getting worse until God says: “OK! I’ve seen ENOUGH”! “My Beloved Son, GO rescue my children”! Then, Jesus Christ, our Dear Redeemer, WILL! Return to earth once again!
If its a matter of IQ the average of 80% player is around 68-72 so you can’t really be to hard on them they don’t know better
Judge Jeanine just did an interview & said they did a study & 110 out of 111 football players have CTE (in other words brain damage) so you are right on the money John!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BThCyEPtid8
John, I think you have this wrong. Almost all of those players have a degree. Sure, it might be in a sports related subject, but a degree none the less, so they need at least an 85 to get there.
Actually only about 50% of NFL players have a degree and sadly, about 78% of NFL players are bankrupt or in financial distress within two years of retirement. Apparently a lot of the degrees are in things that are not helpful after football.
All I have to say is I hope this time next year they’re all kicking cans down the road and wondering where their next meal is coming from.
That bunch of silly racist overpaid GOONS can put their games where the Sun don’t shine. I refuse to pay them money.
we were taught in grade school to stand for the anthem and salute the flag. also the flag rules, to fly beteen dawn to dark,flag should never touch the ground if it did it was destroyed,you did not disrespect the flag by walking on, wearing or burning. where has the social respect for our country gone? the NFL is 70% black players, do we need affirmative action saying teams must be 50% white players since whites are being discriminated against. as far as protesting cops killing blacks, they do a pretty good job of killing each other, mabe they should protest the brutality of there own race.
Anyone who wants to email the NFL (I already did as I’m sure many others have) here is the site. Let them have it!
https://digitalcare.nfl.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=59077
#BoycottNFL