The NFL's ratings crisis

I've always wondered about this. Seems like a great idea in any year. It was especially fortuitous this year because Sunday wasn't a "school night" thanks to the holiday known as MLK Day in most states but "Great Americans Day" in -- where else? -- Mississippi.

 

Here in Virginia they still let MLK have his day, but Friday was Lee-Jackson Day.

 

Holy shit! Great Americans day.
Don't ever change, South. (I guess they don't).

 

They can seed-cloud ice storms these days? What will they think of next?

 

AFC and NFC will play on the same day. That'll take care of the short week.

 

I think he means the week between the divisional round and conference championships. If one game is Saturday afternoon and the other is Sunday night, I could see where one team would have an advantage. Although it would be slight because the first team still has to wait to learn its opponent.

EDIT: I think I see what you mean now — both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday, or vice versa.

 

So they don't want coaches talking about spotting the other group of assholes a day and a half?

 

No offseason thread yet, but I figured this fit better he than the playoff thread.

Yet another very good young NFL player retired today, though this one wasn't due to a concussion.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Zach Orr retired due to a neck problem.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/r...ement-after-just-three-seasons-143906154.html

 

I actually consider this good news. When your profession is that dangerous, it's better to have a diagnosis that compels your retirement. I hope he made decent cash in his brief time. He'll be better off, I suspect, than many of his peers in 30 years.

 

He was a UDFA who played three seasons. At best he has $600,000 or so left. I don't even think he qualifies for a pension. Maybe he had some insurance.

[EDIT] It appears he qualifies for the pension.

 

WSJ with a look at some of the measures the league is considering. Switching up the commercial breaks seems to be one. There's also a line that they might simplify the Thursday night lineup to avoid "confusion" from fans who don't know where the games are. Guys -- it isn't confusion. You could put them on every single channel on the TV at the same time and we wouldn't watch.

NFL Calls New Plays to Protect Its Lucrative Franchise

Most interesting part was the final ratings numbers. Better than they were midseason but still not good, especially with prime time. But average viewership per game continued to fall 3.5% in the final weeks of the season and 8% overall. Audience sizes would be up one week and down the next. Ratings for Monday night games on ESPN and Thursday night games on the NFL Network dropped 12% and 14%, respectively. NBC Sunday Night Football’s audience dropped 10%.