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The NFL Is Back. Nobody Tell Trump. (WSJ)

entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
60,010
Not this year. I'm in! The cat's in! And we're not alone. Last week the Journal's Joe Flint and Andrew Beaton reported that ratings through the NFL season's first five weeks were up 3%—not a giant number, but a nifty uptick at a moment where the numbers are plunging for basically everything on television. The Patriots/Chiefs contest was the highest-rated Sunday night game in more than a year, and tied for the highest-rated Week 6 game in Sunday Night Football history.

Flint and Beaton also reported that a curious amount of ratings growth is coming from audience members over 50 years of age—that is, the segment of the audience said to be most alienated by the league and its pregame anthem controversy.

In other words: the crowd that made a big point of saying it isn't watching football is now watching more football. It's like finding a vegetarian in the kitchen at 3 a.m., going to town on a Philly cheesesteak.

Why the switcheroo? Well, it starts with good games. But as Flint and Beaton pointed out, there is a new energy in the league, from Kansas City's delightful phenom quarterback Patrick Mahomes to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (a bright spot on a crummy team) to the entire undefeated Los Angeles Rams operation, led by their 9-year-old coach. The Cleveland Browns may have lost Sunday, but they're also pretty good. I repeat: THE CLEVELAND BROWNS ARE PRETTY GOOD.
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-nfl-is-back-nobody-tell-trump-1539620171
 
Border

Border

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,859
Was there every really any doubt that the people who cried about anthem-kneeling were going to come crawling back?
 
HStallion

HStallion

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
62,262
A lot of the people on the right are really bad at this boycotting thing. Their bark is far far worse than their bite ever is.
 
Forks

Forks

Member
Nov 18, 2017
86
I imagine the rise of NFL ratings has something to do the rising efficiency of offenses league-wide. Just look at the Chiefs/Patriots game last night, if that keeps up that's gonna be the norm in the NFL soon.
 
Dominic Decoco

Dominic Decoco

Member
Oct 31, 2017
3,760
And to celebrate, new $100 bundles on Madden Ultimate Team

As long as they calm down with the regression towards flag football, I'll tune in
 
Deception

Deception

Member
Nov 15, 2017
8,427
Disappointing since i'm boycotting the NFL for them attempting to implement an anthem policy in the first place.
 

Novoitus

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,139
Lots of people on here would scream about the NFL is/was dying too. It's not going anywhere and it's not getting smaller
 

Deleted member 6730

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
11,526
Hey the Broncos still suck so they're not getting a view from me.

Sometimes I really do wish football went completely off the rails like in 17776 because classic gridiron gets boring.
 
MrCheezball

MrCheezball

Banned
Aug 3, 2018
1,376
I noticed almost no sports media is making mention of it this year, and the talk is centered on the games themselves. Definitely been one of the most fun seasons to be a part of in a long time.
 
JuicyPlayer

JuicyPlayer

Member
Feb 8, 2018
7,301
A family friend of mine that I have on Facebook that is always bitching about the kneeling and swearing he won't watch football again is currently posting about his fantasy score.
 
Khrol

Khrol

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,179
I haven't heard or seen a thing related to protests this season so I'm sure that's a factor. It was everywhere last season when ratings were down iirc.

Also I thought people were going to protest the NFL over the whole Kaep deal?

Either way, I think the biggest takeaway is good matchups and competitive games make for better ratings. Who knew.
 
Khrol

Khrol

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,179
CatAssTrophy said:
What's the current status on that, and are any players still protesting the anthem? I don't watch sports and haven't seen anything in the news about it lately.
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Im sure they are but it's not really being covered based on what I'm exposed to. Last season they'd show it on tv and the announcers would talk about it and stuff. Haven't seen anything like that this season personally.
 
Deception

Deception

Member
Nov 15, 2017
8,427
CatAssTrophy said:
What's the current status on that, and are any players still protesting the anthem? I don't watch sports and haven't seen anything in the news about it lately.
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Basically:
The NFL passed a new anthem policy in May, but those rules were put on hold to allow the league and union to further discuss the issue. Of the 2,880 players who were on the sidelines for preseason games this year, only two players took a knee and one sat during the anthem.
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