The NFL and its future may be in trouble due to TV ratings declining in the past few years. In a study by Gallup, in 2017, 37% of Americans said American football was their favorite sport to watch, followed by basketball at 11%, and baseball at 9%. Clearly, football is still the most popular sport to watch in America by 26%. However, over the past decade people’s viewing and favoring of the NFL over other sports has declined. For example, in 2006 and 2007 respectively, 43% of Americans claimed football as their favorite sport to view, in 2008, the number dropped to 41%, in 2013, it slipped to 39%, and in 2017 it reached its lowest point at 37%. So, what does this mean for the NFL? I don’t think the NFL’s dominance over the other sports in viewing and popularity will diminish anytime soon, but it is something to pay attention to.
I am going to examine three reasons why I think viewership of American football has decreased in the last decade: political protests, relocation of teams, and player violence/domestic abuse.
Political Protests
On August 26th 2016, former 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, kneeled on the sidelines rather than standing during the National Anthem during a preseason game versus the Green Bay Packers. In a telephone survey done by Rasmussen Reports, of the 1,000 Americans surveyed, 32% said they were less likely to watch an NFL game due to the kneeling during the anthem. Many people view this as disrespectful to America and to current military members and veterans.
I honestly view this as a huge distraction to the game. I watch football and sports in general to escape from reality. It gives you a few hours to get away from everyday life and immerse yourself in each and every play of the game. I wish the NFL players could leave this behind and stop because it is just causing a spectacle, remember the field is their workplace. Just because you may not like Trump, doesn’t mean you would go into your workplace with picket signs in protest – there is a time and place for everything.
Relocation
In 2016, the St. Louis Rams, moved back home to Los Angeles, and were renamed the Los Angeles Rams, after being in St. Louis from 1995-2015. Further, in 2017, the San Diego Chargers, relocated to Los Angeles and are now known as the Los Angeles Chargers after being in San Diego since 1961. Of course moving these teams causes angry fans and angry residents of the new host city. For example, when the Rams moved to LA in 2016, many fans burned their St. Louis jerseys in protest and posted the videos all over social media. Also, it has gone so far even to the point where the city of St. Louis filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging the league violated its own relocation guidelines at the expense of the community it left behind according to The Guardian.
Not only does relocating teams cause angry fans, but it make the residents of the new city angry as well. For example, 70% of taxpayers oppose using tax money and tax hikes to pay for the construction of new stadiums. The Oakland Raiders will be moving to Las Vegas in 2020 and their new stadium is estimated to cost $1.9 million and taxpayers will be funding $750 million of the stadium project. Even as an avid sports fan, I would not be happy with my tax dollars going to fund a stadium when my money could be going towards more important things such as infrastructure, public schools, and road work.
Player Violence
Domestic violence has been a major issue in the NFL in recent years, I think this really caught viewers attention back in 2014, when former running back, Ray Rice, punched and dragged his then-fiance in an Atlantic City elevator and the video was released to the public. Since then, there have been several instances involving players and domestic violence. For example, back in 2014, running back, Adrian Peterson, was indicated for reckless or negligent injury to a child when he disciplined his four year old child, resulting in bruises and lacerations on the boy’s back, legs, arms and buttocks. Not to mention, the more recent examples like Kareem Hunt. I could go on and on mentioning more players names, but I think you get the point. In the social climate we are living in now, domestic abuse is not tolerated.
The #MeToo movement is exposing injustices to women and these NFL players are no exception, they need to be held to those same standards. As a woman, I think it’s so wrong that just because you are a star athlete you get a pass and a slap on the wrist. Getting suspended a few games is unacceptable punishment, they need to be held accountable, so I can understand why people would refrain from watching the NFL for this reason.
BELLE OF THE (FOOT)BALL 