10-19-2017, 02:36 AM
Ok I'll take a crack at this. A lot of good responses. I like the number system so I think I will try that.
1. Cost - People simply don't want to pay the cost to watch games at home. I believe most fans love and care about their favorite teams much like us Bengal fans. If your lucky enough to live in the viewing area, you don't pay anything to see the games. If your a savy tech and can find illegal streams more power to ya. I still do it the old fashioned way, pay for it. Unfortunately I live in northern Ohio and can only watch the Browns and Lions on a weekly basis so I purchase the Sunday ticket. The cost is outrageous and will probably be my last year getting it. I can just go down to my local sports bar and watch all the games there. A lot of people don't want tv packages that carry NFL Network or ESPN anymore because of cost. Internet vs Television. Winner Internet.
2. Fantasy Football Effect - A lot of new football fans are more interested in just stats and not so much the game. As the fan bases get older the true fans are falling by the wayside. With all that's going on with CTE and other injuries involved with the sport, the young fans passion for the sport just isn't what it was years ago. Parents of kids and the kids themselves get more involved in other sports or activities at a young age leaving football with less true fans. The kids play fantasy football when they get older as a way to be involved and enjoy a form of gaming with friends or playing for money. The die hard TEAM fans are not what they once were. Everyone just wants to know what my PLAYER did.
3. Rules and Regulations - For some of the fans that's been watching the NFL for decades, we have had the luxury of seeing the game evolve into what we have today. WWE style entertainment. The game has become much more physical, as has the NBA, which has happened for a reason. Sure athletes today are physical freaks running faster, being stronger and more agile than ever but the game itself is so much more physical. It's gotten to the point where three penalties in a football game could really be called on every play. Holding, Pass Interference and Defensive holding or illegal contact. These three penalties control many outcomes of football games much like the foul call in the NBA. Years ago these penalties were called tighter leaving the game less physical and easy to recognize. Now these penalties happen on a regular basis and are left up to an individual to decide when and where they will be called. When the game is played at such a physical pace having the penalty call or no call can be used to control pace or outcome of games. Fans recognize this and some have been so turned off that they have just decided to quit watching NFL football. I do believe the college games are called a lot tighter with some different rules. I actually think the one penalty in college that should be adopted in the NFL is the targeting rule. I know fans of college football hate this but I think it should be implemented in the NFL. Fines and suspensions just don't seem to work for some players and this rule could actually make sense to curb some of these hits. Imagine half the Steelers being ejected for targeting every week. LOL
4. Protests & Kneeling - What started out as a protest by one person, who really has been banished from the league, needs to go to the next level. The President tweeted about kneeling players and fired up an issue with a lot of people about disrespecting the flag. This led to a firestorm of protest by players and owners kneeling, wrapped arm and arm or raising a fist. Me personally I feel that this needs to be worked out from both ends. The President should invite the commish, some owners and some kneeling players to the white house and listen to each others grievences. Let their voices be heard and move on from these anthem protest. Football is as american as we can get and is a wonderful thing for our country and fans. The sooner we can end this controversy the sooner we can get back to enjoying the sport without the politics.
I could probably go on with a few more but I think I gave my opinion on maybe some of the reasons that could be causing viewership drop off. So in closing!
WHO DEY!!!!!
1. Cost - People simply don't want to pay the cost to watch games at home. I believe most fans love and care about their favorite teams much like us Bengal fans. If your lucky enough to live in the viewing area, you don't pay anything to see the games. If your a savy tech and can find illegal streams more power to ya. I still do it the old fashioned way, pay for it. Unfortunately I live in northern Ohio and can only watch the Browns and Lions on a weekly basis so I purchase the Sunday ticket. The cost is outrageous and will probably be my last year getting it. I can just go down to my local sports bar and watch all the games there. A lot of people don't want tv packages that carry NFL Network or ESPN anymore because of cost. Internet vs Television. Winner Internet.
2. Fantasy Football Effect - A lot of new football fans are more interested in just stats and not so much the game. As the fan bases get older the true fans are falling by the wayside. With all that's going on with CTE and other injuries involved with the sport, the young fans passion for the sport just isn't what it was years ago. Parents of kids and the kids themselves get more involved in other sports or activities at a young age leaving football with less true fans. The kids play fantasy football when they get older as a way to be involved and enjoy a form of gaming with friends or playing for money. The die hard TEAM fans are not what they once were. Everyone just wants to know what my PLAYER did.
3. Rules and Regulations - For some of the fans that's been watching the NFL for decades, we have had the luxury of seeing the game evolve into what we have today. WWE style entertainment. The game has become much more physical, as has the NBA, which has happened for a reason. Sure athletes today are physical freaks running faster, being stronger and more agile than ever but the game itself is so much more physical. It's gotten to the point where three penalties in a football game could really be called on every play. Holding, Pass Interference and Defensive holding or illegal contact. These three penalties control many outcomes of football games much like the foul call in the NBA. Years ago these penalties were called tighter leaving the game less physical and easy to recognize. Now these penalties happen on a regular basis and are left up to an individual to decide when and where they will be called. When the game is played at such a physical pace having the penalty call or no call can be used to control pace or outcome of games. Fans recognize this and some have been so turned off that they have just decided to quit watching NFL football. I do believe the college games are called a lot tighter with some different rules. I actually think the one penalty in college that should be adopted in the NFL is the targeting rule. I know fans of college football hate this but I think it should be implemented in the NFL. Fines and suspensions just don't seem to work for some players and this rule could actually make sense to curb some of these hits. Imagine half the Steelers being ejected for targeting every week. LOL
4. Protests & Kneeling - What started out as a protest by one person, who really has been banished from the league, needs to go to the next level. The President tweeted about kneeling players and fired up an issue with a lot of people about disrespecting the flag. This led to a firestorm of protest by players and owners kneeling, wrapped arm and arm or raising a fist. Me personally I feel that this needs to be worked out from both ends. The President should invite the commish, some owners and some kneeling players to the white house and listen to each others grievences. Let their voices be heard and move on from these anthem protest. Football is as american as we can get and is a wonderful thing for our country and fans. The sooner we can end this controversy the sooner we can get back to enjoying the sport without the politics.
I could probably go on with a few more but I think I gave my opinion on maybe some of the reasons that could be causing viewership drop off. So in closing!
WHO DEY!!!!!
