Ad Money is Killing the NFL Game. We barely get to watch the Game! (1 Viewer)

[cowboyz1]

Commercials are just killing the NFL game day. Every year it gets worse and worse. I realized how bad it had gotten today when Seattle made that great play on 4th down fake field goal. We saw it live then immediately went to commercial. We didn't get to see the play again until 7 commercials, kickoff, and 8 more commercials. They finally show the replay of the touchdown. It's so ridiculous now it kills the momentum of the game. It's as if you only get play, play, play, punt, commercials, play play timeout, commercial. We use to get great analysis, breakdowns of the plays and how the defensive schemes were playing out. We use to see Madden and his drawings. Lots of great breakdowns and discussions. Now they cut to commercials at every opportunity even slipping in screen splashes to take up that last millisecond.

I use to think that defenses got tired but after going to games recently, I realize they stand around as much as they play. I couldn't believe how much time the players spend standing around waiting for TV timeouts. I don't know what can be done about it but I would love to figure out something.

I'm to the point I get so frustrated watching the commercials kill the energy of the game, I just record them. I will watch NE vs. Colts at halftime so I can really watch the game. It's sickening really. Ad money has completely taken over the game and changed the gameday experience.

I also can't stand the female tokens that waste our time talking to coaches before and after halftime. Waste of TV time. As if the coaches aren't desperate enough as it is to get into the locker room at halftime. They're not about to say anything we want to hear anyhow so why waste their time and ours.

I'm just so sick of the TV experience it's sad.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Imagine being at the game. I got free tickets to a Rams game a few years ago, and the amount of down time when you are at the game is unreal.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

If anything the down time during commercials plays towards the new generation of NFL fan who is constantly posting on social media/message boards/fantasy chats and checking fantasy scores between plays.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Too bad there isn't a RedZone Playoffs edition.

 

[mr roboto]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

If anything the down time during commercials plays towards the new generation of NFL fan who is constantly posting on social media/message boards/fantasy chats and checking fantasy scores between plays.

This second paragraph is a good point I hadn't considered. Part of watching now is sharing and debating real time - online or socially.

 

[ROCKET]

Gives me time to go take a leak

 

[EBF]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

 

[cowboyz1]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

I do. Love soccer for that very reason. Always have. They got it right.

I just don't understand why they can't just give us a bit more football and breakdowns of plays and stuff like they use to. The game has become plays and ads, plays and ads. That's it. It makes the game very frustrating to watch.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

I do. Love soccer for that very reason. Always have. They got it right.I just don't understand why they can't just give us a bit more football and breakdowns of plays and stuff like they use too. The game has become plays and ads, plays and ads. That's it. It makes the game very frustrating to watch.

Not really. Have something to do or someone to talk to during commercials. Should be easy during fantasy season. It's all about the ad revenue for the NFL, shouldn't be a surprise.

 

[Cripster]

Reality is ads pay the big money, not fans. If we want less ads, there will be less football to watch on TV.

 

[Hankmoody]

Who watches live TV these days? This is why DVR's were invented.

 

[Johnny Rock]

30 second skip when the guy is down unless they're in Hurry-Up. 4x 30 second skip during other commercials.

 

[JonB86]

Echoing a few others in here I've taken to setting the DVR going, switching on the PS3 or doing something else for about an hour and ten minutes and then starting the game and fast forwarding through all the commercials and replay reviews, for the Colts - Pats game that got me caught up right at middle of the fourth. There's about an hour and twenty minutes in just over 3 hours of an NFL game of ads and rubbish, it's truly ridiculous!

Kudos to the person who mentioned football from my side of the world (your soccer), I watched Arsenal vs Man City this morning, done and dusted in less than 2 hours, lovely! I actually got more halftime analysis and info on the UK NFL coverage which has less ads than now when I live Stateside!

I find college basketball needs you to put the DVR on for about 40 mins, NFL 70 mins, the ads are driving me nuts lol!

 

[avoiding injuries]

The World Cup this past summer made me despise the setup of the NFL's advertisements.

DVR'ing a sporting event is not possible for me.

 

[Godsbrother]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

 

[JaxBill]

I understand money talks but my only wish is this -

When you go from commercial break to kickoff and then one play later back to commercial break, please don't make the last commercial of first break the same damn commercial as the first in the next break.

I'm looking at you, Mr. Back in Black Chevy truck owner.

 

[Rubi]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

And it's a great way to catch up on lost sleep without taking a pill.

 

[rct]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Me too. It has the same excitement level as a croquet match.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

11 Minutes of ActionFootball fans everywhere are preparing to settle in for the NFL's biggest and most electric weekend of the season—a four-game playoff marathon that will swallow up at least 12 hours of broadcast time over two days.

But here's something even dedicated students of the game may not fully appreciate: There's very little actual football in a football game.

According to a Wall Street Journal study of four recent broadcasts, and similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field during an NFL game is about 11 minutes.

In other words, if you tally up everything that happens between the time the ball is snapped and the play is whistled dead by the officials, there's barely enough time to prepare a hard-boiled egg. In fact, the average telecast devotes 56% more time to showing replays.

So what do the networks do with the other 174 minutes in a typical broadcast? Not surprisingly, commercials take up about an hour. As many as 75 minutes, or about 60% of the total air time, excluding commercials, is spent on shots of players huddling, standing at the line of scrimmage or just generally milling about between snaps. In the four broadcasts The Journal studied, injured players got six more seconds of camera time than celebrating players. While the network announcers showed up on screen for just 30 seconds, shots of the head coaches and referees took up about 7% of the average show.

If you think the networks are a little too fond of cheerleaders, you may be mistaken: In these broadcasts, only two networks showed cheerleaders at all. And when they did, they were only on camera for an average of three seconds. "We make it a point to get Dallas cheerleaders on, but otherwise, it's not really important," says Fred Gaudelli, NBC's Sunday Night Football producer. "If we're doing the Jets, I couldn't care less."

Football—at least the American version—is the rare sport where it's common for the clock to run for long periods of time while nothing is happening. After a routine play is whistled dead, the clock will continue to run, even as the players are peeling themselves off the turf and limping back to their huddles. The team on offense has a maximum of 40 seconds after one play ends to snap the ball again. A regulation NFL game consists of four quarters of 15 minutes each, but because the typical play only lasts about four seconds, the ratio of inaction to action is approximately 10 to 1. (At the end of a game, if one team has a lead and wants to prevent the other team from scoring again, standing around and letting the clock run down becomes a bona fide strategy).

...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406

 

[pghrob]

I found myself starting to rant this season about the increased influence of slow motion replay. I know all scoring plays are subject to review as well as I think turnovers, but damn, the game wasn't meant to be played nor is as well appreciated (at least by me) in super slow motion. Evaluating the game in super slow motion damages the product.

 

[EBF]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Premier League matches are pretty entertaining IMO. If you haven't given it a shot, try a few. Especially now that football is out of season.

The big matches are usually enjoyable and the season runs most of the year, so it gives you something to follow.

 

[Dragon1952]

Unless it's Sunday and we have the RZC the wife and I will find a back-up program to switch to during commercials. Usually something stupid like Flip or Flop (love Christina....hubba hubba) or Love It or List It, or Beachfront Bargain. World Series of Poker is good when it's airing. Still, anything is better than even the best commercial.

 

[ROCKET]

I have nothing against soccer and enjoy it occasionally but just because the clock never stops doesn't mean there is non stop action thruout. I would argue that there is considerably less intense , edge of your seat moments in a soccer game than in an NFL game and it's not even close. Just because there is no delay in play doesn't make it more exciting.

I agree the commercials in all sports have gotten to be ridiculous. That goes for television in general I swear I would pay another $20 a month just to have non-stop uninterrupted programming without all the commercials. Even during the sports broadcasts the networks pimp their shows nonstop. 99.9% of them I wouldn't ever consider watching.No doubt it sucks.

 

[msudaisy26]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

If anything the down time during commercials plays towards the new generation of NFL fan who is constantly posting on social media/message boards/fantasy chats and checking fantasy scores between plays.

I kind of agree with this, but those games don't happen enough.

I think the NFL has us because of the gambling aspect. Fantasy football is easier than all of the other fantasy sports because for the most part all the games are on 1 day, this also happens to be the day that most people have off and the games take place after the church and other Sunday morning traditions.

 

[nobiz]

I have nothing against soccer and enjoy it occasionally but just because the clock never stops doesn't mean there is non stop action thruout. I would argue that there is considerably less intense , edge of your seat moments in a soccer game than in an NFL game and it's not even close. Just because there is no delay in play doesn't make it more exciting.

I agree the commercials in all sports have gotten to be ridiculous. That goes for television in general I swear I would pay another $20 a month just to have non-stop uninterrupted programming without all the commercials. Even during the sports broadcasts the networks pimp their shows nonstop. 99.9% of them I wouldn't ever consider watching.No doubt it sucks.

And then you would get ads. Remember satellite radio? Promised as ad-free and now full of ads?

 

[FUBAR]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

If anything the down time during commercials plays towards the new generation of NFL fan who is constantly posting on social media/message boards/fantasy chats and checking fantasy scores between plays.

I kind of agree with this, but those games don't happen enough.

I think the NFL has us because of the gambling aspect. Fantasy football is easier than all of the other fantasy sports because for the most part all the games are on 1 day, this also happens to be the day that most people have off and the games take place after the church and other Sunday morning traditions.

Football is like live-action chess. some of the most enjoyable aspects are the strategy, the action, counteraction, and reactions between the coaches and a highly intelligent QB (this is where Peyton, Rodgers, Brady and a few others shine).

The delays actually help the strategery.

 

[FUBAR]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

If anything the down time during commercials plays towards the new generation of NFL fan who is constantly posting on social media/message boards/fantasy chats and checking fantasy scores between plays.

This second paragraph is a good point I hadn't considered. Part of watching now is sharing and debating real time - online or socially.

Blame FBG for the downfall of society.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Sometimes I wonder if it means that I've watched too much football that I have an internal biological clock that tells me exactly when to flip the tv back to the game just as the action is starting again.... naaaaahhhhh.

 

[cowboyz1]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Me too. It has the same excitement level as a croquet match.

You have to of played it in order to understand the ebbs and flows. I played for 30 years in England and the U.S. There is a building of the game like a chess match on each possession. It's almost exactly like Football but the ball never stops moving. It only takes one pass or a player out of possession or making a mistake on a tackle to all off a sudden allow the team on offense to break down the defense and put a shot on goal. It can happen so sudden it's shocking. You have to know how dangerous a play is when you're watching it, other wise you just see a bunch of guys running around a ball. Soccer fans know when the game has turned or a mistake has been made and their is imminent danger. If you have never played the game you just can't see it. At the World cup level, all that need happen is a bad pass or a bad tackle that immediately changes the impotence of the game and if you have even numbers goal side, the defensive team is in trouble and fans that know soccer know it, and move to the edge of their seats. Soccer is a game of tactics, like chess and endurance. The things World cup players can do with the ball will just amaze you. The control, the pace, it all just comes together at that level to make for one hell of a sport to watch. The skill level of Soccer players is magic to watch, and every once in a while you see something that you just can't fathom. Like this, or this. Now if you have players on the pitch that can score like that, you see how dangerous every possession can be in your own end. The game is about space, both sides are trying to create it or take it away, and as you can see, they don't need much space to put the ball in the back of the ole onion bag, while leaving you to push your eyes back in your sockets. I can tell you this without question. I would give up watching the NFL if the World Cup could be every year.

Well, that's a bit much but I can tell you, I can't wait for the World Cup. It's by far the best sport on TV to watch since football is being killed by ads.

 

[Hankmoody]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Me too. It has the same excitement level as a croquet match.

You have to of played it in order to understand the ebbs and flows.

No you don't, you just need 1/2 a brain. We understand the ebbs and flows, it's just boring waiting for them to play out. Watching golf is more exciting.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Me too. It has the same excitement level as a croquet match.

You have to of played it in order to understand the ebbs and flows.

No you don't, you just need 1/2 a brain. We understand the ebbs and flows, it's just boring waiting for them to play out. Watching golf is more exciting.

I don't think you don't understand the flow of a soccer game, but its true nonetheless that, as with football and most other sports, there are good games and boring ones. We all saw this on Sunday, with the first game being almost constant, edge of the seat intensity, and the second being a complete snoozer. I watch a ton of soccer and NFL, and really almost no other sports. I share the opinion of OP, although this is nothing new, and many of us have been watching football on delay for many years now to skip the breaks and save time. For me, that is a decent solution, but sometimes it is very hard to watch a game I care about (Packers), knowing that I am 20-30 minutes behind live action. If I'm not caught up to live action by the 4th quarter, and the game is intense as it was on Sunday, I have an almost uncontrollable urge to fast forward due to anxiety. The "analysis" from commentators in the breaks is very rarely enlightening, mostly meaningless banter. As the demands on my time have increased with kids and career, and particularly when I gave up fantasy and gambling, the main result for me is that I simply watch less football. Its less interesting to me when stripped of the side-action, and the broken up flow of the game is unbearable at times. Soccer is far superior imo, but of course that is a matter of personal taste.

The next time we read about a huge new network contract for the NFL, and everyone is celebrating all the amazing money being poured into the sport, one thing to keep in mind is what the league is giving up to the network with each new contract. Obviously the network has to fund that contract through increased ad revenue, and advertisers aren't ignorant of the fact that many folks are using dvr's or watching Redzone. Certainly they have increased the number and length of commercial breaks over the years. In recent years, we've seen a massive increase in in-game advertising, aimed at people who skip commercials. I've no doubt the start to finish real time of a game has increased, probably by 30 minutes or more since I was young. I researched the issue a few years ago, and found some support for the notion that game times are increasing, but haven't seen anything definitive.

 

[cowboyz1]

It would be wonderful if the fans sent a message and everyone dvr a big game like SNF or MNF. It would be awesome to kill the rating for a big game and have very few people watch it live. DVR day boycott. It's just gone to far IMO. The energy after a big score, the excitement over a big turnover, the replay of a huge play in the game, all killed by the immediate switch to commercial.

To the mass viewing audience, It's like a giant tranquilizer dart in the face.

I to the point I can hardly stand it anymore.

 

[steveski]

Start watching soccer instead. 45 minute halves. Only one stoppage for ads. It's so nice to watch a full game in less than two hours.

The problem is the 45 minutes of "action" puts me to sleep.

Me too. It has the same excitement level as a croquet match.

You have to of played it in order to understand the ebbs and flows. I played for 30 years in England and the U.S. There is a building of the game like a chess match on each possession. It's almost exactly like Football but the ball never stops moving. It only takes one pass or a player out of possession or making a mistake on a tackle to all off a sudden allow the team on offense to break down the defense and put a shot on goal. It can happen so sudden it's shocking. You have to know how dangerous a play is when you're watching it, other wise you just see a bunch of guys running around a ball. Soccer fans know when the game has turned or a mistake has been made and their is imminent danger. If you have never played the game you just can't see it. At the World cup level, all that need happen is a bad pass or a bad tackle that immediately changes the impotence of the game and if you have even numbers goal side, the defensive team is in trouble and fans that know soccer know it, and move to the edge of their seats. Soccer is a game of tactics, like chess and endurance. The things World cup players can do with the ball will just amaze you. The control, the pace, it all just comes together at that level to make for one hell of a sport to watch. The skill level of Soccer players is magic to watch, and every once in a while you see something that you just can't fathom. Like this, or this. Now if you have players on the pitch that can score like that, you see how dangerous every possession can be in your own end. The game is about space, both sides are trying to create it or take it away, and as you can see, they don't need much space to put the ball in the back of the ole onion bag, while leaving you to push your eyes back in your sockets. I can tell you this without question. I would give up watching the NFL if the World Cup could be every year.

Well, that's a bit much but I can tell you, I can't wait for the World Cup. It's by far the best sport on TV to watch since football is being killed by ads.

Your long winded post just got me thinking that a book about a soccer match might be the worst thing ever. It would be 300 pages and in the end no team would have scored and a team would win a shoot out at the end. It would be filled with "tons of excitement" of things almost potentially happening, but then not.

I can understand people enjoying playing soccer or watching their children play soccer, but besides that I can't do anything but laugh when people talk about how exciting watching a soccer match is because of all the potential and things that almost happen.

 

[grateful zed]

The NFL has us all by the balls as long as they can put out a product like the GB/SEA game today.

the nfl has the sponsors by the balls. we are watching and the only way to make contact is thru commercials. cram tons of comercials in between quarters and dont cater to big business.

the nfl has failed us boys and girls.

 

[domvin]

Well, this thread will get worse after the Super Bowl. Turning a 3 hour game into a 5hour "spectacle."

The College Football Championship took a few pages from the NFL the other night, I think the game started at 815, went to 12:30 IIRC?

I DVR all my games, and when I fall asleep, which is often on these late games, I finish them out. sometimes I don't even watch knowing the outcome.

 

[squistion]

Looking at the ratings, the commercials are not yet killing the game for the viewing audience.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/19/media/nfl-nfc-afc-championship-ratings-for-fox-cbs/

NFL conference championships bring big ratings for Fox, CBS

Thanks to a shocking ending in Seattle and a dominant performance in New England, the NFL wrapped up its conference championships on Sunday with equally dominant ratings for Fox and CBS.

According to Nielsen, 49.8 million viewers tuned into Fox to witness Seattle's wild overtime win over the Green Bay Packers, 28-22, in the NFC championship.

Those numbers make the game the most-watched program on American television since Super Bowl XLVIII last year.

 

[Jimboozie]

+1 (trillion)

It's not just the commercials that have stained the viewing experience. It's also the amount of time spent on challenges (way too long, this needs to be 30 seconds tops) and the amount of face time referees get blabbering away (ed houchuli) in addition to the down time between snaps. If I had my choice, I would prefer the NFL did away with challenges altogether, except maybe in the last minute of the game. I fondly remember games in the 90s having such great flow and pacing. Now it's all hacked up, like driving through LA traffic.

Also, I wish the cameramen would show the receivers running routes downfield. Zoom out the camera a bit. It's not fun to only see 5 yard routes and then everyone else disappears off the screen. I want to see what Manning/Brady/Rodgers etc is dissecting!

NFL Rewind has been my solution. It is really great if you can somehow avoid hearing about any spoilers until Sunday night/Monday. It takes me 30 minutes to watch a game in their condensed version for $40 a season. So so so so worth it to cut through all the commercials and downtime.

 

[cowboyz1]

We finally have come to football's end. In the SB we saw absolutely ZERO analysis or slow motion breakdowns during halftime or breaks. No break downs of what the defenses were doing or offensive schemes. Very little player spotlights. No blocking highlights. Just plays and commercials. The game almost put me to sleep like a tranquilizer. The commercials that were at least somewhat entertaining in the past were some of the worst I have ever seen this year. That game is just being ground into mush. I hate it.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

We finally have come to football's end. In the SB we saw absolutely ZERO analysis or slow motion breakdowns during halftime or breaks. No break downs of what the defenses were doing or offensive schemes. Very little player spotlights. No blocking highlights. Just plays and commercials. The game almost put me to sleep like a tranquilizer. The commercials that were at least somewhat entertaining in the past were some of the worst I have ever seen this year. That game is just being ground into mush. I hate it.

The SB has always been marketed towards casual fans and women, because they already have our viewership.

 

[cowboyz1]

We finally have come to football's end. In the SB we saw absolutely ZERO analysis or slow motion breakdowns during halftime or breaks. No break downs of what the defenses were doing or offensive schemes. Very little player spotlights. No blocking highlights. Just plays and commercials. The game almost put me to sleep like a tranquilizer. The commercials that were at least somewhat entertaining in the past were some of the worst I have ever seen this year. That game is just being ground into mush. I hate it.

The SB has always been marketed towards casual fans and women, because they already have our viewership.

Yeah but I have never seen it so bad as this year. Games before had replay and analysis throughout the game. This game had none. Not only that, the commercials were a bad as I can remember.

 

[davearm]

Tune in at like 11 am if you want player spotlights and scheme breakdowns. There's like an entire day (more like an entire two weeks) of that stuff available, on multiple networks.

At halftime, 99% of folks would rather see Katy Perry.

 

[Willie Neslon]

The commercials were such a downer this year too. Stick to the funny. Everything has to be inspirational or tragic. We want yucks. It's a day of celebration.

 

[HughHoney]

Can we talk about the nationwide commercial? That commercial should put them outta business. I'll never watch a Julia Roberts movie in the theaters.

 

[Hang 10]

Can we talk about the nationwide commercial? That commercial should put them outta business. I'll never watch a Julia Roberts movie in the theaters.

A great meme came from that commercial though...

I would have ran it with Lynch

but I died