Could we organize a meaningful NFL Fan Strike? (1 Viewer)

[datonn]

In the era of reality television, do people really think that ratings for NFL games aren't going to absolutely SKYROCKET the longer this replacement ref situation drags out?

People are threatening to boycott ________ if they don't get the regular refs back. As though it's going to put economic pressure on the league to cave. When probably 2-3 more casual fans/non-fans of professional football are going to tune into games to see what the keystone cops officiating games screw-up next, for every one hard-core football fan that turns the TV off or gives their tickets away on Sunday.

Seriously, people enjoy watching train-wrecks and drama. You can't tell me that if tomorrow Brett Favre were arrested on indecent exposure charges, or if Tim Tebow were busted as a John in part of some prostitution sting in NYC, ratings for ESPN, NFL Network, tweets about it, and posts in the Pool/FFA wouldn't jump as a result.

People don't want to talk about Seattle's nine sacks on defense last night, or the Packers and Patriots being under .500 nearly a month into the regular season, or Russell Wilson hanging in there and pulling one out** as a rookie QB against one of the best teams in the NFL (** - asterisk, lol). Nope. All people want to talk about this morning is the train-wreck. The blown calls.

And folks expect ratings for Week 4 games to go DOWN?! Boycott all you want...as there will be millions of casual/non-NFL fans tuning in on Thu/Sun/Mon this week to watch the car wreck. From 10-12 different angles. In HD and super slow-mo.

 

[Shooter McGavin]

I know it makes no difference, but I'm done watching NFL games until the real refs are back. Anyone who watched the Sunday night and Monday night games and doesn't think the lack of competent officiating is compromising the integrity of the league is kidding themselves.

 

[Bo Skiboski]

A fan strike should happen in every sport to bring down the ridiculous cost of tickets and refreshments in the stadium. It's impossible because they'll always find people to pay it. The fact that some of these guys have hundreds of millions of dollars because they're good at shooting a ball through a hoop shows how out of whack the world is.

 

[BallparkFrank]

Humans are drawn to the failure of other humans and gravitate like sheep towards controversy. I wouldn't be surprised if the ratings for TNF and MNF are off the charts now as a result of all the attention.

This revolt against the NFL reminds me of the one year my best friend said that he'd never go to another MLB game again during a strike only to have him buy Opening Day tickets the following year. We're all hopeless suckers for sports not named soccer!

 

[delusional]

Its possible.

You don't watch any football, you don't attend events dealing with the NFL ( and let them know why ). You write companies that sponsor the NFL & explain why you are boycotting them. You don't go to the games period or if you are committed to the game, then before kickoff, you stand back in the concourse.

If you did the last thing & got a majority of the stadium to do it, the amount of empty seats for a prime game at kickoff would be embarrassing

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

New Jersey State Senate President Steve Sweeney has announced plans to introduce legislation to ban professional sporting events manned by replacement officials, per a Tuesday report from CBS New York.

 

[B-Deep]

No

 

[Leroy Hoard]

stop gambling on it, Vegas will put pressure on the NFL

Underrated post

Vegas has a lot to lose, not sure how much the NFL is worried about a betting scandal.

 

[LAUNCH]

In the era of reality television, do people really think that ratings for NFL games aren't going to absolutely SKYROCKET the longer this replacement ref situation drags out? People are threatening to boycott ________ if they don't get the regular refs back. As though it's going to put economic pressure on the league to cave. When probably 2-3 more casual fans/non-fans of professional football are going to tune into games to see what the keystone cops officiating games screw-up next, for every one hard-core football fan that turns the TV off or gives their tickets away on Sunday.Seriously, people enjoy watching train-wrecks and drama. You can't tell me that if tomorrow Brett Favre were arrested on indecent exposure charges, or if Tim Tebow were busted as a John in part of some prostitution sting in NYC, ratings for ESPN, NFL Network, tweets about it, and posts in the Pool/FFA wouldn't jump as a result. People don't want to talk about Seattle's nine sacks on defense last night, or the Packers and Patriots being under .500 nearly a month into the regular season, or Russell Wilson hanging in there and pulling one out** as a rookie QB against one of the best teams in the NFL (** - asterisk, lol). Nope. All people want to talk about this morning is the train-wreck. The blown calls.And folks expect ratings for Week 4 games to go DOWN?! Boycott all you want...as there will be millions of casual/non-NFL fans tuning in on Thu/Sun/Mon this week to watch the car wreck. From 10-12 different angles. In HD and super slow-mo.

No one will stop watching the games, but if a good portion of the country decides to buy Pizza Hut instead of Papa Johns or Coke instead of Pepsi until they resolve the situation then you have a minimalist way to protest that even your average fantasy fan can be involved in.

 

[MarcO]

why? because of some bad calls? Do you think there was a concentrated effort to make sure the Packers lost the game? If not, then just get over it - you're not the first team to lose a game on bad officiating, nor will you be the last - even with the "regular" part-time guys back.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

If it's a given that nobody will boycott the games or stop watching...then the situation isn't that bad. The NFL wins. You can't say how unsatisfied you are and say you refuse to give up the product up at the same time. You're not that unsatisfied.

When it gets bad enough that fans would rather not watch than leave games in the hands of the replacements, you'll see emptying stadiums and plummeting ratings, and the NFL will bring the refs back.

Otherwise, you're not going anywhere and they know it.

 

[netnalp]

What would happen if the players refused to play till the real refs are back?

 

[dickey moe]

Ok, I'm with you. Here's my thoughts:

1)Make it a boycott of one game.h As much as some people would be willing to go along with a full out boycott, the idea of getting the collective hive to sit out all the games is hopeless. However, if you limit it to one game, then you at least can get everyone who is not a fan of those teams to think about it.

2)Make it a boycott of this week's MNF because it happens to include the Cowboys, so you have the opportunity to boycott a team owner who is about as vocal and influential as owners can be.

3)Its short notice, but timing is important PLUS, if you wait, you actually give people more time to waffle on it. Also, October is usually breast cancer awareness month and the NFL supports that so you don't want to take away from an otherwise very good cause and publicity PLUS you would be fighting against people that normally are casual fans at best to start with and they are coming along just for the support. So that would be a fight you don't want.

4)Get the info out. Start right here. Ask peope to Tweet and Facebook and SET CLEAR GUIDELINES.

Say something to the effect of:

-The boycott is for ONE game.

-THIS GAME.

-NOT asking people to not go. Asking them to stay out of their seats until end of 1st quarter. Force a national broadcast showing that big old stadium empty.

-Ask for people to contact you that have tickets to bring signs that say Bring back the refs (and leave them in the seats during the 1st quarter).

Regarding concessions sales: I hate to see hard working people lose money and this is a livelihood for many. Asking people not to buy concessions during the game or 1st quarter would be tremendously effective but would also put you at odds with innicent "messengers". Have to ponder if that is worth it.

-Ask everyone watching it on TV to tune in to SEE the effect, then turn off the TV until the 2nd quarter.

Start your posting with the headline "Its time for the fans to be the ones "locking out" what is not acceptable."



#LockouttheNFL#

Ok I'm with y....oh wait. Did you say the Cowboys are on MNF? I'd do it for ANYBODY but the Cowboys!

 

[footballnerd]

The NFL had put together a schedule for the use of replacement referees through the first five weeks of the season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

if you're gonna take action I would save it until then.

 

[12punch]

What would happen if the players refused to play till the real refs are back?

They'd get replacement players

 

[King of the Wolfies]

the nfl is determined to break the refs union. these controversies are actually just what the nfl wants as everyone is talking about the nfl today.

if you want to scare the nfl, start contacting your state reps and have them threaten the nfl's monopoly. professional sports need to lose their antitrust protection.

 

[netnalp]

the nfl is determined to break the refs union. these controversies are actually just what the nfl wants as everyone is talking about the nfl today.if you want to scare the nfl, start contacting your state reps and have them threaten the nfl's monopoly. professional sports need to lose their antitrust protection.

I feel there are more important things for politicians to work on than pro sports. I hate it when tax payer dollars are spent on things like hearings for baseball's steroid issues.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

the nfl is determined to break the refs union. these controversies are actually just what the nfl wants as everyone is talking about the nfl today.if you want to scare the nfl, start contacting your state reps and have them threaten the nfl's monopoly. professional sports need to lose their antitrust protection.

This is, in no way, what the NFL wants. They wanted relatively few controversies-- preferably in regional games-- and the real refs to worry that their jobs were in jeopardy. Instead they got major problems in multiple games on national television involving teams that are Super Bowl contenders. These outcomes could affect playoff participants, seeding, byes, home games...you name it. It couldn't have been scripted worse for the league. I'm not saying they'll cave because they're used to getting their way and they're pretty stubborn. Plus they know that the fans will eat whatever they dish out and beg them for more. But if you're a real ref, this is everything you could have wanted and more. The league is being humiliated and mocked, not held up as the gold standard for American sports.

 

[Spartans Rule]

All a short-term fan boycott does is let the NFL know you're in it for the long haul.

Fans who care enough to organize a formal protest aren't going anywhere. They're just hoping the officiating problem gets fixed, because they're going to watch either way.

The only thing that would concern the NFL is when fans walk away because they actually don't care. No complaining, no protesting, just "Meh, league kinda sucks now. I'm gonna do something else." That's when the NFL has a problem.

But I don't think we're anywhere near that point.

 

[Hooper31]

The only thing that would concern the NFL is when fans walk away because they actually don't care. No complaining, no protesting, just "Meh, league kinda sucks now. I'm gonna do something else." That's when the NFL has a problem. But I don't think we're anywhere near that point.

 

[aggie_dave]

I'm really sorry if this is a Honda (I haven't read this entire conversation), but the best idea I have heard is as follows.

Expecting people to not watch is unrealistic, and it's just not going to happen. Season ticket holders shouldn't penalize themselves by not going to the games they have paid for, and people who have spent their hard earned money to go to games they bought single tickets for is also not right. On top of that, the owners and league still keep the money they have already made from those tickets sold.

So having said that, my thought is as follows. Patron concessions and souvenirs strike. Every stadium/home team makes on the order of $500,000 per week on concessions sales alone. Multiply that times 14 games next weekend, and that comes out to almost $7 million in revenue lost in concessions alone. So go the games. Enjoy the inferior product the league is forcing us to tolerate because we all absolutely love this game. But do not line their pockets any more. If any organization loses $7 million in essentially a single day, they will be forced to take note and respond.

It's not perfect, and it's not as bold as truly boycotting the game until it's fixed, but it's the best that I could think of.

 

[WisWolvrns]

Ok, I'm with you. Here's my thoughts:

1)Make it a boycott of one game. As much as some people would be willing to go along with a full out boycott, the idea of getting the collective hive to sit out all the games is hopeless. However, if you limit it to one game, then you at least can get everyone who is not a fan of those teams to think about it.

2)Make it a boycott of this week's MNF because it happens to include the Cowboys, so you have the opportunity to boycott a team owner who is about as vocal and influential as owners can be.

3)Its short notice, but timing is important PLUS, if you wait, you actually give people more time to waffle on it. Also, October is usually breast cancer awareness month and the NFL supports that so you don't want to take away from an otherwise very good cause and publicity PLUS you would be fighting against people that normally are casual fans at best to start with and they are coming along just for the support. So that would be a fight you don't want.

4)Get the info out. Start right here. Ask peope to Tweet and Facebook and SET CLEAR GUIDELINES.

Say something to the effect of:

-The boycott is for ONE game.

-THIS GAME.

-NOT asking people to not go. Asking them to stay out of their seats until end of 1st quarter. Force a national broadcast showing that big old stadium empty.

-Ask for people to contact you that have tickets to bring signs that say Bring back the refs (and leave them in the seats during the 1st quarter).

Regarding concessions sales: I hate to see hard working people lose money and this is a livelihood for many. Asking people not to buy concessions during the game or 1st quarter would be tremendously effective but would also put you at odds with innicent "messengers". Have to ponder if that is worth it.

-Ask everyone watching it on TV to tune in to SEE the effect, then turn off the TV until the 2nd quarter.

Start your posting with the headline "Its time for the fans to be the ones "locking out" what is not acceptable."



#LockouttheNFL#

Probably a better chance of success would have the fans all stand with their back to the field on the opening kickoff of the Monday night game... It would be similar to how a wave gets going in the stands. Get a section to start it and others will follow and it would be pretty visible during opening kickoff and not unduly effect anyone's watching/attending the game over all as they would just be skipping the kick off, then can go back to doing what they normally do.