The Health of the NFL (1 Viewer)

[kaa]

Not everyone here may realize this but the NFL has been in a bit of decline for the past decade. In particular, the Sunday Night / Monday Night ratings have been tailing off.

ABC MNF ratings by year

1998 13.9

1999 13.7

2000 12.7

2001 11.5

2002 11.4

2003 11.5

2004 11

2005 10.8

(cancelled)

ESPN SNF ratings by year

1998 8.1

1999 8.2

2000 7.1

2001 6.3

2002 7.4

2003 7.7

2004 7.3

2005 7.1

(cancelled)

NBC SNF ratings by year

2006 11

2007 10

ESPN MNF ratings by year

2006 9.9

2007 8.6

Obviously the decline in ratings helped lead to a major shakeup in the prime-time programming to try to rescue the brand.

Reecently I read they've done some impressive ratings on cable in 2008.

2008 NBC SNF

colts-bears 13.0

steelers-browns 10.8

cowboys-packers 13.3

eagles-bears 10.8

2008 ESPN MNF

packers-vikings 9.3

broncos-raiders 7.3

eagles-cowboys 13.3

jets-chargers 8.9

I see the cable packages popping some big numbers thus far in 08. The question is, has the NFL hit a bit of a revival, or is it just that the Cowboys draw a huge audience? The numbers need to stop sliding soon or in a few years prime-time football will cease being "an event" as it has in the past. CBS / Fox ratings have been in a more slight downtrend over the past 10 years, but its notable the network airings don't draw the numbers they did 10 years ago, either.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true

Cowboys relish victory that drew record TV ratings

Associated Press

IRVING, Texas -- Jerry Jones likes to brag about the Dallas Cowboys being the top drawing card in the entire entertainment world. His premise: The Cowboys draw the highest ratings among NFL teams and the NFL is the highest-rated programming on television.

Games like Monday night sure help his claim.

Dallas' 41-37 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles was filled with drama. The lead changed seven times, the momentum swaying on good plays and goofy ones, with big-name players from both teams at both ends of the spectrum.

Mix in the backdrop of a rivalry and division supremacy, a few injuries, some questionable officiating calls, several big milestones and the historic nugget of this being the final Monday night game at Texas Stadium, and it's no wonder the Cowboys were ratings gold yet again -- a whopping 12.95 million homes and 18.6 million viewers, the largest audience ever for a program on cable television. It's the second time in three years Dallas has set that mark.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6596813.html

Monday Night Football Sets Cable Ratings Record

Dallas-Philadelphia matchup delivers 13.3 rating, reaches nearly 13 million homes.

By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/16/2008 6:53:00 PM

The battle on ESPN's Monday Night Football between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles drew the biggest audience in the history of cable television, according to the network.

The game delivered a 13.3 rating, representing 12.95 million homes, edging the previous cable record-holder -- also an MNF game between New England and Baltimore Dec. 3, 2007. That game drew a 13 rating with 8.4 million homes.

links:

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/p...1/80909155/1058

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.c...rticleID=124241

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.c...rticleID=123798

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.c...rticleID=124039

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.c...rticleID=124215

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.c...rticleID=124373

 

[Bermuda_Chub]

Frighteningly, the health of the NFL is in many ways dependent on the popularity of fantasy football. If it turns out to be no more than the first Great American fad of the 21st century, then the NFL will eventually suffer a decline. If, on the other hand, Fantasy Football proves a classic game -- perhaps even one that has international appeal -- then the NFL will lord over American sports for a long long time.

When WDIS posts stop appearing in the Shark Pool, that's the time to worry.

 

[Da Guru]

Frighteningly, the health of the NFL is in many ways dependent on the popularity of fantasy football. If it turns out to be no more than the first Great American fad of the 21st century, then the NFL will eventually suffer a decline. If, on the other hand, Fantasy Football proves a classic game -- perhaps even one that has international appeal -- then the NFL will lord over American sports for a long long time.When WDIS posts stop appearing in the Shark Pool, that's the time to worry.

The funny thing is I hardly ever watch the games on TV anymore. On Sunday I do others thing and just keep my laptop on CBS to monitor the scores of all the games.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The youngfolk seem to prefer MMA and video games moreso than those of us in older demographics. And there are many more options for viewing than there were even 10 years ago. But I don't think the numbers are disturbing. Just a reflection of more choices.