NFL ratings continue fall, latest Nielsen numbers show

[1bad65]

Through the first six weeks of the NFL season, total viewership of games is down 7.5 percent, compared with the first six weeks of 2016.

An average of 15 million people watched games for the first six weeks this year, compared with 16.2 million people through Week 6 last season, according to metrics from Nielsen.

An NFL spokesman didn't immediately return a message from ESPN seeking comment.

Source, full story:
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...-compared-2016

[GhostofDempsey]

When will they ever learn? Keep using football as a vehicle for identity politics and watch how fast your biggest demographic starts tuning out. Hopefully the sponsors and advertisers are taking note of this downward trend.

[Theodore]

This is definitely the fault of the Russians! WW 3 now!

[BostonGuy]

I'm still watchin'. I tuned into the Steelers-Chiefs game last sunday. Whadda game!

[The Big Dunn]

Obviously this hurts from a financial standpoint so something has to be done. IMO the drop is primarily because the game is so watered down but obviously the backlash against players protests accounts for some of the drop as well.

I think its been great that a certain element no longer watches the NFL. It's also refreshing to go on social media and not see so much of the garbage and hate from so called "real" Americans advocating that other Americans not exercise their 1st amendment rights.

It would be nice if the NFL put the Constitution ahead of profit but that is never going to happen. If a certain segment of society is so offended by athletes that look different from them exercising their 1st amendment rights before a football game, then IMO its a good thing that they are tuning out.

This way I can enjoy the games and the social media discussions after without their interference.

[BrometheusBob.]

The games during the first six weeks of the year averaged a dismal 15 million viewers... wow

I expect the NFL to file bankruptcy any moment now

[Scipio2009]

You do know that the drop in viewership through the first 6 weeks of the season was worse from 2015-2016, right?

[GGG Gloveking]

This is definitely the fault of the Russians! WW 3 now!

They hacked the NFL

[GGG Gloveking]

You do know that the drop in viewership through the first 6 weeks of the season was worse from 2015-2016, right?

That's like somebody in the Depression saying, "Hey, unemployment isn't falling as fast as it did last year"

[THEFRESHBRAWLER]

When will they ever learn? Keep using football as a vehicle for identity politics and watch how fast your biggest demographic starts tuning out. Hopefully the sponsors and advertisers are taking note of this downward trend.

Lol this is hilarious. The side that is boycotting because Kaepernick is not signed is taking responsibility for this as well as the side who’s boycotting because of the kneeling. Both sides are claiming responsibility for the ratings being down.