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Regardless of the reason, NFL ratings are down. Manning retired, Brady getting old, Brees getting old, and questions about the future of the teams with fan bases. Dallas' future looks bright, but I have questions about most of the other teams(Giants and Steelers come to mind first) depending on their quarterback selections. Regardless of how I feel about them good quarterbacks do help ratings. Strong possibility you're headed for a long time period of lower ratings. Thoughts?

Quarterbacks has a play I guess. However, I more look at the rule changes; taking away celebrations little by little, taking away the physicality of the game, no more big hits and the one I think hurt them the most is taking away kick returns. People underrate how crucial the kick returns were to the game.

I'll be interested in how they rebound after the election and World Series. I don't know that they go back to 2014/15 levels but I don't think they will suffer too much.

Still, there are concerns. And whether Goodell wants to own up to it or not, the fact he can't institute some consistent level of Domestic Violence punishment remains a stain on the game.

They are always down in election years, and possibly for more so this year with all the controversy. But despite that, the election drop has never been has severe as the drop this year.

I blame the color rush uniforms. Who the hell wants to look at those for 3 and a half hours?

ESPN first take had a segment on this today. They reported that 56% reason was due to American flag, kneeling issue. If that is the main reason then we still have some major issues in this country.

The World Series topped Sunday Night Football in ratings for only the second time in the contemporary era.

Ratings are down because the SNF/MNF/TNF games have been absolutely terrible for the most part.

Also, the Indians/Cubs both have huge fan bases, Cleveland only when they're winning, but they're winning so everyone in that damn city is watching the World Series.

Last night The Walking Dead was also on, a long with a WWE PPV.

Mew wrote:Ratings are down because the SNF/MNF/TNF games have been absolutely terrible for the most part.

Also, the Indians/Cubs both have huge fan bases, Cleveland only when they're winning, but they're winning so everyone in that damn city is watching the World Series.

Last night The Walking Dead was also on, a long with a WWE PPV.

Monday and Thursday games have mostly sucked the last few years though. It's not just in recent weeks with the ratings. I think in general it also might have to do with more quality tv programming out there and the younger generation simply not watching network tv and streaming everything on their phone...all network shows have declined in recent years as a whole. More things to watch across all platforms. And maybe Pokemon.

bwgood77 wrote:

Mew wrote:Ratings are down because the SNF/MNF/TNF games have been absolutely terrible for the most part.

Also, the Indians/Cubs both have huge fan bases, Cleveland only when they're winning, but they're winning so everyone in that damn city is watching the World Series.

Last night The Walking Dead was also on, a long with a WWE PPV.

Monday and Thursday games have mostly sucked the last few years though. It's not just in recent weeks with the ratings. I think in general it also might have to do with more quality tv programming out there and the younger generation simply not watching network tv and streaming everything on their phone...all network shows have declined in recent years as a whole. More things to watch across all platforms. And maybe Pokemon.

True, I actually watched all the games yesterday thru Apple TV, cut cable a few months ago because at this point I just stream everything at better quality and it became a waste of $.

I know that this is something which has been a factor in past years as well, so it may or may not have something to do with the decline. But I can't stand to watch the evening games because there are too many damn commercials. The earlier games I can either flip between a few or turn on Redzone channel so I don't have to watch them, but I seriously can not bring myself to watch a non-DVR'd NFL game and watch the exact same obnoxious commercials one after the other.