NFL players purportedly protesting police brutality have chosen to disrespect our nation’s flag and anthem by kneeling during the anthem and before the American flag. The NFL’s failure to put a stop to the form of protest its players have decided to take is hurting their ratings.
The TV audience for NFL games steepened its slide in Week 11, losing 1 million viewers versus last year’s season-to-date average.The 6.3 percent slump — worsening from comparable declines of 5.6 to 5.7 percent during the previous three weeks — plagued a week whose off-the-field drama made gridiron tackling seem almost tame by comparison.. . . . Only two games had audience gains.The NBC “SNF” during which the Philadelphia Eagles whopped the Dallas Cowboys 37 to 9 managed to attract 12 percent more viewers than the comparable contest a year ago.Fox’s single header on Sunday, which saw the New Orleans Saints sneak past the Washington Redskins 34 to 31, drew 10 percent more viewers.After starting 11.8 percent behind last year’s TV audience for NFL games in Week 1, league viewership had either held its own or narrowed the gap through Week 8.The 6.3 percent shortfall in Week 11 reflects an average viewership of 14.9 million for the NFL’s 68 national telecasts this year versus 15.9 million for the season-to-date in 2016.
Why they can’t wear a ribbon or armband or organize and engage in protests off the field is a mystery to me.
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