“...competition with a busy news period”
Their denial is purely public. I’m convinced of it.
Last year, before there was even much mention of boycott, but something more akin to a nexus of individuals being turned off by the antics of Kapernik, they NFL blamed the election. Now they are claiming it’s hurricanes and shootings, I’m sure. Even though the Las Vegas thing didn’t happen until late Sunday night and thus had no effect on the weekend rates. It’s an excuse. A ruse. In their meeting rooms, you can be damned sure they know exactly what’s going on.
I suspect they think they can get this to blow over and come back again. I think they are convinced of it. They’ve got yes-men and consultants who get paid to tell them things like this.
They don’t call hasty meetings with players, coaches, owners and the commissioner in the same room unless they are worried as hell.