NFL Preseason Viewership Up, But Not That Great

sportsmediawatch.com ^ | Sept 3, 2017 | By Paulsen

[11th_VA]

With last year’s preseason setting a low bar opposite the Olympics, this year’s games posted a double-digit increase in viewership.

The NFL preseason averaged 2.6 million viewers across NFL Network, ESPN, CBS, NBC and FOX, up 13% from last year, when several games aired opposite the Olympics (2.3M), but down 20% from 2015 (3.2M).

Of the 15 games that aired on the same network and in the same window as last year, nine posted increases in ratings and viewership. In seven of those nine instances, last year’s comparable game faced the Olympics.

Of the 16 games that shared networks/timeslots with 2015, only six posted an increase in viewership.

This year’s preseason included the two lowest rated games on national TV — excluding NFL Network — since the mid-2000s. Buccaneers-Jaguars pulled a 1.6 rating on ESPN August 17, the worst for a preseason game since 2005. That was surpassed nine nights later by Chargers-Rams on CBS (1.4), the lowest rated preseason game since 2004.

The preseason concluded on a low note Thursday night. Rams-Packers pulled a 0.47 rating and 707,000 viewers on NFL Network, down 31% in ratings and 29% in viewership from Patriots-Giants last year (0.68, 1.1M). The Seahawks-Raiders nightcap had a 0.40 and 607,000, down 29% in both measures from the same matchup a year ago (0.6, 856K).

[dfwgator]

Is there anything more boring than NFL Pre-Season.

[ripnbang]

What is this NFL they’re speaking of?

[BenLurkin]

[Enlightened1]

Yeah watching bowling.

[BenLurkin]

CFL regular season.

[OKSooner]

That would be network daytime TV, and network nighttime TV.

[Slyfox]

This here is a Cowboy Fever Virus.

Once a week, except for bye-week, I am laid up with guacamole and a Corona.

[EnglishOnly]

The NFL to me is basically worthless.

The only time in the season that I may watch any NFL game, .... might be on Thanksgiving Day at my relatives house, and it better be the Detroit Lions game. Other than that .....Forget the NFL. I’d rather wash and detail my F-series truck.

[MrEdd]

ESPN Drones slobberingly pontificating about politics instead of illuminating whatever sporting event they are distracting from rather than covering.

That is more boring, but they have a flavor for every sport now.

[Dilbert San Diego]

LOL. I think it’s funny, that years ago, these were called exhibition games.

Then the NFL decided they didn’t like the implication that the exhibition games weren’t important or didn’t count.

So they renamed them as preseason games, to give some more importance to them.

But they are still exhibition games, still don’t count in the standings.

[JimRed]

I’m rewarding their good behavior in not hiring the Kapster by increasing my NFL viewing. < /sarc >

[dfwgator]

The real crime is forcing people to buy Exhibition Game tickets as part of the Season Ticket package.

[Fair Paul]

But if you’re a season ticket holder you have the privilege of paying full price for a ticket to these meaningless games.

[Adder]

I WANT some football.

I would suggest that the media refrain form showuing the kneeling players just like they do not show people who disrupt a ball game by running on the field.
When you quit breathlessly glorifying the sophomoric stunts they wull virtually die off...there will be a couple here and there but the vast majority, denied thier forum in everyone’s face will simply stop.

Meanwhile, show me that one hand grab trailing toes at the edge of the endzone...show me a hit that stuffs a running back 4 yards behind the line....

Gimme some football....

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Personally, I've lost interest in the NFL. It's not just Kaepernick (who played for the 49ers, who I've rooted for since I was around 5 or 6 years old). The game simply isn't the same - diluted playoff structure (about half the teams get in), far too much bad product on the air, especially on Thursday nights, too many good games inaccessible in my area, too much political correctness and liberal virtue signaling on display each week, too much of Roger Goodell serving as judge, jury and executioner on player disciplinary matters.

I came in during the '70s, when this was the Monday Night Football theme song, not some pop star yowling while football players stare awkwardly into the camera. My 49ers were the joke of the league then, as they are now, but the league was so much more fun to watch back then. I still have my 49ers season tickets, but these days I usually give them to friends and neighbors with kids - maybe they can get into the games. I have trouble caring anymore.

[Adder]

Oh criminee crap...

sorry for the typos...danged small screen....and thumbs.

They will be chastized severely....

[AnotherUnixGeek]

But they are still exhibition games, still don’t count in the standings.

The NFL has a solution for that - during the next CBA round with the NFLPA, they're going to demand an 18 game schedule, and in return will agree to only 2 pre-season games. This shell game will turn two exhibition games into games that count in the standings, net them more TV revenue and open players up to more injuries and wear & tear. Count on the NFL to find a way to screw both fans and players while turning a profit.

[MarkL]

I haven't seen any of the KC Chiefs pre-season games, though I did catch a few minutes of one. It was on a TV in the conference room we were using as a control center/break room, during a 34 hour data center move. I think I saw about 15 minutes of the game while I was getting some dinner.

That's as much of the Chiefs season I'm planning on watching. I'm done with the NFL.

Mark

[bgill]

The mr. football here hasn’t watched a single game this year. Not many last year.