Posted on 09/14/2020 8:42:26 AM PDT by EdnaMode
SoFi Stadium was devoid of fans on last night’s Sunday Night Football due to the coronavirus pandemic, but full of victory for hometown heroes the Los Angeles Rams. Sadly that winning feeling wasn’t reflected in the ratings for NBC and the NFL.
The team’s first game at their new $5 billion digs saw the Rams take down the Dallas Cowboys 20-17 in a grinding battle. It was also a game that saw Rams’ running back Malcolm Brown score two touchdowns and nail a career topping 79 yards. Fighting right to the end against that wall of the Rams’ defense in a very rough and tumble showdown, the Cowboys early on also saw starting linebacker Leighton Vander Esch exiting from a collarbone injury. All in all, not a good start for Mike McCarthey’s
With all that on-field action, and coming off the disappointing ratings of the NFL season kickoff on September 10, the league and the Comcast-owned network were looking for a win themselves this football packed weekend.
Even with the usual ratings gold of Jerry Jone’s team on the field, the NFL and NBC didn’t get that win – at least not in the early numbers.
Putting on the two teams with big national followings, SNF snared a 4.7 in early ratings among adults 18-49 and 14.81 million viewers last night.
In numbers certain to change, that’s a fall of 28% in the ratings and a hard decline of 23% in sets of eyeballs from what the September 8, 2019 official start of SNF snagged in the early numbers of its opening game of last season. While the early Nielsen data lacks West Coast numbers, which is kind of important when you have a team from the mega-market of LA playing, this result is going to be hard pill for the NFL and NBC to swallow.
To add some further context, the 33-3 pummeling of the Pittsburgh Steelers by then reigning Super Bowl champs the New England Patriots last year went on to pull in an audience of 22.2 million on NBC, which was pretty much even with SNF’s 2018 season premiere. That 2019 figure inched up to 22.7 million when digital platform viewing was added in.
Also, at this point, last night’s SNF is down nearly 10% in the key demo from the early results of the the Kansas City Chiefs near blowout season opener win over the Houston Texans on September 10 this year. That primetime game at Arrowhead Stadium did have a scattering of fans (just over 17,000 in a venue built for more than 76,000) and a strong and blunt social justice and anti-racism message from the league and players – which was booed by said fans. In what may be indicative of where the NFL is already drifting, last night’s SNF was much more subdued in its stance over such issues and saw only a few players take a knee during the national anthem.
We will update with more SNF ratings, plus how 60 Minutes’ exclusive sit-down with Bob Woodward on his new Trump book did and the rest of last night’s ratings, as we get them
In the meantime, the sun isn’t shining here in LA due to the wildfires ravaging the state, but we go a bit of a glow on Sunday, if you know what I mean?
You’re not alone...
This is more than a football stadium. It is also a large conference center, and also includes shopping and training facilities above and beyond the stadium proper. Think of a facility that has a McCormick Place as well as a Soldier Field. Kroenke put up the dough, and will get rent from the Chargers. No taxpayer money involved (unless it had to do with road access improvements, etc) LA wisely waited for someone to put up the dough himself.
Captive audience. A lot of other activities have been shut down or crippled by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Fantasy leagues (again, lack of other activities).
Under a less politically hostile environment, I would have expected a ratings boost.
Yup—zero viewers has to be our goal.
NFL is evil bump.
I have been a Dallas Cowboys fan since Calvin Hill and Roger Staubach were rookies in 1969. Dak Prescott comes from my alma mater (The Mississippi State University). I tried to watch the game.
I just couldn’t do it. Watching a bunch of pedophile-supporting, cop-Killer-loving, women-beating millionaires just doesn’t excite me anymore.
I have to admit as a long time pats fan, I watched a little of the Pats game. I was not thrilled with Cam going all nuts at the end of the game: you just won dude, walk off the field like a boss.
I watched the Brady game until they blocked the field goal attempt. That was bush league right there. Brady will be hurt and done in three weeks if that is he front line. It is a shame, I was looking forward to him being successful.
Those two exceptions, about 15 minutes, is all I intend to watch.
>>Under a less politically hostile environment, I would have expected a ratings boost.<<
Quite true. With more of the people locked at home AND no sports of any kind until lately, this SHOULD have been through the roof ratings.
It looks like nofansleft (along with nobodyaround and murderlootburners) swapped their very existence for Political Correctness. I just want them to die quickly and painfully.
Yes, good for them, not falling for the taxpayer footing the bill as was done here in Pittsburgh (AFTER it was rejected at the ballot box actually).
I grew-up in Pittsburgh, and as you know we HATED the Cowboys back in those days. The only reason anyone around here would tune in to a Cowboys game were the cheerleaders (who were the zenith of sexiness at the time).
Now, astoundingly enough, those cheerleader outfits are actually on the conservative side. You see women wearing less walking down the street every day.
My family is boycotting.
Not watching as long as the NFL and the players disrespect the Flag, the National Anthem and America!
Hope to be joined in my boycott by millions and millions of FORMER NFL fans!
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Cowboys fan since the 60’s. First time I have not watched a game I. Could have seen.
Yes from what I understand 1 player, new to team kneeled but that’s 1 too many based on all the blood and sacrifice surrounding our anthem.
The Rams and the Cowboys were rivals back in the late ‘60’s when I was a big Rams fan. Rams coach George Allen and Cowboys coach Tom Landry differed radically as to how to build their teams. Allen built his team with trades while Landry built his with drafts. So the Cowboys, with their young players, were fast, especially on offense while the Rams, consisting of veterans, were good on defense.
The defender -don’t recall his name- played that perfectly. Once the receiver extended his arm to block, the defender held it in place with his arm long enough for the interference to be called.
It’s like what , 1/30 of our population?
Way too many people but consider, 29/30ths of us were not watching.
They tore down Hollywood Park horse racing facility to build this stadium.
National FU League
College football Saturday was actually fun. I was thinking that maybe the NFL would be the same way. No dice.
One nice thing is, I get to spend more time with my family. Another thing is, there's lots of stuff to do around the house (just moved in a couple of weeks ago).
BTW, I HATED the '70's Steelers then, but looking back at those guys (Rocky Bleier the Vietnam vet, Bradshaw), I have grown to love them.
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