[Dilbert San Diego]

They got the money for this years season tickets, that is true.

But if we see erosion of season ticket renewals for next season, that will hurt.

And they are being hurt by the erosion of TV ratings. TV ad revenue is ultimately based on the ratings; on the audience for the games.

If they see a 10-20% decline in season tickets for next year, and similar continuing declines in TV ratings, that will start to pinch them.

[DoodleBob]

I wrote this earlier, but it's worth repeating/getting feedback on: what is the end-game of the boycott?

We can look at The Packers' financial statements to get a sense for where the money goes. The Packers pulled in $441MM (million ) in revenue, while expenses rose to $371MM resulting in Net Income of $73MM. Of those expenses, about $156MM come from players.

So, if revenues decline, does anyone really think they'll take it out on the players? Most of them are under contract, so in the short-run they won't feel the pinch.

I'm not saying the boycott shouldn't continue. The essence of the boycott is "if you all support Kaepernick taking a knee because he hates the police, when we'll ignore you." Thus, the boycott has a noble underpinning.

More importantly, anything that results in strengthening of the family and fathers and mothers spending more time with children and less time on panem et circenses is a net positive for society.

But, net-net-net, if revenues decline, the cuts will come in the middle offices and trickled down to concessions employees, parking attendants, etc. The players that many people seem to abhor, will largely remain unimpacted (aside from some loss of endorsements etc.) ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS A TEMPORAL DIP IN VIEWERSHIP.

[calenel]

If every ticket to every game was sold; every seat in every stadium filled, it would still barely cover the salaries of the players. Since that isn't true of many teams - only a few reliably fill their stadiums every single game - probably more than a few of them don't even cover their players' salaries by ticket sales.

They make more money from television. Something like 6 billion last year, I believe, which all the teams split equally (which is how some teams can survive disastrous season after disastrous season).

So, the bottom line is this - every viewer that boycotts the NFL, and every person that writes a letter to an NFL advertiser, affects the NFL's bottom line. If not this year - maybe they have already gotten their money from the advertisers and licensed vendors - then it will next year, or the year after. At some point they will realize they are whistling past the graveyard and end this nonsense. May already be too late for them.

[Drago]

Unfortunately declining TV ratings won’t really hurt the NFL until 2021 or so...the NFL has locked in TV contracts with CBS, Fox, and NBC until 2022. Declining ratings hurt the networks in the shorter term. Hopefully there are some “performance clauses” in the contracts that allow an out due to declining ratings?? Would have to research that more.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/7353238/nfl-re-ups-tv-pacts-expand-thursday-schedule

[EDINVA]

and all the team trademarked tees/hoodies/blah blah blah ... when those have to be discounted at a loss, it will have an effect. NO one with half a brain cell thought they’d feel the pinch overnight. Who should be REALLY angry with the current crop of spoiled brat is the upcoming crop of spoiled brats now playing in college (and some high school) whose salaries will be negatively impacted.

[Joe Bfstplk]

The NFL loses at concessions also. And licensed mdse?

[trebb]

Yep - the father of one of my wife’s friends has held a private box at the Super Dome forever - the box is sitting empty this year and he won’t be renewing.

[hattend]

Only trouble is, there are waiting lists for season tickets. If somebody doesn’t buy their set, there is always somebody to take their place.