Posted on 09/22/2017 8:59:02 AM PDT by Strac6
The San Francisco 49ers Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams kicked off in front of a nearly empty stadium.
Los Angeles Times reporter Lindsey Thiry tweeted a photo at the time of kickoff, which showed thousands of open seats. In fact, most sections in the photo have more empty seats than fans.
Thursday night football. Time for kickoff. pic.twitter.com/SinMLDH6AD
ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported that 63,500 tickets had been sold for the game, but of course, simply selling a ticket doesn’t mean the buyer will actually show up to the game.
It’s hard to believe there are more than 30,000 people in the stadium, judging from the photos.
The 49ers sold 63,500 tickets to this game. But 5:30 local start, being 0-2, vs a week opponent gives you this crowd ( by @colinresch) pic.twitter.com/eJyCSSQodV
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 22, 2017
5:25pm kickoff for the Rams-49ers game at Levi’s Stadium today. #NFL #TNF (: @ChrisBiderman) pic.twitter.com/r1T26iXDpX
— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) September 22, 2017
Even close to halftime, the stadium was not close to being full.
From my vantage point 3 minutes to go 2ND quarter. #49ers vs #Rams pic.twitter.com/pYbJPFNV6q
— Colin Resch (@colinresch) September 22, 2017
Do You Think The NFL Is Losing Popularity?
Yes No Login with your social identity to vote
This is not a great look for the NFL. TV ratings are already on the decline, and now people aren’t even going to the games.
The NFL is the crown jewel of American sports. It can’t be overstated how awful the optics of an empty stadium for a primetime game is.
NFL management needs to isolate the problem and fix it before things continue to spiral downward
The league itself is so far out of whack with mainstream thinking that they are immune to the criticism. Okay, so be it. Watch your product disintegrate.
But for the networks, live TV and sports particularly are the last advantage they have over the new streaming channels and the other specialty cable channels.
For the price of tickets for a family of 4, concessions, and parking you can buy a 60" tv at Walmart and watch it at home. Even NFL Network games are broadcast locally.
Exactly.
This is mostly the end result of the 49ers being a really bad football team.
The wife and son went last night,, had to pay $30 for the nosebleeds...
kneeling players during the national anthem
halftime lectures from media elites on what we ought to think
espn going off the cliff
players wearing pink stuff; I’m fully aware of breast cancer, thank you
jerks and thugs culture
Goodell being Goodell and letting it all happen
It is the erosion/destruction of that social cohesion that poses the greatest danger to the league. Without any compelling reason to engage in the hassle, time & expense of attending/watching a game, masses of fans are in essence waking up from a long dream.
It's almost like leaving a cult: why the heck was I rooting for a private enterprise that simply attached the largest city/metro region in the area to its name? What does it actually have to do with me, my family & friends? Why do I care? In fact, this game is pretty boring - why am I sitting here why I'm bombarded with commercials? Do they really think I'm this big of a fool for being played like this?
It's this national awakening that is going to pose the greatest peril. How do you put the genie back in the bottle? The league in many ways has already lost the youngest generations. They no longer care about, pretend to play, or fantasize about being a pro while safely ensconced indoors playing video games, watching HD pron, or wasting time on social media.
Even worse, the core now has something else to root for: the demise of the NFL. Now, we can apply our emotional energy to a real game, with real winners & losers - the league itself.
Nobody wants to pay to see losers.
Except Democrats.....................
As a group, such individuals show little ability to envision future consequences of their actions, as demonstrated by the large number who end up flat broke not long after their playing days come to an end, so I wouldn’t bet on that. Of course there are always exceptions, but it does seem to hold true for the group as a whole.
I haven’t been able to afford an NFL game for a long time. I can’t afford to take my family to a mediocre college team most of the time (Iowa State).
When tickets cost to much, I will find other ways to spend my weekends. When the people providing the spectacle openly hate me, I won’t bother to support them.
If Nebraska keeps tanking (likely) this might be the year I cut the cord completely and get rid of the Dish. That means I will probably never see another game.
I thought NLF tickets were expensive (over priced at any price now) until I bought Lindsey Sterling tickets...
All in it was 600 bucks for 2 people.
Only difference. I think going to see her is worth it.
Yes.
In addition, both network and local TV newscasts are down an average of 7.6% PER YEAR for the last 7 years.
Orlando is a prime example.
WFTV had a news team of Bob Opsahl, Marti Salt, and Barbara West. They owned the market with ratings higher than all the other stations combined!
But them owners decided to be socially conscious and bring in a hyper dyke manager.
Opsahl said enough management BS is enough and retired. Marti sinned by turning 50 and was demoted. West dared to ask tough questions of Joe Biden, so she had to go.
They brought in anchor Martha Sugalski, known locally as the “News Slut.” She has covered up a bit more on the air now, but appears nearly topless at off-air station events. Is big drinker and sucks up to gays, but in reality, laughs about their fawning love of her.
Anchor Vanessa Echols is good, but is an Affirmative Action promotion.
Anchor George Estevez is SOOOOO over the top gay, etc.
The hyper-dyke GM was just canned, and 80% of all reporters hired in last 4 years have been gender benders.
They pushed Pride as an anti-gay thing, when everyone here knew it was simply Islamic terrorism.
Their ratings? They are now #6 in a 5 station market. Price to buy the station 8 years ago would have been $500 million. Today, owners would grab $180-200 in a NYM!
Bottom line. TV news is over, and so is NFL if they don’t wake up!
Another reason that no one is talking about for low attendance at games is that their are a large number of a-holes/thugs/trash that attend them and are no fun to be around.
If they covered all NFL abuse, it would take 4-5 months.
Noooo ?
Perish the thought!
Plz see # 51
I bet you could scalp a ticket for a lot less than that outside the stadium by game time.
Wow, I think you are really on to something.
Martha Sugalski now only wears the thigh high boots during sweeps.
You can't do that, your not welcome in Our Country, get out!!! And as far as this NFL thing, I wouldn't waste the time to get up and clean up and wasted the gas and oil nor the money to spend on this ‘low classed scum’...
I won't go to movies, won't go to ‘Red Box’ won't have cable in my home except for basic for my grandson which has cooking and cartoons, I don't need the garbage, going to the grocery store, the gas station or anywhere else to hear the ‘trash talk’ is enough for me...why make some disgusting ‘hollyweird’ idiot money???
And then I remember when 9-11 happens, those ‘actors and idiots’ came from out under the rocks and wanted all to see how ‘American’ they were, B.S.!!! Never were before and are not now nor will be in the future...
Give me someone who has worked hard for what they have, have respect for the Country they have and the people who gave everything to give me this right...I will take that any day of the year!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.