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The Colin Kaepernick Effect: CBS Study Says Protests Were Factor in NFL Ratings Decline
Sports Illustrated ^ | Aug 31, 2017 | Richard Dietsch

Posted on 09/02/2017 3:34:23 PM PDT by 11th_VA

At least one sports television network president believes that national anthem protests last season were a factor in the decline of NFL ratings.

On Wednesday during its annual NFL Media Day in New York City, CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said research his network did internally indicated that the protests played some kind of role in declining average viewers. He was emphatic, however, that it was merely a factor and not the cause. The average television viewership for the 2016 NFL season dropped roughly 8% last year from 2015.

“We did research and it was relatively proprietary research, to be honest with you,” McManus said. “But I think if you look at some of the reasons why NFL viewership was down last year, that is a reason that’s mentioned by a fair amount of viewers. It is something they don’t find attractive or they find don’t compelling in coverage of the football game. How big a factor it was? I don’t really know. But it was one of the factors that I think perhaps led to the slight decrease in ratings last year.”

(snip)

Earlier in the week, Mike Mulvihill, the executive vice president of research, league operations and strategy for Fox Sports, emphatically told Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand that any NFL viewer backlash to Kaepernick was not a factor in the NFL declines ...

(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: kaepernick; nfl; protest; sports
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To: Lurkinanloomin
35-year fan here. Done.

I spend my time and money where it is wanted and respected. NFL-free Sundays are wonderful.

81 posted on 09/02/2017 9:24:47 PM PDT by HonkyTonkMan
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To: Captain Peter Blood

Don’t forget Charlie Jones in that list of announcers. He usually did the AFL/AFC West games for NBC, and I really liked listening to him.


82 posted on 09/02/2017 9:32:28 PM PDT by henkster (We are living in an Orwellian era.)
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To: KyCats

Well at least the Cats won today.


83 posted on 09/02/2017 10:27:04 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: BobL

Right - LOL.

It’s a good reason for people who tune out to actually tune into something else so the ratings show up elsewhere - not just “turn it off.” MeTV, AntennaTV, etc. getting ratings spikes would demonstrate we do like watching stuff and would watch stuff that isn’t trash like they make today.


84 posted on 09/02/2017 10:32:02 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: JamesP81

All of this leads onto a salary evolution event occurring at the end of this season. Marginal players will see pay-cuts coming, and decent players will probably see zero salary gain. If this were to continue for another season or two...I could see entire team salary listings cut by 10 to 20 percent. Whether this was part of the master plan by Kaepernick or not....it is a consequence.


85 posted on 09/02/2017 11:47:41 PM PDT by pepsionice
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To: LS
Now, the only one I’ll watch is the Cowboys.

You mean team whose owner is Jerry "You will stand for the anthem or your ass will be off my team" Jones?

The Cowboys are now my second favorite team after the Dolphins, and if any Dolphins players engage in any shenanigans regarding the anthem this year—or America in general—I'll immediately switch to rooting for the Cowboys...

86 posted on 09/03/2017 11:26:13 PM PDT by sargon ("If we were in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, the Left would protest for zombies' rights.")
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