Posted on 09/27/2017 11:19:19 AM PDT by abb
f a Facebook "like" is currency, many NFL teams saw their stock drop over the past several days.
Of the NFL's 32 teams, 28 saw a marked decrease in fan following on their team Facebook pages. The drop came after leaguewide demonstrations during the national anthem in Week 3 prompted by several rebukes from President Donald Trump.
Many teams had players lock arms or raise their fists while the anthem was performed. One or more players on 18 different teams took a knee; players on five teams sat on the bench; and three entire teams remained in the locker room.
In all, the audience among team Facebook pages decreased by 88,610, according to data compiled by Crowdtangle, a tool that tracks social media trends and analytics. All data is representative of figures accurate as of Sept. 26.
The three teams that did not take the field — the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans — saw some of the most precipitous drops.
In the two days following the protests (Sept. 25 and 26), the Steelers lost a total of 17,400 followers, the most of any team, and the Seahawks' total fell by 10,200. The Titans lost 4,100 followers, which represented the second highest percentage of their relative total of any team.
The New Orleans Saints saw the second-highest drop of 13,300 over the two-day span (5,100 on Sept. 25 and 8,200 the next day). The totals for most of the 28 teams dwarfed the attrition totals for recent months. For the Saints, their next highest total of followers lost in a single day was on Sept. 16 with 384.
Saints players Cameron Jordan and Drew Brees have said they've been working on a symbol of unity ahead of their Week 4 game against the Dolphins in London.
"We want to find something that we can do together, that shows unity and does not show division," Brees said. "I think we all are very much are on the same page as far as the cause is justified. But it’s just the means by which the, whatever you want to call it, the protest, the awareness is raised. How can we do that in a respectful manner?"
Any drop in followers, however, has little impact on the mammoth fanbases most teams possess. The aggregate total of the followings for all 32 teams easily clears 100 million, and none of the decreased totals equated to even a half a percentage point of a team's followers.
The Saints' drop of 13,300 only accounts for 0.33 percent of their total following — roughly 4,030,000.
This could be interesting.
If it continues for years to come, I wonder what happens to the young inner city kids who pinned their hopes on the possibility of a career in sports.
Fewer or no jobs in football, baseball, basketball, etc.
The Anthem Protests were merely the straw that broke the Camel’s back.
This has been brewing for a long time.
Good! Now as long as they remain consistent. I wish sometimes that I was an NFL supporter...a football fan....so I could quit and boycott them from now on. Truth is, I’ve always hated football,...pro as well as college...and all sports for that matter, except for classic boxing and womens’ MMA.
Too bad there’s not a “Despise” button on FB
“n Week 3 prompted by several rebukes from President Donald Trump...”. Nothing to do with Kaepernick? Ok
That’s not the way most people see it. The news media choosing sides.
Over-exposure, back in the day 2 games Sunday and then Monday night football add in Sunday night and Thursday and its too much.
“I wonder what happens to the young inner city kids who pinned their hopes on the possibility of a career in sports.”
You mean the young inner-city kids who are being taught to hate America thanks to their heroes? They may have to re-think their futures, considering the possibility of having to get a real job. Or welfare. Or lives of crime.
Oh. I said it tge other day. College football players are probably thinking ‘oh man Im gonna have to study’
There is a vote at the end of the article giving thumbs up or thumbs down for his unity request. Please go vote!
Supporteth the Ravens never more!
Not near enough to cause any concern for the NFL. As it is, you start seeing non-NFL fans "following" these teams just to counter the small declines, maybe enough to show an increase that will be reported in the MSM.
Too expensive, fleecing taxpayers, and the thuggery of many of the players.
They could do a circle jerk - that is something they could do together and show unity. But, they might already be doing that - or how about a team robbery of a store? A group trip to a strip joint and maybe beat up some girls?
After all - they say there cause (protection of black criminals against the police) is just.
That ignorant sports figures and entertainers have taken on the job of “unity” is a howler.
Another London game?
Let all the teams move to the U.K./EU/Dubai.
They DID demonstrate they will stand for God Save The Queen.
Thanks. Voted thumbs effing down. I always hated Rogers.
Just because they are following you doesn’t mean they LIKE you......................
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.