NFL TV ratings took a rather large hit in 2016 compared to the year prior, per a new report.
According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, viewership dropped by an average of eight percent during the regular season, with 1.4 million fewer people watching than a year ago.
The number doesn’t tell the whole story, at least, thanks to new factors such as Twitter streaming. But ESPN’s Monday Night Football was down 12 percent and NBC’s Sunday Night Football dropped 10 percent.
The numbers might not be as bad as they sound, though, as ratings in an election cycle tend to fall. Rovell explained:
Prior to the Nov. 8 election, NFL games — through the first nine weeks — were down 14 percent compared to 2015. But the next eight weeks saw a recovery, as Weeks 10-17 were down only 1 percent in viewers compared to last season.
The good news for fans moving forward? The league isn’t blaming the drop on politics alone:
League executives aren’t attributing the drop solely to politics. In Week 16, the league and its broadcast partners tested moving around commercial pods to help change the pace of the game for the viewers at home, as well as the ones in the stadium. Results of the test have not been released publicly.
The NFL is wise to take the ratings drop to heart regardless of cause, which could lead to a better product for fans. With attendance numbers down and more fans preferring the broadcast experience, it is in the league’s best interest to make the product as appealing as possible.
Expect to hear about more changes to broadcasts this offseason.
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