Ratings Actually Improved During NFL's Tumultuous Week 3

[Suppressed]

Ratings Actually Improved During NFL's Tumultuous Week 3
Solid day games and a surging 'Monday Night Football' keep things ahead of 2016.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 7:17am PT by Michael O'Connell
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ratings-actually-improved-nfls-tumultuous-week-3-1042996

Offering at least some anecdotal evidence that the NFL's current ratings predicament is not one with a cut- and-dry cause, Monday Night Football viewership surged on Monday night — helping Week 3 of the season finish in the black, after all.

Across Monday's and all of Sunday's games, even the dampened showing from NBC's marquee primetime showdown, gross overnight ratings for league showdowns weren't off from those of 2016. In fact, they were up a shade — nearly 3 percent. Much thanks here goes to ESPN's Monday franchise, which turned in a whopping 9.3 overnight rating for its best showing.

That makes the Cowboys-Cardinals showdown the best MNF performance for the season thus far, and pacing above the same stretch during 2016. As player participation in protests during the National Anthem seemed to hit a peak — even Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones took a knee in solidarity with his players — this is a huge victory for MNF after a day and full weekend of coverage of the U.S. President openly criticizing protesting athletes, calling some "sons of bitches."

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Excerpt.  Read more at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ratings-actually-improved-nfls-tumultuous-week-3-1042996

[corbe]

Speaking of politics and the NFL, Hank Williams Jr.’s anthem is back on Monday nights
 By Callum Borchers 
September 26 at 10:55 AM    
 
Are you ready for some politics?

“Monday Night Football” featured two iconic songs: “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night,” the Hank Williams Jr. theme that asks viewers if they are prepared for pigskin.

The incongruity was jarring. First, the Dallas Cowboys locked arms, knelt and rose for the national anthem in a show of solidarity with players whom President Trump said should be “fired” for protesting racial inequality by refusing to stand. Then ESPN played America's best-known football anthem, performed by a man the network actually did fire six years ago for comparing Barack Obama, the first black president, to Adolf Hitler.

<..snip..>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/26/more-protests-on-monday-night-football-then-a-song-by-hank-williams-jr-who-compared-obama-to-hitler/?utm_term=.50f5c3c2f64f

[raml]

Only reason viewership was there for Cowboys game was because Jerry Jones lied and said if anyone kneeled they would be fired he said it long before Sunday so people tuned in to see if it was true and it wasn't it was not a show of support for the NFL. Any protesting at work is not justified I don't want to know what their politics are. Now the Arizona team all did stand and did not do any protesting I was impressed with them and will continue to support them as long as they continue to keep politics out of football. I am a huge fan of football but will go down to the college level now and if they act up will just watch high school.

[Silver Pines]

I expect the ratings will show a dip soon.  Directv has been inundated with customers cancelling their Sunday Ticket.

[thackney]

I expect the ratings will show a dip soon.  Directv has been inundated with customers cancelling their Sunday Ticket.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/directv-refunds-sunday-ticket-subscribers-upset-nfl-protests-article-1.3523593

...AT&T, the parent company of DirecTV, usually does not let customers cancel their plans mid-season but made the decision to give refunds out “due to the sensitivity of the issue.”

The company told ESPN they will not share information on how many customers cancel their Sunday Ticket plan....

[TomSea]

And I'd chalk that down to the MAGA president, for people to see what is going on, at least that's as likely as other theories. BTW, this was already posted in the "sports, entertainment, arts" forum.

[Silver Pines]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/directv-refunds-sunday-ticket-subscribers-upset-nfl-protests-article-1.3523593

...AT&T, the parent company of DirecTV, usually does not let customers cancel their plans mid-season but made the decision to give refunds out “due to the sensitivity of the issue.”

The company told ESPN they will not share information on how many customers cancel their Sunday Ticket plan....

@thackney

I would love to know those numbers.  Maybe somebody will leak them.

[Applewood]

Let's see what happens this week/weekend.  I'd also like to know how many ticket holders show up for the games.

[mountaineer]

Let's see what happens this week/weekend.  I'd also like to know how many ticket holders show up for the games.

I had to laugh this morning when I saw a post on KDKA's Facebook feed, a preview of this weekend's Steelers game. The first several comments - and probably many more by now - all said, in essence, "who cares?" 

That's unheard of in Picksburgh, someone saying "who cares" about a Steelers-Ravens game.

[Applewood]

I had to laugh this morning when I saw a post on KDKA's Facebook feed, a preview of this weekend's Steelers game. The first several comments - and probably many more by now - all said, in essence, "who cares?" 

That's unheard of in Picksburgh, someone saying "who cares" about a Steelers-Ravens game.

Sure is.  There have been some nasty comments on other local TV Facebook pages and other social media sites too.  People around here just aren't happy.  And I don't think they believe the official story(ies) about this stunt.  Didn't mean any disrespect for the flag?  Um...yes, you did.

People might forgive them if they stand on the sidelines this Sunday and honor the flag as they are supposed to do.  Anything less and the Steelers can kiss many of their fans goodbye for good.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/directv-refunds-sunday-ticket-subscribers-upset-nfl-protests-article-1.3523593

...AT&T, the parent company of DirecTV, usually does not let customers cancel their plans mid-season but made the decision to give refunds out “due to the sensitivity of the issue.”

The company told ESPN they will not share information on how many customers cancel their Sunday Ticket plan....

I canceled my NFL ticket and got a full refund.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Only reason viewership was there for Cowboys game was because Jerry Jones lied and said if anyone kneeled they would be fired he said it long before Sunday so people tuned in to see if it was true and it wasn't it was not a show of support for the NFL. Any protesting at work is not justified I don't want to know what their politics are. Now the Arizona team all did stand and did not do any protesting I was impressed with them and will continue to support them as long as they continue to keep politics out of football. I am a huge fan of football but will go down to the college level now and if they act up will just watch high school.

What you are describing is the same as why people watch reality TV shows. That is about all NFL will be soon, just a stage presentation where the winner is pre-determined.  Similar to WWF.

People who do not have the principles to respect their own country will certainly be less inclined to respecting an honest game.  Look for games being thrown by the lowlifes.

[verga]

I had to laugh this morning when I saw a post on KDKA's Facebook feed, a preview of this weekend's Steelers game. The first several comments - and probably many more by now - all said, in essence, "who cares?" 

That's unheard of in Picksburgh, someone saying "who cares" about a Steelers-Ravens game.

This is the first time in almost 20 years I will not be watching this game. I was living in Maryland when they got the Ravens and have been a fan since day one, and have hated the Steelers long before that.