XPost: rec.arts.tv, alt.sports.football.pro, alt.sports.football.nfl

The NFL's once-golden network TV numbers continue to drop.

NFL games averaged 15.1 million viewers through Week 7, according to
Nielsen data obtained by Sporting News. That's down 5.1 percent from
15.87 million viewers during the same period last season and off
18.7 percent from 18.35 million viewers during the same period in
2015.

Viewership numbers are lagging for a variety of reasons, not least
the ongoing protests during the national anthem that former 49ers
quarterback Colin Kaepernick began in 2016. Fans are still angry
about Kaepernick’s continued unemployment as well as what's seen as
the growing politicization of the NFL.

In addition, President Donald Trump continues to attack the league
for not forcing all players to stand during the anthem. Commissioner
Roger Goodell and player reps met last week to seek a way forward,
but there wasn’t much progress, and players continue to protest.

More than 20 NFL players sat, took a knee, raised a fist or stayed
in the tunnel during Week 7 games, according to The Associated
Press.

The NFL’s network TV partners, for their part, refuse to show, much
less discuss, player protests on the air during game telecasts after
airing them for a brief time earlier in the season.

Across the media landscape, viewers are watching less sports on TV.
The NFL is also missing an All-Pro team of injured stars including
Aaron Rodgers, Odell Beckham Jr. and J.J. Watt. Former draws such as
Peyton Manning and Tony Romo are now retired.

The good news: National draws such as the Cowboys, the Steelers and
the Super Bowl-champion Patriots are rebounding from early-season
struggles.

The league is also benefiting from new stars like Carson Wentz of
the Eagles.


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