The numbers have come in from the 2017 NFL playoffs in television terms and they are a mixed bag.
The NFL continues to score the highest ratings for television partners FOX and CBS, but eight of the 10 playoff games were viewed by less people this year than last year. Throw in the College Football Playoff game drop in TV viewers and it paints a troubling picture. People are turning away from football in small but steady numbers.
Overall, the percentage of television viewers for the 2016-17 football season fell. The Super Bowl will bring in a huge number because the Super Bowl is a variety show that features football and in a way, is a throwback to the old days of TV when Ed Sullivan had something for everyone on his Sunday night hour-long TV program.
The Super Bowl is the number one party day of the year. But there is so much more. There are the Super Bowl commercials, it is the start of new ad campaigns for companies and how some people eagerly watch the Big Game for the new commercials. Those entertainers in the ads and commercials get scrutinized.
Then there is the entertainment portion. There will be people who will skip the game yet watch the halftime show which this year features Lady Gaga. Tony Bennett will also be part of the Lady Gaga show and why not, the two have been partners for a while. Luke Bryan will sing the national anthem.
FOX, this year’s broadcaster will introduce a new series, 24: Legacy once the Super Bowl is done. There are an awful lot of elements in the Super Bowl. The singers and the commercials will bring in extra viewers. But the long-term problem of falling football ratings is not going away even if the Super Bowl brings in 150 million viewers.
By Evan Weiner For The Politics Of Sports Business
This article was republished with permission from the original publisher, Evan Weiner.