NFL Ratings Taking a Beating from Both Sides

According to Jon Gitlin, the controversy over kneeling may be causing viewers to tune out. NLF ratings are going down on a continuous basis and kneeling may be one of the factors that has contributed to this trend.

“Those who took offense to it were most likely to cite their support for Donald Trump - who condemned the act - as their reason for avoiding the NFL (32%). Why did people in favor of kneeling steer clear of watching and attending games? To act in solidarity with the players (22%) and to support former quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who's being infamously shunned by teams across the league for kneeling (12%),” Gitlin wrote on surveymoney.com.

A survey of more than 1,700 adults shows that concerns over player health have also contributed to the shrinking audience base.

“Roughly 10% of the people we surveyed refrained from watching and attending the NFL this season for the sake of the players’ health. This percentage may increase if the number of individual cases, research, and awareness of the risk of developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) from playing football grows,” he adds.

In order to reduce the risk related to injuries, the league would have to address the tackling. On the other hand, over 50% of people said they would stop watching the games if tackling isn’t allowed.

More than 50% of people said they would stop watching the games if tackling isn’t allowed. The viewers (70%) are also not happy about taxpayers funding new stadiums.

All in all, Gitlin concludes that the NFL finds itself in a difficult situation. Stocks impacted include Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Disney (NYSE: DIS), Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOXA), and ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC) - are likely to suffer as well.

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