Thread by @willcain, Fight, spin, stick your head in the sand. Do whatever you want. [...]

Fight, spin, stick your head in the sand. Do whatever you want. But here’s the Week 1 ratings. https://twitter.com/cnbcnow/status/1305938729635385346

https://twitter.com/cnbcnow/status/1305938729635385346

Declines are even more eye opening when you consider:

a.) 2020, for first time ever, counts out of home viewing in ratings
b.) more than a million FANS who would normally be watching live in stadiums are home watching TV

Despite those two buoys...down https://www.outkick.com/full-nfl-week-1-ratings-breakdown-fox-up-for-brady-bucs-everyone-else-down-double-digits/

Full NFL Week 1 Ratings Breakdown: Fox Up for Brady Bucs, Everyone Else Down – OutKick

Here is the complete picture for the Week 1 NFL television ratings, compared to last year. All data is via Showbuzz Daily (here, here, here, and here);

https://www.outkick.com/full-nfl-week-1-ratings-breakdown-fox-up-for-brady-bucs-everyone-else-down-double-digits/

Let’s explore why. Is it just an election year and ratings are always down in an election year as some contend?

Well, MNF is down dramatically in 2020 from 2016.

So...it’s not that. https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/09/monday-night-football-ratings-down-doubleheader-espn/

NFL Week 1 Finals: MNF Openers Hit Multi-Year Lows

The annual Monday Night Football doubleheader hit multi-year lows in ratings and viewership. The Week 1 Pittsburgh/Washington Monday Night Football

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/09/monday-night-football-ratings-down-doubleheader-espn/

Is it (another popular explanation) cable cord cutting?

Well, that would depress every cable network’s ratings, right?

Nope, cable news is setting all time records.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-cable-news-has-record-setting-second-quarter-1301220

Is it there are too many sporting options on tv and ratings are being cannibalized? Maybe.

I have my doubts. This is football we’re talking about. This is the NFL. This is king. And there are more people at home with less to do increasing potential audience.

But, it’s possible.

I think five months of no sports “broke the habit” of watching sports for many people as their leisure activity.

Never underestimate the power of habit and COVID has destroyed habits.

I think that is contributing.

Still...with all that...some sports are not just up but setting records. Like the PGA.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2020/08/25/cbs-sports-delivers-its-best-viewership-average-and-highest-rated-pga-tour-season-in-five-years-734412/20200825cbs02/

So...what does that leave? Oh yeah, that when you inject protest and politics into sports you turn off a big chunk of your audience. A pretty simple biz maxim that no one wants to admit.

(I don’t think this is the only reason but it is the major reason.) https://news.gallup.com/poll/319256/farming-rises-sports-tumbles-industry-ratings.aspx

Farming Rises, Sports Tumbles in U.S. Industry Ratings

The public images of several U.S. business and industry sectors have shifted amid the pandemic and other key events of 2020. Positive ratings of healthcare and sports have changed the most.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/319256/farming-rises-sports-tumbles-industry-ratings.aspx

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