New England was tuned in for Sunday’s big game. Mostly to watch their boy Tom Brady in a Bucs uniform do what he does. But most of America was less interested. Pundits have come up with every reason under the sun for the decline, but the one that probably matters most.
Related: Boston Sports, Brady, Belichick, NFL, Protests, Trump, and Anarchy
Everyone I know who has tuned out the NFL (and the big game with it) has the same reason. All the #Woke BS.
It started with the kneeling, but when the riots broke out, and BLM started popping up on shoes, helmets, and players twitter feeds – not to mention the franchises and then the league itself, some in America said, enough.
In other sports, Basketball ratings plummeted. Baseball has been in decline for years, so this can’t have helped. Hockey, well, it’s hard to deter hockey fans but the NFL? People have been turning that off in increasing numbers for years.
But if you look for sports commentary on why the NFL ratings slumped you’ll get every reason, but the #Woke BS. That’s probably because most of the sportswriters and talkers think the #woke BS is good for what ails us.
They are not interested that BLM is a Marxist front group that does not care about black Americans or anyone of any other color. They exist to use blacks to advance a political agenda that continues to do significant harm to black families and children. Team #Woke BS doesn’t know that, or they think that is all BS themselves.
Excusing a few radio jocks and media-newsroom scribbles is one thing. When entitled millionaires parrot the same crap on and off the field, that’s a bit much. People stopped watching.
But that’s not “why” this year’s Super Bowl got some of the lowest ratings in the history of the game.
They are not attracting younger viewers. That’s true, but to some degree, it is because their parents already turned away.
The Buccaneers early lead turned people off? I doubt that. Mahomes and the Chiefs are legendary for overcoming deficits late in the game. Casual viewers might not know that but I bet it came up in pre-game and during the telecast.
Too many penalties slowed the game down. Really? People want to see the commercials so penalties might be one of the few times to go get another beer or more snacks other than the perennially abysmal half-time show. Besides, there weren’t that many penalties.
Tom Brady Fatigue. This one I could see but for one point. The Chiefs were favored, and Mahomes is insanely talented. No one seriously thought Tampa would take it based on the chatter. Everyone expected a close game won in the last one or two drives. And watching Brady lose is actually a draw to most of America. My math says they’d tune in and wait.
There are more reasons, as many as there are talking heads who specialize in sports, but none that I have seen mentions the #wokeBS.
Was it the primary reason, no. But NFL viewing is off around 8% this year. Given the number of people whose mobility was limited by the political response to COVID19, you’d think more people would watch.
Not true.
I think it’s a rejection of the #WokeBS. Even people I know who love football have turned it off.
Since no one in sports or the League appears to have a clue about that, it means they won’t be doing anything to mend fences anytime soon.
Ratings will continue to suffer.
