Kneeling and racism couldn’t do it. Misogyny and homophobia by no means stood an opportunity. Presidential jabs fell quick. The NFL is unbreakable.
In response to a latest report by the Sports activities Enterprise Journal, “NFL viewership is at an eight-year excessive with a per-game common of 17.2 million viewers — up 7 p.c year-over-year. That’s the very best since 2015 by way of 9 weeks.”
NBC has 22 million individuals watching Sunday Evening Soccer. CBS is having its finest run in eight years averaging 18.1 million viewers. FOX is at 17.6 million. ESPN/ABC/ESPN2 got here in at 15.4 million. NFL Community is up 25 p.c, and even Prime Video is averaging 12.7 million viewers. Don’t neglect that this yr’s three-day NFL Draft drew 54.4 million viewers — 5.3 million greater than in 2022. FOX beforehand revealed that 2023 gave us the most-watched Tremendous Bowl with 115.1 million viewers. And due to Taylor Swift, the Chiefs/Jets Sunday Evening Soccer Week 4 recreation was probably the most watched Sunday present because the Tremendous Bowl, peaking at 29.4 million, in response to NBC,
In 2021, NFL video games made up 75 of the 100 most-watched TV applications. No different professional sports activities league in America cracked the highest 100. In 2022, that quantity had risen to 82 of the 100 most-watched U.S. TV broadcasts. Roger Goodell turned the NFL’s Commissioner in 2006. Final month, his contract was prolonged till 2027, largely as a result of recreation’s development — placing billions into the pockets of workforce house owners.
Thanos thought he was inevitable. Goodell is aware of he’s Teflon.
This isn’t good. When entities change into too massive to fail, wrongs are ignored and unhealthy conduct will increase.
In 2016, 2017, and 2018 we watched followers declare they weren’t going to observe the NFL anymore. Some turned the video games off in solidarity as Colin Kaepernick was blackballed. Others have been enraged with Black individuals asking the police to cease capturing those that appeared like them and determined they’d had sufficient of “politics in sports activities.” All people lied. As a result of as you possibly can see, the league by no means misplaced steam. The NFL reached new ranges of recognition.
Finally, gamers acquired off their knees, fists weren’t raised anymore, and those on the sphere stopped caring — resulting in the remainder of America shrugging its shoulders. However even nonetheless, drama persists and nothing appears to have the ability to penetrate the NFL’s defend.
Race-norming occurred. Folks saved watching video games. Most didn’t understand it even occurred.
The New York and California Attorneys Basic began an investigation into the league for hostile office discrimination for racial and sexual harassment and age bias, and no one appears to care.
Brian Flores’ class-action go well with in opposition to the league for its alleged racist hiring in opposition to Black coaches remains to be ongoing.
Jim Trotter filed a 53-page racial discrimination/retaliation lawsuit in opposition to the NFL that was the playbook on how the league offers with/mistreats Black individuals, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was glad to lend Goodell a serving to hand.
In response to Forbes, final yr, the NFL made $11.9 billion in income, which was 7 p.c greater than the earlier yr. So the following time one thing racist occurs, or one thing merciless is finished to girls or somebody from the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, your first response shouldn’t be anger. Self-reflection ought to take precedent. There’s a one hundred pc likelihood you’ve completed one thing that’s put cash into the league’s pocket, which has allowed the factor that’s angered you to occur.
