NFL in trouble?

My sister went to a game there. She paid $40 for tickets. 

Los Angeles is not a football town for the NFL....never has been. The #2 TV market in this country didn't have a NFL team for what, 18 years until recently? That tells you everything you need to know. San Diego also never sold out their games, they used to have a deal with the city that they would buy all unsold tickets to home games to prevent blackouts, but that ended like 9 years ago. There are too many things to do in SoCal to ever have built up a culture of football fans. 

The NFL desperately wanted back into that LA market, but the fans didn't care. And they are showing that right now. 

moving san dieago made sense. ditching st louis didnt to me

San Diego had pretty good fans. The NFL in their infinite wisdom balled up their history and threw it in the trash because they have ownership groups that should have their rights taken from them. If they want a team in So Cal, they're going to have to find a group that wants to invest in what it is, and not what they want it to be. Make smaller stadiums with single teams in LA and SD. Make them privately funded. It'll never happen. 

The fans are part of the issue, but they are not the whole story.  The Lakers and Dodgers draw fans. And they play 41 and 81 home games a season.  The Rams play 8. 
But over the years L.A. has gone from 1 NFL team to 2 teams to 0 teams to 2 teams et cet.  How are you as a fan supposed to develop a loyal following for any team knowing that they could pack up and leave as soon as another city offers a better deal? 
And for San Diego fans, there would be no worse city for their team to move to than L.A. That is the ultimate slap in the face.  They would be more likely to drive 7 hours to Las Vegas to watch the Chargers than 2 hours to Los Angeles.
The owners like to say that it is a game and the fans should come out and be supportive.  But of course, for the owners it is a business and they need to treat it as a business. And that means packing up and moving out when the money is better elsewhere. Can't have it both ways.

The only sold out games we've attended this year we're in Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Detroit.  Pittsburgh was 2/3 full in their week 2 home opener against us, Atlanta was half full, Chicago about half full, Washington about 2/3 full.  It's a problem, and don't think it's the anthem protests.  It is corporate sponsors buying tickets and not using them, saturation of all sports, and fans tiring of paying $600+ for a family of 4 to see a 3 hour game they can see on TV.

when you pay that much for a concert, big-name comedian or magician. You always get entertained, but, on average in the NFL, half the teams lose each week, and it stinks to spend money to see your team lose.

if the Vikings were 5-8 right now, US Bank would be 2/3 full too

@"Tom Moore" said: The only sold out games we've attended this year we're in Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Detroit.  Pittsburgh was 2/3 full in their week 2 home opener against us, Atlanta was half full, Chicago about half full, Washington about 2/3 full.  It's a problem, and don't think it's the anthem protests.  It is corporate sponsors buying tickets and not using them, saturation of all sports, and fans tiring of paying $600+ for a family of 4 to see a 3 hour game they can see on TV.

when you pay that much for a concert, big-name comedian or magician. You always get entertained, but, on average in the NFL, half the teams lose each week, and it stinks to spend money to see your team lose.

if the Vikings were 5-8 right now, US Bank would be 2/3 full too

I think the protest are part of the issue, but more of a one of many issues.  Cost is huge, I think the overall price of attendance is outrageous.  That is a big part, but the NFL is bungling so many issues, their money grubbing is starting to get exposed and people are not buying anymore.

I told grandparents not to worry about buying the kids NFL stuff.  Some wanted Viking stuff, but I won't buy NFL gear and told the grandparents not either. 

@"greediroqn" said:

I think the protest are part of the issue.

I agree.  I know quite a few people that has either opt to watch one game (their favorite team), or boycott the NFL altogether.

Myself, I only watch Vikings games.  Mostly because I have experienced so many heartbreaks following this team, and have hoped for a championship every year since 1987.  Had the Vikings been more successful in the past, I most likely would have also boycotted the NFL.

The NFL’s new deal with Verizon is worth nearly $500 million per year, opens mobile streaming up to all carriers
If there in trouble, Verizon just got took.

It's the Colosseum, it's a huge stadium.

@"Bolstad79" said: The NFL’s new deal with Verizon is worth nearly $500 million per year, opens mobile streaming up to all carriers If there in trouble, Verizon just got took.

It's the Colosseum, it's a huge stadium.

No, it is still big money.  But it isn't minting gold anymore IMO.  The mobile stuff is just the new TV deal.  Natural progression.

@"greediron" said:

@"Bolstad79" said: The NFL’s new deal with Verizon is worth nearly $500 million per year, opens mobile streaming up to all carriers If there in trouble, Verizon just got took.

It's the Colosseum, it's a huge stadium.

No, it is still big money.  But it isn't minting gold anymore IMO.  The mobile stuff is just the new TV deal.  Natural progression.

I have my doubts that they will for both teams. Half the fans yesterday were from Philly. Did you hear the crowd? It was embarrassing. Chargers can't fill a 35,000 seat soccer stadium in LA. The shine is off the gold if it isn't perceived to be a big deal. Corporate sponsors aren't going to buy 20,000 tickets for visibility that doesn't come to fruition. 

@"dadevike" said: The fans are part of the issue, but they are not the whole story.  The Lakers and Dodgers draw fans. And they play 41 and 81 home games a season.  The Rams play 8.  But over the years L.A. has gone from 1 NFL team to 2 teams to 0 teams to 2 teams et cet.  How are you as a fan supposed to develop a loyal following for any team knowing that they could pack up and leave as soon as another city offers a better deal?  And for San Diego fans, there would be no worse city for their team to move to than L.A. That is the ultimate slap in the face.  They would be more likely to drive 7 hours to Las Vegas to watch the Chargers than 2 hours to Los Angeles. The owners like to say that it is a game and the fans should come out and be supportive.  But of course, for the owners it is a business and they need to treat it as a business. And that means packing up and moving out when the money is better elsewhere. Can't have it both ways.

You make a good point on how professional football was yanked away from California fans on several occasions.  But basketball doesn't have to fill a 70-80 thousand seat arena.  Plus baseball even with LA traffic is a 3-4 hour commitment max.  Football is a half a day to get in, party and tailgating then watch the game.  Then the traffic snarl leaving.

But as others mentioned, the whole culture of southern Cal is not the mid western or even east coast attitude towards football.  You saw the Buffalo fans yesterday?  Would any Californian sit through that? Ha!

Streaming will kill the NFL too.  I am done with the ticket.  And I will not buy anything NFL related.  I will stream for free.  

There are many reasons.  

1.  I honestly believe part of the NFL is fixed.  
2.  The rule changes.  
3.  The kneeling.
4.  The losing.  
5.  Goodell and inconsistent rulings by the league. 
6.  Greed - ruining the draft be going primetime, thursday sucks. 

The NFL is looking to go to Mexico and Europe.  Maybe they saw the handwriting on the wall. 

@"A1Janitor" said: Streaming will kill the NFL too.  I am done with the ticket.  And I will not buy anything NFL related.  I will stream for free.  

There are many reasons.  

1.  I honestly believe part of the NFL is fixed.  
2.  The rule changes.  
3.  The kneeling.
4.  The losing.  
5.  Goodell and inconsistent rulings by the league. 
6.  Greed - ruining the draft be going primetime, thursday sucks. 

The NFL is looking to go to Mexico and Europe.  Maybe they saw the handwriting on the wall. 

I'll add one big one to your list, though it is related to #1. The worst officiating of all pro sports leagues hands down. Too many of the games decided on poor and questionable calls. Not knowing a what a catch is, holding, or what constitutes pass interference is a convenient dilemma when a game needs fixing.

Mark Cuban called this a few years back...over saturation of the product...Thursday night games have to go...I'd be down with Saturday games once the college season is over but that's about it...

Officials need to be full time employees who are held accountable for their performance... I've said it a dozen times...name another multi-billion industry that employes part time employees for final quality control...

I've watched football for 5 decades and I dont know what constitutes a catch...if you run the ball in, the second it crosses the plane of the goal line its a score...but if you catch it in the endzone, land on one knee, one elbow, but then momentarily lose control but eventually maintain control, that's not a catch...complete bull shit...

I usually scoff when I hear about the fix...then a couple years ago I read a compelling article about how The Greatest Game Ever Played was fixed...the game that literally pit the NFL on the map...I tried searching for that article this morning with no luck...anyone else recall this? There was a mention of a wild spread swing a day or two before the game was played...couple other things...but part of me has to believe if this was widespread SOMEONE would have come out with a tell all book to cash in...

I have told this story several times ... and I absolutely swear it is true.  In college I picked the yellow tickets - pick ten games with spread and win big.  Before the game, a father of a guy down the hall looked at my ticket and told me I lost the Jets game.  Said a key injury at beginning of game, Jets win game but lose with spread.  

Exactly what happened.  He told me afterwards games that matter aren't fixed.  Said it's a billion dollar business.  And the NFL would have empty stadiums if they didn't do this. 

The guy was a bigshot at OTB in NYC.

I stopped betting NFL back in 1985 after this happened.  

@"BarrNone55" said: I've watched football for 5 decades and I dont know what constitutes a catch...if you run the ball in, the second it crosses the plane of the goal line its a score...but if you catch it in the endzone, land on one knee, one elbow, but then momentarily lose control but eventually maintain control, that's not a catch...complete bull shit...

Amen brother!