Fansided

NFL boring fans, and paying the price

By Andrew Hammond

Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of NFL shield logo at midfield before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of NFL shield logo at midfield before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 18, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts retired quarterback Peyton Manning speaks after he has his jersey is retired and a announcement is made that a statue will be built in his honor during in a press conference at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts retired quarterback Peyton Manning speaks after he has his jersey is retired and a announcement is made that a statue will be built in his honor during in a press conference at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

2. No faces of the league

When Peyton Manning left in February of this year, we knew that someone would have to fill the void on Sunday afternoons. Who has been that guy in the “After Manning” era? It’s been Peyton Manning. If I’ve got to see one more Peyton Manning commercial, I swear to god I’ll get Beyonce’s bat and smash any TV in sight.

How are you supposed to create new stars in the NFL if you’re busy showing all the old ones? This isn’t all the NFL’s fault, but you’ve got to push new stars. Eventually we will see an Antonio Brown, Von Miller, Cam Newton or Russell Wilson take over for Peyton Manning and be in every single ad during every commercial.

3. Viewer Fatigue 

From Thursday to Monday, the NFL has our attention.

While this sounds wonderful from the start, it’s clear that the overload of games has worn us down collectively. As much as I like the Thursday night game, it’s just too much. I mean, if it’s not my team and the match-up isn’t good, then what’s the point? If Sunday Night Football is supposed to be one of the biggest nights, I shouldn’t be worn down and ready to turn the game off. Yet here I am, along with many other Americans who struggle to stay entertained during NBC’s nightcap.

This also goes for the games that are played in London each season. You don’t see the Premier League taking time out of its schedule to bring Arsenal and Manchester City to MetLife Stadium for a midseason showdown. Sadly, now that we’ve seen the NFL have success outside of the states, we know that it’s never going to change.

Another small but important part of the NFL losing fans is the RedZone Channel, which is devoted to showing every single score from every single game every single Sunday. It’s rendered games virtually useless just in case your team isn’t playing or you just want to watch the scores instead of a lame 3rd and long.

4. Talent pool is spread too thin

OK, I’m going to need you to sit down before you read this. It may offend some of you but it’s the truth and it needs to be told.

There are too many teams in the NFL.

I know, I know. Thirty-two teams seems perfect, but when you look at it, it’s way too many and the talent pool suffers. One thing we prided ourselves on back in the the old days of the NFL was its “Any Given Sunday” approach to the game. Now, we kinda know what’s going to happen each Sunday. The Browns will lose like they’ve done since 1999. Teams who are supposed to win the games do, and it’s almost too predictable.

Next: 2016 NFL season: Record predictions for all 32 teams

Also, there are cities that “support” their teams yet we see empty seats every weekend. If you want to make games more meaningful and competition more intense, you’d cut the NFL from 32 to 24 teams. That would bolster rosters and give teams a chance to stay more competitive in the long run.

If you know ways the NFL needs to improve or just let me know I’m an idiot, leave a comment or share the article on Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media.

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