Activism in professional sports doesn’t explain the ratings decline.

3 factors at play

1. Election/Politics
2. Too many things to watch and enjoy now (Netflix, DC, Disney, HBO Max, Prime). Everything at your fingertips
3. New Generation of kids who rather watch Twitch, esports. These are kids, who won't grow up to be sport fanatics. For many of us who grew up in the 80's and 90's lets be honest...what was there to watch besides regular TV and go outside. Heck i used to watch the full 3 hour baseball games...because i didn't want to watch infomercials "As seen on TV"

But i would say #2 and #3 is a huge reason why ratings will continue to go down, hence why Sports in USA are trying to expand globally (willing to lose domestic viewers but try to gain global views outside). But i am sure if the sports are successful at going more global, they will generate more money with less domestic viewers aka Players who won't talk about other countries....

 

"Activism" is the only reason I quit watching ALL professional sports.

 

Main reason here too. Esp the NBA. Save for some Rockets. These players need to grow up.

 

If some liberal virtue signaling (note that conservative virtue signaling is present in these places as well) is that off-putting to you either you didn't like sports much to begin with, or you are far too thin-skinned.

 

When I have spent most of the spring crying and full of stress and fear the last thing I was interested in is watching a game that brings even more stress. Even if my teams win I become angry and frustrated watching bball unless it is blowout.

I barely watched any bubble or POs games this season and I dont have any interest in FA, draft or next season at this moment.

I prefer at this moment watching relaxing romance or comedies that take away stress.

 

For all the people saying they don't watch sports because of all the politics I think that says much more about you than it does the sport. If you really just cared about them dribbling, raining threes, passing or running it in for a TD then it shouldn't matter what they do before the game. For me I don't care whether they kneel, stand, do the Horse stance before the game. What I do care is what they do during the game.

Lebron's politics don't change what I think of him neither do Drew Brees. That I might agree with some stuff with Lebron I'm still not a fan while I might not agree with Drew Brees on some stuff I like him as a quarterback.

The only reason why we see politics playing such a large role now is the outsized negative reaction towards Kaepernick. If most people just said that it was his own business what he did before the game it's doubtful that we would see as much activism.

 

Well said. The most frustrating part is that people usually don't pay attention or care about pre game rituals or what atheletes say on their free time... It's only when they disagree with them.

Just don't care. The product is just as competitive and talented.

I mean seriously, do you see any liberals here who aren't Texan fans because of the Mcnair family? We don't care. I'm still watching every Sunday even with their shitty record because they are my team and I want to see Watson.

If your fandom of sports is so thin that political expression from athletes that don't effect their play on the field or court makes you quit watching sports, then you really were never a fan.

 

fwiw

hockey has the least amount of activism, in fact, to my knoeledge, none at all.
it has been, and continues to be, the least watched professional sports on TV,

much lower than basketball, football, even tennis​

 

It was hard for me to watch mlb regular season. I ended up listening to all the games with them wild bois' Sparky and Ford. Fans are essential to the atmosphere.

 

I definitely watch less sports and I fully support their activism.

Rockets and basketball are a must, will always watch that. And I usually watch EPL on Saturday mornings.

Baseball is a never. NFL is an almost never. Other than fantasy football, I've just been finding the game itself more and more boring. But I'll leave a game on for fantasy implications. And I think Bill Obrien soured me on football for years, maybe my interest in the texans will pick back up. College football to me is unwatchable. I'll watch the Avs if I notice a game is on, but no other hockey.

I still love large events like the World Cup, March Madness, Olympics, and Winter Xgames though.

I cut the cord years ago, and haven't cared about keeping up with sports so much. In modern society, there are so many other things to do, sports was bound to dip a bit.

 

My extremely conservative friend messaged me the day the Astros didn't play that one game that he was done with them.

He messaged me again during game 7 and asked if we were still watching, because he was "making an exception".

 

That Sac Kings game is so egregious. I watched the replay a while back it's just gross.

 

I have never cared for hockey. Other than an Olympic game or two during the "Miracle on Ice" time decades ago I have never watched it on television. I did attend a minor league game in Beaumont one time when they had a team when friends begged me to go but I did not enjoy it. I have never watched a NHL game.