After nearly losing the season to a labor dispute, the NFL roars into Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI with its highest ratings since 1989. Nearly two-thirds of Americans have watched NFL games since September, averaging 17.5 million a game. That’s the NFL’s second-most viewers ever and tops since 1989. A record 37 games were seen by at least 20 million. The 16 most-viewed cable shows were NFL games.
NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” ruled the fall. ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” led cable shows for the sixth straight year. Fox tied its most-watched season.
Even the rinky-dink Pro Bowl outdrew Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, which is considered a premier event in sports.
How did this happen? NFL fans were so mad during the five-month lockout that many swore they would abandon the game. Live attendance was down at several stadiums. Even the Washington Redskins needed massive visiting crowds to fill FedEx Field.
But America’s favorite pastime came back. Unlike in the NBA lockout and past MLB and NHL strikes, the NFL didn’t lose any games. The offseason free agency sweepstakes and minicamps were lost and training camps were shortened, but not one game was sacrificed before the owners and players agreed to a new 10-year deal.
Now an estimated 111 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl, triple the president’s State of the Union address. Commercials average $3 million for 30 seconds. Pop icon Madonna is the halftime act.
The NFL is simply printing money. Fans paid $35 to watch the Super Bowl media interview sessions Tuesday. Seriously, that’s like paying to watch your kid’s dance recital.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell attributed increased viewers to the poor economy, saying fans were watching free games at home. If it were only that simple. The economy has stunk for five years, so that’s nothing new.
That high-def and big screen televisions are more affordable certainly makes them a better value than actually attending games, which has the worst viewpoints and $9 beers. One major retailer said only Thanksgiving and Father’s Day sell more TVs than the Super Bowl.
Indeed, fans will spend an estimated $10 billion on Super Bowl parties. One restaurant chain estimates it will sell more than 6 million chicken wings Sunday. That’s a lot of birds suddenly grounded.
The Super Bowl is a national holiday — one lawmaker wants it moved to late February so it can coincide with President’s Day and a long weekend. No greedy owners and players dividing up billions of dollars will take away the year’s biggest sporting event. Forget the Olympics or World Cup — that’s for the rest of the planet. Americans love football, which makes rumors of moving the game to London to increase NFL interest abroad even more preposterous.
Ultimately, the game is owned by the fans. They’ve forgotten the labor dispute and promises of surrendering their allegiance.
Fans will always come back. Always.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
