The NFL’s ratings have been down the last two seasons, and league officials are running out of excuses. It is time for the league to start fresh in the front office.
The NFL’s once sturdy television ratings dropped last year, which many simply took as a fluke, but midway through the season, the ratings have continued to decline.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has not been shy to point the finger at a number of different factors affecting the television viewership, including last year’s election, fantasy football and player protests.
All of Goodell’s excuses may contribute to the drop in ratings, but the fact of the matter is it is his job to make the NFL an appealing product. He oversees the entire league, and it is his responsibility to keep people in their seats and keep viewers watching.
Goodell is failing to accomplish his duties, and because of it, his contract extension negotiations have been delayed.
Goodell’s eleven years at the helm have seen an increase in incidents involving players off the field. Throughout his time in charge, he has proven himself ineffective in disciplining players. The punishments for misconduct off the field has been lenient and inconsistent.
Prolific cases including Ray Rice, Greg Hardy and Ezekiel Elliot are responsible for the tainted image of the NFL. Now, people just wait for the next player to be arrested for domestic violence or drunk driving since these incidents have become synonymous with NFL players.
NFL team owners are also upset since they, too, have lost money due to players protesting during the national anthem, and Goodell has not done anything about it. One of the NFL’s biggest sponsors, Papa John’s, is considering terminating their sponsorship with the league because their sales have dropped since the protests have begun.
The NFL needs some consistent and stern leadership in the commissioner’s chair. It is time for the league to move on from Roger Goodell. They must hire someone who can deliver punishments equivalent to the crimes athletes are committing and keep sponsors from leaving the league, or else, the downfall of the NFL as a whole is imminent.
