# Struggling NFL Valiantly Holds Onto TV Viewers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994 "2007-01-29T19:19:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/1 "2007-01-29T19:19:59Z")
Well according to the NFL, they have guaranteed the extra 50,000 fans that they need to turn the ratings from 100 million viewers to 100,050,000. Surely they can finally get a decent television contract. [NFL Shoots Down Soldier Field Showing of Super Bowl](http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4979470) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/2 "2007-01-29T19:48:40Z")
Why’s this in the Pit? Marc ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/3 "2007-01-29T19:55:40Z")
Because the NFL is (once again) putting their need to be nit-picking douches ahead of the interest of their fans. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/4 "2007-01-29T20:11:53Z")
[QUOTE=MGibson] Why’s this in the Pit? Marc [/QUOTE] The NFL is being dickish, but probably to take the heat for CBS that bought the rights to the Superbowl and has the right to prevent something cool from taking place. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/5 "2007-01-29T20:47:21Z")
I assume “struggling” is meant to be sarcastic? The NFL turns down this request every. single. superbowl. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/6 "2007-01-29T21:36:22Z")
Quote: “The park district proposed admitting fans for a nominal charitable donation.The NFL said that would water down T.V. ratings.” How do they get TV ratings besides Nielsen Ratings? Wouldn’t a Nielsen family actually have to be attending the soldier field showing rather than watching it at home to make a dent in the ratings? What are the odds of that happening? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/7 "2007-01-29T21:52:07Z")
That’s fucking awful. In 2002, San Francisco set up a big screen in a park downtown and showed the World Series. Not only was it a fun time for everyone (well, most of it was fun), but we all had the satisfaction of booing Tim McCarver in bulk. I’m surprised such things don;t happen more often. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/8 "2007-01-29T22:11:33Z")
It happens a lot. Only the NFL is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/9 "2007-01-29T22:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] [NFL Shoots Down Soldier Field Showing of Super Bowl](http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4979470) [/QUOTE] Gah, what an annoying link. Before anyone else clicks it, please be advised that it will open an ad of a lady making a sales pitch. Not a pop-up. It’s a transparency over the page. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/10 "2007-01-29T22:45:17Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Quote: “The park district proposed admitting fans for a nominal charitable donation.The NFL said that would water down T.V. ratings.” How do they get TV ratings besides Nielsen Ratings? Wouldn’t a Nielsen family actually have to be attending the soldier field showing rather than watching it at home to make a dent in the ratings? What are the odds of that happening? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure they do it by “Nielsen Families” anymore, but yes, ratings are determined by finding out what a random subset of the population watched, and then extrapolating that to the entire population. So, the odds of the ratings being affected by this are nil. As the OP points out, 50,000 is such a tiny fraction of 100,000,000 that it wouldn’t matter, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/11 "2007-01-29T23:54:43Z")
[QUOTE=Stuffy] I assume “struggling” is meant to be sarcastic? The NFL turns down this request every. single. superbowl. [/QUOTE] Yes, and the NFL are douches every. single. superbowl. What’s your point? Also, i don’t even get the NFL’s objection. Surely, if the game were displayed at Soldier Field, it would be the same coverage that people are seeing at home. That is, it would be CBS coverage, with all the commercials, CBS promos, and other bullshit that comes with it. Not only that, but if you’re at Soldier Field, you can’t even hit the “Mute” button when the commercials come on, which is what i do when i’m at home. As **Sarahfeena** points out, this represents such a small percentage of Superbowl viewers that it couldn’t have any appreciable effect on ratings. If the NFL is worried that saying yes would set a precedent, and that other cities might want to do the same thing, they could make a rule whereby only the two stadiums whose teams are in the game could have a public screening. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/12 "2007-01-30T01:10:36Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] Not only that, but if you’re at Soldier Field, you can’t even hit the “Mute” button when the commercials come on, which is what i do when i’m at home. [/QUOTE] You mute Super Bowl commercials?? That’s the only time they’re clever enough to watch 'em 😃 The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of Commercials!!! ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/13 "2007-01-30T01:19:30Z")
Indy tried this, too, to the same effect. Ah well, I guess I’ll just have to cheer shooting down Chicago’s hearts at home. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/14 "2007-01-30T01:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Gah, what an annoying link. Before anyone else clicks it, please be advised that it will open an ad of a lady making a sales pitch. Not a pop-up. It’s a transparency over the page. [/QUOTE] Doesn’t for me. Probably due to me using Firefox with Adblock Plus. Lovely program! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/15 "2007-01-30T01:37:33Z")
Why would anyone want to sit on a hard stadium seat, in 20 degree or colder weather to watch the game on TV anyway? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/16 "2007-01-30T01:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=Southpaw] Why would anyone want to sit on a hard stadium seat, in 20 degree or colder weather to watch the game on TV anyway? 😕 [/QUOTE] Another advantage that Indy fans would have had. . .I’ll bet it’s a lot warmer in the RCA Dome in February than it is in Soldier Field. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/17 "2007-01-30T02:41:41Z")
[QUOTE=Southpaw] Why would anyone want to sit on a hard stadium seat, in 20 degree or colder weather to watch the game on TV anyway? 😕 [/QUOTE] I don’t get it, either…but I’ll bet they would have no trouble filling the whole stadium with people who would love to be there. Me, I will be on my own couch in my own cozy & warm living room. I love the Bears, and I love Soldier Field, but Soldier Field in February when the Bears aren’t even on the field? No thanks! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/18 "2007-01-30T03:01:04Z")
[QUOTE=Southpaw] Why would anyone want to sit on a hard stadium seat, in 20 degree or colder weather to watch the game on TV anyway? 😕 [/QUOTE] But, but, it is “Da Bears”!!! I would not do it, but I have a friend that would in a heartbeat. He is a Chicago Fireman and he and his buddies would be the kind of nuts to sit in the stadium to collectively watch the Bears. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/19 "2007-01-30T03:44:51Z")
[QUOTE=Southpaw] Why would anyone want to sit on a hard stadium seat, in 20 degree or colder weather to watch the game on TV anyway? 😕 [/QUOTE] Sunday’s forecast is for a high of about 10 degrees. Still, there would be plenty of shirtless yahoos there, I guarantee you. ---
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994/20 "2007-01-30T07:07:47Z")
The reason they don’t allow this (I know, we tried it last year) is that it would take a ton of business away from local sports bars, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struggling-nfl-valiantly-holds-onto-tv-viewers/389994.md?page=2)