One Winning Drive: Sports and the Economy

[ExtremeRavens]

Just thought I’d mentioned an interested bit I have been following in a local Baltimore Sun blog about sports and money (or lack of money). Sun television critic David Zurawik has noted the huge increase in ratings for primetime football this year - both for NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Football Night in America) and ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Today he also reported that TBS had huge ratings for the MLB playoffs.

His theory as laid out early in the football season is that a bad economy makes for great ratings for sports. Read it here. It kind of makes sense. He compares it to the boom in movie-going during the Great Depression. During our hardships today, we turn to sports. I can’t think of any other good reason these programs, which have tanked in recent years, are flourishing now.

So, what do you think? Are you watching more Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football? Are you tuning in to the MLB playoffs? Do you think your viewership (or lack thereof) has anything to do with the economy?

Speaking to my experiences alone - I have found myself watching the primetime games more regularly than in the past, and I’m not sure why.  In fact, for every good game (Monday’s Jets-Dolphins) there has been at least one bad primetime game. And yet I’m still watching. In past years, I just wouldn’t care.

You can also read Mr. Zurawik’s follow-up on TBS here.

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[papasmurfbell]

It makes for poor attendance also. A couple of days ago on Bruce Cunningham's show they were dumping on Cincy for their attendance issues. I was thinking the whole time about the over 1 mil jobs lost in Ohio in recent yrs and all the closing auto plants Ohio has.

[vmax]

I'm not watching the primetime games...I might catch a quarter... but I agree that hard times make people want to "escape" so any kind of entertainment fills that bill.

This is exactly why I am a Raven fanatic, because it's the "one non-serious thing" I've got going on in my life. I love football and I get a break in my day/week.

 

The Bengals, who are hot, might be blacked out Sunday...that's the ecomomy. This is where the NFL is about to get burned...seat sales. Watch, next year there will be open spaces in most stadiums.

This year many of us die hard fans looked the other way(from our family obligations) when we sent in our seat money thinking "the ecomomy will be better next year just weather this storm". I see more stormy weather ahead...for us and the NFL.

[papasmurfbell]

I agree that it looks like things will get much worse before they get better. The NFL will have to lower their prices along with all entertainment outlets. If they do not the paying public will walk away from them.

[deeshopper]

On the other hand, there are people (like me!) who are on the waiting list, saving up for season tickets, that will be a position to snap up what current PSL owners will walk away from.

[papasmurfbell]

Well this area has been well placed with the Federal Govt so we are not hit nearly as hard as other places.

[vmax]

On the other hand, there are people (like me!) who are on the waiting list, saving up for season tickets, that will be a position to snap up what current PSL owners will walk away from.

 

 

I bet you get them by next season dee....just hope you're in section 115 by me!

 

It's a little different here in Baltimore...great ownership and organization...we get entertainment and winning...an escape from misery.

Now take Redskin fans...they pay for misery...same for Browns, Lions, Rams, Bills, Raiders....no escape, no hope.