The National Football League (NFL) suffered a severe ratings drop in the 2017 season opener as compared to the 2016 season opener. Some estimate the drop at as much as 14%. Speculations are abundant as to the reasoning behind it. Some say it’s because of Hurricane Irma coverage dominating the news. Which could be a reasonable explanation in theory… but it does not take into account what was happening in 2016 which was the chaotic Presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Some people have just decided to claim victory in the NFL ratings drop due to their side of the coin when it comes to the drama surrounding former quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Many people are against what he did and the trend he sparked which is kneeling before the national anthem in “protest” of injustice against black men and/or “people of color.” These acts are seen as unpatriotic and anti-American. Even though Kaepernick is not in the league, many of his copycats still are and that sense of anti-patriotism is turning many fans of the game off completely.
Then you have those who support Kaepernick and his copycats. They are boycotting the NFL due to Kaepernick not being employed by the league. Many of them think the reason why he is not in the league is because he “took a stand for black people.” They often ignore the business side of the NFL. It is a pure meritocracy. The truth is that Kaepernick is not that good of a quarterback and the drama he brings along makes him that much more of a person for any NFL owner and GM to avoid.
At the end of the day, both sides of the coin are celebrating the ratings drop to a certain extent. But those who support Kaepernick should not be celebrating if they believe in what he purports himself to stand for, which is the upliftment of black men. 70% of the NFL is comprised of black men, many of whom are millionaires. Not only do they take care of themselves and their immediate family, they also often take care of many other people outside of their household who tend to be majority black. So why chip away at the money that these black men make? Prime example of irrational behavior brought on by groupthink.
