NFL News NFL to explore playing a game on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving

[PancakeBlockPaul]

You all realize this will probably be on some streaming service you have to sign up for of course....

 

[Delicate Genius]

Give me five minutes with Goodell.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

 

[Rob0729]

With all due respect...... people have been saying this for 20 years and it isn't even remotely close to happening.

Actually, several years ago, viewership was dwindling. It has rebounded, but it could happen again. I don’t think it is going to happen soon, but it wasn’t that long ago that the NFL took a back seat to MLB. Or that NASCAR was one of the most watched sports. Or everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV even when it was an over the hill champ against a hand picked chump that that the champ knocked out in 90 seconds.

 

[XLIX]

Actually, several years ago, viewership was dwindling.

No. There was a minor year-over-year decrease. You can’t set viewership records every single year. But it wasn’t even remotely what we would call “dwindling”.

It has rebounded, but it could happen again. I don’t think it is going to happen soon, but it wasn’t that long ago that the NFL took a back seat to MLB.

It was 40 years ago in the 80’s when the NFL overtook MLB, so I guess we will have to agree to disagree on what “it wasn’t that long ago” means.

Or that NASCAR was one of the most watched sports. Or everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV even when it was an over the hill champ against a hand picked chump that that the champ knocked out in 90 seconds.

There may have been short term anomalies, but none of those things ever happened for an extended period of time.

 

[XLIX]

You all realize this will probably be on some streaming service you have to sign up for of course....

It will go to the highest bidder which, yes, will probably be a new streaming entry into NFL broadcasting.

 

[Rob0729]

No. There was a minor year-over-tear decrease. You can’t set viewership records every single year. But it wasn’t even remotely what we would call “dwindling”.

It was 40 years ago in the 80’s when the NFL overtook MLB, so I guess we will have to agree to disagree on what “it wasn’t that long ago” means.

There may have been short term anomalies, but none of those things ever happened for an extended period of time.

Boxing was huge for decades. It was big even before there was an NFL. Remember Mohammed Ali? Boxing wasn't huge for a "short term anomaly". Ali is one of the most recognizable athletes in history. So are boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Joe Frazier, etc. All were recognized worldwide long before the Mike Tyson PPV era. It was a major event TV sport since the beginning of television until the early 2000s. Now the only boxer most people can name is Jake Paul and it has nothing to do with his boxing.

I am sorry about using the word dwindling rather than declining.

And NASCAR was huge for decades too. It has never been big in New England because there is a regionality and culture for the sport. Dale Earnhardt was a household name in the 70s and 80s. Same to a lesser extent Richard Petty. They lost 14% viewership in 2025. They are bleeding viewers.

And whether it wasn't so long ago about MLB being overtaken by the NFL or not, it is fact it was THE NATIONAL PASTTIME and now significantly large parts of younger generations don't care about it anymore.

Anyone who think that it is guaranteed that the NFL is as popular as it is now in 10-20 years from now is not paying attention to trends and society in general. TV and streaming viewership in general (not just in sports) is fracturing. The NFL could always be in danger of hitting that tipping point that they offer way too much of a increasingly crappier product. Adding more days of football and more international games only makes the quality of the product worse. People cannot get enough of something until it gets way too oversaturated and watered down and then they lose interest. Maybe not the die hards. But the casual fans could get tired of it.

 

[Rob0729]

It will go to the highest bidder which, yes, will probably be a new streaming entry into NFL broadcasting.

Let's face it. With Paramount about to own virtually every streaming service and several of the networks, odds are good that the tide has turned and streaming services will win most of the next broadcast contracts.

 

[XLIX]

Boxing was huge for decades. It was big even before there was an NFL. Remember Mohammed Ali? Boxing wasn't huge for a "short term anomaly".

You’re trying to change the subject and hoping no one notices.

Your post to which I responded said “everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV even when it was an over the hill champ against a hand picked chump”

You’re going back 70 years to make your point, but I was specifically responding a post which talks about the modern age of PPV boxing. It most certainly is not something that “everyone” pays for.

.I am sorry about using the word dwindling rather than declining.

Even declining doesn’t really fit the bill. Like I said, you can’t set viewership set a record every single year. Taking a small step back for a year or two is nowhere near a declining trend.

And NASCAR was huge for decades too.

To compare the popularity of NASCAR to the popularity of the NFL is so laughable and ridiculous that I am not going to waste my time addressing that point.

Anyone who think that it is guaranteed that the NFL is as popular as it is now in 10-20 years from now is not paying attention to trends and society in general. TV and streaming viewership in general (not just in sports) is fracturing. The NFL could always be in danger of hitting that tipping point that they offer way too much of a increasingly crappier product. Adding more days of football and more international games only makes the quality of the product worse. People cannot get enough of something until it gets way too oversaturated and watered down and then they lose interest. Maybe not the die hards. But the casual fans could get tired of it.

Like I said…. People like you have been predicting doom and gloom for the NFL for 30 years now. Maybe by 2080 you’ll be right but in the here and now, it just isn’t remotely happening.

 

[XLIX]

Let's face it. With Paramount about to own virtually every streaming service and several of the networks,

That is not even remotely accurate.

All 4 major networks will be owned by 4 separate entities (I am jumping ABC in with ESPN since they often simulcast) It won’t matter one bit to the NFL if the company than owns CBS also owns MTV and the WB.

The 4 streaming services currently showing exclusive NFL games will remain independent from Paramount.

odds are good that the tide has turned and streaming services will win most of the next broadcast contracts.

Depends on what is meant by “most”. Fox and CBS each have one single contract, but those 2 contracts are the solid majority of NFL games. Congress is already starting to glance an eye at the NFL’s relationship with the streaming companies. The League isn’t going to want to go overboard.

I expect (exclusive) streaming services will continue to have the niche NFL games, and the main Sunday afternoon packages will stay as they are.

 

[Rob0729]

You’re trying to change the subject and hoping no one notices.

Your post to which I responded said “everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV even when it was an over the hill champ against a hand picked chump”

You’re going back 70 years to make your point, but I was specifically responding a post which talks about the modern age of PPV boxing. It most certainly is not something that “everyone” pays for.

Even declining doesn’t really fit the bill. Like I said, you can’t set viewership set a record every single year. Taking a small step back for a year or two is nowhere near a declining trend.

To compare the popularity of NASCAR to the popularity of the NFL is so laughable and ridiculous that I am not going to waste my time addressing that point.


Like I said…. People like you have been predicting doom and gloom for the NFL for 30 years now. Maybe by 2080 you’ll be right but in the here and now, it just isn’t remotely happening.

How am I changing the subject? I was talking about how popular boxing was. Since the 1980s, the most marque boxing matches were on PPV. There was no PPV during the Ali days. People watched boxing for free on broadcast TV. I was pointing out that boxing used to be so popular that people would pay $100 en masse to for a crap product.

The fact that people like Don King watered down the sport by elevating trash contenders to prop up subpar champs which led to it's decline is pretty comparable to what the NFL is doing now with watering down the product with too many games that suck because players don't have enough time to rest or prepare. And they are going to move to an 18 game season. They will likely add more playoff games in the future too.

And comparing NASCAR and it's decline is relevant. For a certain region of this country and culture, NASCAR was far bigger than the NFL. People lived NASCAR if you were in the South. It might not have had the global reach as the NFL, but it is a comparable comp.

I am not predicting it will be an immediate decline. These never are. But the more you water down and over saturate the more people's interests start to wane. It may never happen, but the NFL is trying their best to make it happen. They don't care about the quality of the product on the field. All they care about is how can they make more money. It could very well come back to bite them.

People paid for over a decade post Tyson in his prime for PPV fights like a 45 year old champ, George Foreman, fighting absolute bums like Tommy Morrison before boxing imploded and lost it.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Boxing was huge for decades. It was big even before there was an NFL. Remember Mohammed Ali? Boxing wasn't huge for a "short term anomaly". Ali is one of the most recognizable athletes in history. So are boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Joe Frazier, etc. All were recognized worldwide long before the Mike Tyson PPV era. It was a major event TV sport since the beginning of television until the early 2000s. Now the only boxer most people can name is Jake Paul and it has nothing to do with his boxing.

I am sorry about using the word dwindling rather than declining.

And NASCAR was huge for decades too. It has never been big in New England because there is a regionality and culture for the sport. Dale Earnhardt was a household name in the 70s and 80s. Same to a lesser extent Richard Petty. They lost 14% viewership in 2025. They are bleeding viewers.

And whether it wasn't so long ago about MLB being overtaken by the NFL or not, it is fact it was THE NATIONAL PASTTIME and now significantly large parts of younger generations don't care about it anymore.

Anyone who think that it is guaranteed that the NFL is as popular as it is now in 10-20 years from now is not paying attention to trends and society in general. TV and streaming viewership in general (not just in sports) is fracturing. The NFL could always be in danger of hitting that tipping point that they offer way too much of a increasingly crappier product. Adding more days of football and more international games only makes the quality of the product worse. People cannot get enough of something until it gets way too oversaturated and watered down and then they lose interest. Maybe not the die hards. But the casual fans could get tired of it.

I really looked forward to fights on TV, Way more than football games.
During the 80's you couldn't pry me away from Celtics games.
Today it's football, and they are watering it down.

 

[XLIX]

How am I changing the subject?

You went from talking about “everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV” to talking about Ali, Frazier, Foreman.

And hoped no one would notice.

I was talking about how popular boxing was. Since the 1980s, the most marque boxing matches were on PPV. There was no PPV during the Ali days. People watched boxing for free on broadcast TV. I was pointing out that boxing used to be so popular that people would pay $100 en masse to for a crap product.

You said “everyone” would pay $100, which is complete nonsense. Even if we accept you didn’t mean the literal definition of “everyone” it is still not something that was ever incredibly popular.

The fact that people like Don King watered down the sport by elevating trash contenders to prop up subpar champs which led to it's decline is pretty comparable to what the NFL is doing now with watering down the product with too many games that suck because players don't have enough time to rest or prepare. And they are going to move to an 18 game season. They will likely add more playoff games in the future too.

Like I said….. maybe by 2080 you’ll be right. But here and now, the NFL is as popular as any sport in this country has even been despite 30 years of doom and gloom predictions from the naysayers.

 

[Rob0729]

You went from talking about “everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV” to talking about Ali, Frazier, Foreman.

And hoped no one would notice.

You said “everyone” would pay $100, which is complete nonsense. Even if we accept you didn’t mean the literal definition of “everyone” it is still not something that was ever incredibly popular.


Like I said….. maybe by 2080 you’ll be right. But here and now, the NFL is as popular as any sport in this country has even been despite 30 years of doom and gloom predictions from the naysayers.

I am sorry if you cannot comprehend my point, but I thought it was very clear and you would have to be an absolute idiot not to get it after I explained it. Again, boxing was so popular for like a century that people would even pay $100 to watch a mediocre fight against a washed up champ against a manufactured contender. How are you not seeing this point?

And it may be far sooner than 2080 that people are tired of the NFL. You don't think all the reffing that are costing teams games in the playoffs are not going to eventually take its toll eventually? You don't think games that are completely unwatchable games on Thursdays are going to take its toll?

People are not going to turn off the NFL overnight. But the worse the product gets, the eventual it will potentially happen. Boxing is their cautionary tale. Boxing didn't collapse overnight. It took many years of fans getting ripped off by bogus fights before they finally looked to UFC.

 

[Rob0729]

I really looked forward to fights on TV, Way more than football games.
During the 80's you couldn't pry me away from Celtics games.
Today it's football, and they are watering it down.

Yeah that is my point. I used to be a bigger Celtics fan than the Patriots. Now I don't even watch the Celtics. When Bird hit a three point it was special. Now every player is trying to throw up 3s. The desire to be on highlight reels on Sports Center destroyed the sport as far as I am concerned.

 

[XLIX]

I am sorry if you cannot comprehend my point, but I thought it was very clear and you would have to be an absolute idiot not to get it after I explained it. Again, boxing was so popular for like a century that people would even pay $100 to watch a mediocre fight against a washed up champ against a manufactured contender. How are you not seeing this point?

I can’t “see a point” which is 100% ******** spoken by a total moron.

You tried to convince us all there was a time “everyone” (your word, not mine) was paying $100 for boxing PPV. When I pointed out that was ********, you switched the topic to the days of Ali, hoping no one would notice your radical change of timeline.

And it may be far sooner than 2080 that people are tired of the NFL

The NFL has never been as popular as it is right now. People like you have been spouting doom and gloom for 30+ years - and been wrong for 30+ years. Get back to us when it happens because it ain’t happening anytime soon.

I now leave you to have the final word your childlike mind demands you must have. See you in 2080.

 

[Rob0729]

I can’t “see a point” which is 100% ******** spoken by a total moron.

You tried to convince us all there was a time “everyone” (your word, not mine) was paying $100 for boxing PPV. When I pointed out that was ********, you switched the topic to the days of Ali, hoping no one would notice your radical change of timeline.

The NFL has never been as popular as it is right now. People like you have been spouting doom and gloom for 30+ years - and been wrong for 30+ years. Get back to us when it happens because it ain’t happening anytime soon.

I now leave you to have the final word your childlike mind demands you must have. See you in 2080.

LOL! People who post gibberish like your post shouldn't be calling other people morons. Instead of admitting you didn't get my point, you are going to stick to your BS that I changed the topic. Even after I clarified my point.

Since you lack the capacity to comprehend or debate rationally, I will just end this for the sake of everyone else. You can do your little dance that you "won the argument".

Maybe by 2080, you will realize how stupid you sound by claiming I changed the argument when my argument is pretty clear. I don't have much hope.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I ran outside screaming when we beat the Sixers after being down 3-1.
It was pretty awesome.
Today's game is boring..."Let's chuck up another 3... didn't go... keep at it!" Bah

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Honestly, **** this league. Games should be played on Saturdays and Sundays. End of list.

Saturdays? That’s college football day. No.

And I like MNF.

Now Thursday games are stupid and very likely increase injuries and decrement the on field product. Lot of those games looked like preseason games this year.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Actually, several years ago, viewership was dwindling. It has rebounded, but it could happen again. I don’t think it is going to happen soon, but it wasn’t that long ago that the NFL took a back seat to MLB. Or that NASCAR was one of the most watched sports. Or everyone in the country would spend $100 or more to pay for the next boxing PPV even when it was an over the hill champ against a hand picked chump that that the champ knocked out in 90 seconds.

Viewership has been erratic within the last 10 years. Somehow, the 2017 season had less viewership then 2020. But, the last 3 years has seen increased viewership because it's becoming easily accessible more than ever. You don't need the dreaded DIRECTTV to get every game now. But I do agree it's gotten watered down as it's pretty exhausting seeing the game you want to watch is on another app you have to pay for. I do miss the days it was just CBS/NBC, FOX, ESPN and ABC.

NFL Viewership Statistics 2026 – Latest Demographics Data

NFL viewership statistics for 2026 are breaking records. Read all about the most-watched games, season trends, and audience demographics!

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I ran outside screaming when we beat the Sixers after being down 3-1.
It was pretty awesome.
Today's game is boring..."Let's chuck up another 3... didn't go... keep at it!" Bah

Basketball is completely unwatchable. A 15 point career average guy moving into #2 of scoring the most points in a game is so bad for the NBA. I haven't watched a game in a few years now. That I've actually been able to step away from. NFL is getting there.