A Londoner in Wembley Stadium for the NFL’s first regular season game outside the United States reported that he enjoyed the Miami Dolphins’ scantily-clad cheerleaders, but was disturbed by the frequent and lengthy commercial breaks for the TV audience.
Maybe that British citizen will inspire the NFL to hear American fans who complain that the league is doing a superior job of ruining an excellent product. The league’s relentless, over-the-top marketing and thirst for advertising revenues reminds me of a fast food restaurant that had success go to its head. Originally noted for quick service, the owners added so many menu items and choices that faithful customers went someplace else just for shorter lines.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell might pause to worry that his games in recent years have made my wife a happier woman! You see, I used to be a rat of a husband on Sunday afternoons and Monday nights. My son, my Golden Retriever and I were totally absorbed by professional football, no matter who was playing whom.
When my wife announced that the Sunday dinner she labored over was ready, I would yell up admonitions like: “Hang on, the Chargers have the ball at the 40 with third down and only 50 seconds left,” as if my wife cared one bit if the Chargers charged or retreated...
Furthermore, she knew darn well that those 50 seconds would take longer than the Sunday morning sermon at church.
While I still suffer through Bears games, although rarely watching more than a couple of quarters, I now spend my Sundays playing golf, cutting the grass or taking my wife to various attractions. Moreover, I’m punctual when dinner is ready. (My son is married to a Packers fan from Wisconsin, no less.)
Similar to what puzzled the London spectator, I watch the NFL these days not really sure if I’m seeing a football game or a seemingly endless chain of mostly dumb commercials. Fans I know would rather see Rex Grossman fumble a snap than sit through yet another ad from a high-tech company whose name they can’t remember.
It’s bad enough watching television, but worse when you’re sitting at the stadium in the cold. The all-too-frequent breaks make one yearn for a tour of the mums at the Botanic Garden. Please explain why commercials after a touchdown or field goal are followed seconds later by more commercials after the ensuing kickoff?
That, Mr. Commissioner, is serious overkill, especially since even players stand around scratching themselves until the TV ads end.
Add to these time-wasters the regular time outs, the injury time outs, the increasingly frequent penalties, the puerile hot dogging, the hype for upcoming network programs and the ridiculous delays for coaches’ challenges.
I agree with some reviewable plays, but taking minutes to decide whether a loose ball hit the ground before or after a body part is absurd. I understand that the NFL wants to get things right, but we make critical decisions every day for our spouses, children and businesses that don’t have the benefit of instant, slow-motion reviews.
I’m discouraged and disappointed. NFL games used to have a fast pace and edgy flow back in the day when Walter Payton played, and later when Joe Montana played and in the early years of Bret Favre and Jerry Rice. But the speed and movement of the game are being outdone by extraneous and unnecessary interruptions that border on insulting to viewers.
No wonder baseball’s newfound popularity has the sport regaining its claim to National Pastime status, what with record revenues and nearly 80 million fans attending games in 2007. I say more power to the Boys of Summer. Maybe it’s because commercials are predictably between innings, there are no instant replays, scant hot dogging and no timeouts to delay a ticking down clock.
This humble commentator has a few suggestions for the NFL. I wonder if you agree or have better ones:
- Hold a big meeting and figure out how to streamline all the commercial interruptions. Maybe the answer is shorter, more powerful ads instead of the contrived and lengthy artsy-craftsy stuff.
- Amend and simplify some rules. Even announcers who are former players don’t understand all the blocking from behind, pass interference, roughing the quarterback, horse-collaring, holding and fumble rules.
- Keep some plays reviewable, but limit applicability to situations where the cameras don’t argue with each other.
- Show some respect for sportsmanship. Reasonable celebrations are okay, but not when a team is already up by 30 points or when a linebacker makes a tackle that any good high school coach requires of his players.
- Instruct analysts to avoid comment after every play. It’s a visual medium and breaks from constant yakking are better than hearing an analyst repeat time after time how some cornerback “is showing his great athleticism.” I argue that every pro football player has great athleticism or he wouldn’t be in the NFL!
Mike McGinty is a Business ledger reporter and commentator. Contact him at mmcginty@thebusinessledger.com.