Every Monday and Thursday night, upwards of 11 million viewers then ‘throwing a forward lateral pass’ to the just over 18 million that follow for the Sunday lineup- tune in across America from the likes of their favorite bar, friend’s house, or very own couch to catch their team(s) go head-to-head in a 60-minute battle on the gridiron. Whether it is for the history, social aspects, a family tradition or legacy, to support the city in which they are rooted, or simply for the love and loyalty of the game- this is fandom- and in this case… this is football.
Despite the supernatural manner in which various one-handed catches are made (looking at you, Odell Beckham Jr.) and fourth down blocks to restrict six more on the scoreboard take place, it is the quite literal interpretation of these “head-to-head” matchups, however, that are being called into question and have played their part in the overall decline of the NFL’s ratings. As reported by ESPN’s Darren Rovell, “NFL television ratings fell 9.7 percent during the 2017 regular season, according to numbers registered by Nielsen.”
Of course, it goes without saying a major component of that decrease has come in due part of the ongoing debate regarding the national anthem and various demonstrated methods of protest. Moreover, it is the now all too familiar various acts of “targeting”- the defenseless punt returner blindsided by a hit and the running back knocked down and out after the whistle is blown- that not only have in many cases left players hospitalized, sidelined for the season, or a frequent player turned patient of concussion protocol- but also have sparked a conversation across the country (including the 37% of Americans who claim football is their most beloved sport to watch) as to what exactly it is they are buying into watching on a weekly basis, in addition to whether or not the line of natural physicality within the sport has since entered into dangerous waters.
In terms of discussing basketball- although for different reasons- the sport still falls into the shared category of being considered a “contact sport.” Due to the distinctive nature of the game, with a culture of hard nose tackling and a smash mouth style of play, it comes as no surprise those wearing the NFL logo on their jerseys seamlessly sustain greater and more consistent injuries than that of those belonging to the National Basketball Association… that is until the number of players in the latter needing surgery, out for the season, and becoming recovering bench warmers suddenly spiked and took over major headlines within the past few weeks.
When taking a look at the past few decades within these two sports, much has changed. Records have been set only to then be broken time and time again, rookies in their respective crafts became legends of the game before our very eyes, and rivalries were made through the greatness of competition and pride in one’s city. Although much change has taken place, one factor has remained the same. The legacy of the 1990s era Chicago Bulls would not have been unstoppable without the shear dominance of Michael Jordan, the city of Los Angeles would not have come to know the “Showtime” Lakers if it not had been for the undeniable talent of Magic and Kareem, nor would one be able to breakdown the greatness of the New England Patriots without spelling out the accomplishments of Brady and Belichick alone. Furthermore, not only are injuries, of course, incredibly frustrating to the player who has involuntarily taken themselves out of competitive play, but also detrimental to the very fan base involved and a singular agent in changing the entire dynamic of the game- thus the mutual commonality. One is less likely to tune in and/or attend a game if their star player(s) are not in the lineup- therefore leading to the very decline in ratings mentioned above as well as a drop in sales of tickets, merchandise, and overall profit for the organization.
In a season comprised of 82 games- beginning just weeks before hollow’s eve, stretching through the introduction of “April’s showers”- it is as though the injury bug has come storming in and since begun to rain down on the NBA- quickly shifting the playoff roars and all-star glee to talks of trade wars and rotations unforeseen.
From the gruesome fall and subsequent season ending ankle injury to Gordon Hayward of the Celtics in their opener to the domino effect loss of countless stars then sidelined for various stints throughout the season thus far, it is the most recent news of New Orleans Pelicans center, DeMarcus Cousins and Oklahoma City Thunder forward, Andre Roberson that has sent a shockwave throughout the entirety of the league.
Roberson, although considered an offensive liability- along side Paul George and his league leading efforts in steals- has without a doubt changed the face of the Thunder defense. With Andre in the rotation, the team’s defensive rating is at 96.6 and without him jumping up to a staggering 114.5. In the same respect, after a dramatic exit from Sacramento, it seems as though DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins has found a home in NoLa. Teaming up with powerhouse, Anthony Davis, Cousins was arguably having his best year yet- averaging 25 points, just under 13 rebounds per game, and adding “NBA All-Star Starter” to his resume before suffering his Achilles tendon injury. Their contributions and a lack there of going forward are a clear loss- those both squads will need to make suitable adjustments for in order to have a chance at making a statement in the post season.
No rest for the weary, unfortunately, the bad news bears didn’t stop there. Washington Wizards point guard, John Wall is now out with a knee injury, along with Cavs forward, Kevin Love who left Wednesday night’s meeting against the Pistons with a left hand injury- set to be out 6-8 weeks. The recent updates not only effect each player’s team as they continue their push toward the playoffs, but also brings the hand picked all-star “Team LeBron” count down three- leaving the choosing of his replacement players to NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver- leading up to the game and festivities of the weekend just three weeks away in Los Angeles.
The start of the 2017-2018 season brought a significant change and new approach to the schedule in which the league took action with games beginning two weeks earlier in order to help reduce the number of back-to-backs, as well as looking to avoid the issue from the season prior of players sitting out due to “rest”. This adjustment centered around teams, such as the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers, sitting their starters while on various road-trips, which then led to unhappy opposing team fans, who would pay extra and wait all season long to see their favorite superstars come to town only to find out they would not be showcasing their talents that evening after all.
Many analysts, however, have expressed and believe the true solution to this problem- in regard to both players sitting out due to “rest” and the climb in the number of injuries is simply to reduce the overall number of regular season games. When first considering the amount of travel and back-to-back games on the schedule, it can become easy to overlook the true “player experience” in each 48 minute contest; battling for rebounds, applying full court defensive pressure, and the overall stop and go nature of the game- night in and night out.
Now, do certain injuries to particular players mean the removal of the entertainment factor from a sporting event? In today’s world, possibly. Is the suggestion of another post-season schedule change going to make all the difference and stop another epidemic of injuries next season? Who knows, but it may be worth a shot-the step back, fade away, Kyrie Irving fresh off a season-ending injury the year prior, championship-sealing type.
Written by Chanel Ray
Twitter: @pointblnksprts1
Comments