I think a lot of the negative comments stem at least partly from the Giants being almost unwatchably bad. Ask a Chiefs or Lions fan about how they feel about the game, and you'll get a very different answer than a Giants fan, I'd guess.
I bought the full YouTube Sunday Ticket package this year. With the four game on one screen option and three TVs in my living room 1pm on Sundays usually had 5 games + Red Zone at once. Audio stays on Red Zone so I don't have to listen to any ads. Gambling and fantasy football have improved the experience and been a fortunate replacement for rooting for a terrible team.
The options for watching football have never been better. Now we just need AI to find a way to have Summerall and Madden announce every game until the end of time.
This is exactly what is coming - AI Captioning! Within a year or two, maybe sooner, we will get voice options to dub over the close captioning that streams through the broadcast. And my guess is, we will be able to download (for a fee of course!) the announcers of our choice. In your case, you could have Summerall and Madden dubbing over Romo and Nance on one screen, and Gifford and Cosell dubbing over Buck and Aikman on the other!
I think a lot of the negative comments stem at least partly from the Giants being almost unwatchably bad. Ask a Chiefs or Lions fan about how they feel about the game, and you'll get a very different answer than a Giants fan, I'd guess.
I bought the full YouTube Sunday Ticket package this year. With the four game on one screen option and three TVs in my living room 1pm on Sundays usually had 5 games + Red Zone at once. Audio stays on Red Zone so I don't have to listen to any ads. Gambling and fantasy football have improved the experience and been a fortunate replacement for rooting for a terrible team.
The options for watching football have never been better. Now we just need AI to find a way to have Summerall and Madden announce every game until the end of time.
Haven't you said, often, that the NFL as a product is inferior to the past versions of it, and particularly the broadcasts of the '80s were clearly superior to today?
The game isn't as well played, and the broadcasts generally aren't as good, but the options for viewing are better than ever. NFL games have always been drowned in ads; Red Zone is a great way around that. The Giants suck, but Sunday Ticket provides an option to watch the most compelling games.
There are minor tweaks I'd like to see to the game, but my overall preference is to see the ball moved in the air.
Eighteen of the top 25 seasons with the most passing yards per game have come after the Ty Law rule changes, which I've felt are a welcome addition to the game.
I think smash mouth, defensive struggles are boring. I also don't find any joy watching players get annihilated, so I'm also a fan of the safety protocols that have been implemented.
For those who prefer the game from the 80s, what about that makes it better than today's product? Just curious.
My view is that the the evolution of today's offensive and defensive gameplanning is just incredible compared to the 80s and 90s. Like the corndog play that won the SB where the goal is to hide the motion WR behind another player so the DB shifts his focus away is just next level, IMO.
Fundamentally the tackling sucks into today's game and I think the OL struggles are due to DL being much bigger and athletic than they were a few decades ago. But generally it seems that the game is more atheletic and required a higher IQ than in the past?
As an aside, I remember my grandpa being quite annoyed by John Madden's bing, bang, boom comments and drawing all over the screen. And now most of us who grew up on Madden pine for those days.
this is anecdotal but I have 8 nephews, all under 30 yo, seven from NJ and one from Ohio. All are playing of played sports in high school and college. None are even near my level of interest in the NFL at under 30, not even close. They barely know who the Giants or Steelers are playing on a week to week basis. Yes, the all watched the SB I am sure but regular season is very sporadic on their NFl viewing and pretty ho-hum on whether they watch any game.
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
For those who prefer the game from the 80s, what about that makes it better than today's product? Just curious.
My view is that the the evolution of today's offensive and defensive gameplanning is just incredible compared to the 80s and 90s. Like the corndog play that won the SB where the goal is to hide the motion WR behind another player so the DB shifts his focus away is just next level, IMO.
Fundamentally the tackling sucks into today's game and I think the OL struggles are due to DL being much bigger and athletic than they were a few decades ago. But generally it seems that the game is more atheletic and required a higher IQ than in the past?
I think the biggest problem is the attrition on the top teams due to the salary cap. I think it's bad for the game that the Chiefs are forced to trade Tyreek Hill simply because they couldn't afford him; they were penalized for their success in drafting Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Travis Kelce. They won the Super Bowl twice without Hill anyway, but they could have been an even greater team. And now they may lose Jones.
Fundamentally the tackling sucks into today's game and I think the OL struggles are due to DL being much bigger and athletic than they were a few decades ago. But generally it seems that the game is more atheletic and required a higher IQ than in the past?
Absolutely agree here - Oline play across the league absolutely sucks.
Think about what it takes to be an Olinemen in todays game.
Need the body weight and strength to anchor and drive versus the monster DLs of today, and at the same time need the speed, athleticness, footwork to handle the Edge Rushers and Today's linebackers in space.
Who could be possibly built that way?
It is easy to view things only through your own lens
And if you think the game is degraded, and it's not as good anymore, and things like games on other days, and international games and Taylor Swift bug you. It's you. The game keeps getting bigger and more popular. You may not like it, but the NFL can almost do no wrong, they have been great at growing the game, and while you may not like the changes, the game is bigger than ever. I'm having fun with it, but I understand some older hardcore fans don't like it.
this is anecdotal but I have 8 nephews, all under 30 yo, seven from NJ and one from Ohio. All are playing of played sports in high school and college. None are even near my level of interest in the NFL at under 30, not even close. They barely know who the Giants or Steelers are playing on a week to week basis. Yes, the all watched the SB I am sure but regular season is very sporadic on their NFl viewing and pretty ho-hum on whether they watch any game.
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
yes, SB was watched and this year had a perfect storm. But seems that the focus on the NFL and die-hard fans aren't coming through the ranks. I wonder how the ratings are in the under 30 demo during the regular season.
Always wished they would simulcast a gameday stadium experience. Nothing but crowd/field noise and the PA announcer. I've never really enjoyed the talking heads and sideline reports. If we can get a Nickelodeon broadcast can't we have this too (and i enjoy the Nick broadcast for a little bit - it really got my 8 year old watching much more intently)
The gameday stadium experience is so much more annoying than listening to TV announcers talk about the game. The PA announcer screams that it is thiiiiiirrrrd down, and yells for all of the people in front of me to stand up. There is near constant loud music playing.
to the ever increasing relevance of gambling to the NFL
and its total, on field and off, commercial branding and promotion, e.g., to Greg’s comment above, while I’m no fan of it, either, it’s not hard to understand how the League and the vig are joined at the hip. For years I’ve wondered how the Manning Clan’s total sell-out to the House does not rub BBIers the wrong way. It does me
The game isn't as well played, and the broadcasts generally aren't as good, but the options for viewing are better than ever. NFL games have always been drowned in ads; Red Zone is a great way around that. The Giants suck, but Sunday Ticket provides an option to watch the most compelling games.
this is anecdotal but I have 8 nephews, all under 30 yo, seven from NJ and one from Ohio. All are playing of played sports in high school and college. None are even near my level of interest in the NFL at under 30, not even close. They barely know who the Giants or Steelers are playing on a week to week basis. Yes, the all watched the SB I am sure but regular season is very sporadic on their NFl viewing and pretty ho-hum on whether they watch any game.
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
yes, SB was watched and this year had a perfect storm. But seems that the focus on the NFL and die-hard fans aren't coming through the ranks. I wonder how the ratings are in the under 30 demo during the regular season.
Seems like you're still basing your entire conclusion on your eight nephews.
The definition of what constitutes a "diehard" fan probably merits some discussion. When I was a kid, we had a two games on Sundays, usually just the Giants game and the Jets game, and then Sunday Night Football (on ESPN), and Monday Night Football (on ABC). There was WFAN for daily discussion (there was no satellite radio and there wasn't even a competing all-sports radio station in the NYC market), the local newspapers for daily updates, and then just chatter amongst other fans wherever you found them (friends, family, etc.). We might get an occasional feature or blurb in Sports Illustrated or The Sporting News. We had The Giant Insider print edition.
There was no internet yet, which meant there were no message boards, no social media, no streaming, no NFL Network. There weren't even any competitors to ESPN yet back then, and there were barely any regional sports networks yet. We had Sportschannel, but there was no YES, no MSG, no SNY, no FSN, etc. Being a diehard fan wasn't really all that time consuming in terms of our daily lives.
Now, you have 24/7 access to NFL news and updates. You can find people to discuss the Giants with at any time of the day, any day of the week. You can watch any Giants game from the past, you can watch any NFL game of the present, you can consume multiple games at the same time across various screens. You get email newsletters, social media updates, message board threads, and blog updates. You get podcasts, and radio shows, and you can tune into radio shows for any market in the world.
Being a diehard fan in 2024 is materially different than being a diehard fan was in 1994. We probably remember how much we CARED about the Giants 30-40 years ago, but we weren't consuming the Giants anywhere close to as much as we do now. All of which is to say that there are fans that we would call casual NFL fans nowadays that actually spend more time engaged with the NFL than we did, as the most diehard of the diehards, as recently as a generation ago.
The NFL didn't force all of those changes. The world did. The NFL just kept up with that evolution, IMO. The same goes for almost any other customer affinity for any other brand, product, personality, etc. There is so much more out there to consume. We grew up at a time when we were starved for access to the things we cared about. Now, the kids who represent the modern equivalent of us from then have infinite content at their fingertips, and their challenge is prioritizing that content within their lives.
Being a diehard now isn't the same as it used to be, and it's unrealistic to expect kids who grew up in the internet era to have the same view of what being a diehard fan means. For us, it was a part of our identity because most of our fan experience happened internally or interpersonally. Now it involves interacting with a screen more often than not. It's not the same.
It was fun to go on a Friday night to pick out a movie or video game for the weekend. I could get a box of candy too. I'll feel nostalgic about it. But, as GD says above, the world changing. The internet happened and Blockbuster was stubborn and rigid. Now Blockbuster is out of business.
If you dislike change, you are going to dislike irrelevance even more.
#s are hard to find but fantasy football is a good proxy for diehards
espn alone had 12m fantasy football players in 2023 which was it's biggest year ever and up 10% from 2022.
the total estimate of ff players in 2022 between all platforms was somewhere between 40-50m people and more than double what it was a decade earlier.
idk about anyone else but i know very few people who play ff and dont tune in for 2+ games per week now that there are games on at least 3 different days and twice in prime time.
can growth sustain forever? probably not but it hasnt yet.
In comment 16397815 Eric from BBI said:
[quote] is there anything more NFL 2024 than Greenlaw rupturing his Achilles tendon running onto the field? [/quot
but they had the two best teams playing(sorry Ravens), the Taylor Swift phenomenon and a pretty good game on top.
We can piss and moan about how the NFL conducts business, but they seem to know what they are doing.
Yes and no. They became vocal about subjects they shouldn't have touched and backed off (at least publicly). They've decided to "go Hollywood" (for lack of a better phrase) and it has helped.
But many of the football-related changes and commercialization have made the viewing experience noticeably worse for anyone over 40-50 years old. This gets into the actual quality of play as well as the way the game is presented.
They are seeking a new, bigger audience that is less committed to the product.... the casual fan over the diehard one. It is what it is.
Speak for yourself. I’m 55 and enjoy the product greatly. All year long and not just Giants football.. The negativity and lack of support on this board makes me wonder why a lot of folks here continue to be football fans.
Ultimately, the NFL does what any other business does: Maximize profits.
Can you blame them for wanting to do that?
No but the question is if they are doing it at the risk of losing something long term. Weve yet to see sports take a fall as it gravitated towards more entertainment then a gladiator event in the rise if the ESPN era. But it could be a possibility as I think a large % feel as if its become out of touch. Letting the tik tok crowd take over football is t sustainable if the non tick tock crowd opt out. Their riding a popularity wave versus likeing the gane for what it truly is.
I’ve got my own thoughts on the game itself but I don’t matter to the NFL all that much so I won’t go down that hole. The NFL is expanding and embracing technology better than just about anyone else in sports - the long term effects of that will be that they are ahead of the game. Soccer is the other sport that is put neck and neck with the NFL in terms of embracing tech but that’s a different conversation.
is the same risk most companies face when they focus on the customers they don't have and neglect the ones they do have.
they alienate their fan base.
But the NFL is not Bud Light, and the fan base for pro sports is different than most consumer products so I think that risk is very very minor. There is no "Modelo" to take market share from the NFL, fans option is consume the product or don't. And most will no matter how arrogant or obnoxious the NFL gets.
After that the biggest risk is simply the growth ventures don't pan out. People don't watch on Peacock or Amazon Prime or Munich hates American football. Or the US Government bans ads for gambling, and that just impacts growth which is really what the NFL is focused on (like many businesses).
right now (and since goodell took over for tagliabue) they are milking the product for all they can.
another form of entertainment could get popular,
player safety could become a bigger issue that leads to legislation, or lower participation,
they could lose revenue streams like gambling.
none may seem likely right now but predicting 50 years from now or 100 years from now who knows. and if any of that happens maybe milking for all they can now is the right move anyway.
they’ve been successfully focusing on new fans and it keeps working. 5/10 years ago I laughed at some of their decisions but they keep panning out. And I don’t think anyone is being alienated outside of fringe fans or the older crowd that gets disinterested in things as they age anyway.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
outside of normal business risks associated to companies, and contact sports safety issues that will always be there, I don’t see much risk at all in anything the nfl is investing in.
Just wanted to chime in that I think criticism of the TV presentation is a bit overblown - what’s distracting you from watching the action on the field? The score bug with the game and play clock? I find that valuable. The yellow line indicating the first down marker has been a great addition too. A lot of the graphics and other bells and whistles are done during stoppages in play. I hate all the pregame shows so I no longer watch, but if you tune in at 1pm for the game I don’t find the viewing experience to be dramatically different.
they’ve been successfully focusing on new fans and it keeps working. 5/10 years ago I laughed at some of their decisions but they keep panning out. And I don’t think anyone is being alienated outside of fringe fans or the older crowd that gets disinterested in things as they age anyway.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
I said the risk is very very small. but you lose the hard core fans and the bond becomes weaker and it takes less for people to find something else to spend their money on.
And I don't think they nailed the younger generations. Data shows in fact younger generations are far less interested in NFL than previous generations (even year to year in the same generation). Maybe the first one (tech) helps, but I doubt technology is the reason people consume the NFL. I think they have to want to watch the games first, then technology can be an enhancer or enabler, but I doubt it's the draw. be interesting to find out though.
Quote:
...The NFL's viewership among youth has indeed been declining in recent years. A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 15% of 12-to-17-year-olds reported following the NFL, down from 25% in 2016. This decline is likely due to a number of factors, including the rise of other sports and entertainment options, such as video games and streaming services....
I think the numbers are even worse if you look at Gen Z as a whole. Probably even millennials compared to Gen X for example and even boomers.
they’ve been successfully focusing on new fans and it keeps working. 5/10 years ago I laughed at some of their decisions but they keep panning out. And I don’t think anyone is being alienated outside of fringe fans or the older crowd that gets disinterested in things as they age anyway.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
I said the risk is very very small. but you lose the hard core fans and the bond becomes weaker and it takes less for people to find something else to spend their money on.
And I don't think they nailed the younger generations. Data shows in fact younger generations are far less interested in NFL than previous generations (even year to year in the same generation). Maybe the first one (tech) helps, but I doubt technology is the reason people consume the NFL. I think they have to want to watch the games first, then technology can be an enhancer or enabler, but I doubt it's the draw. be interesting to find out though.
Quote:
...The NFL's viewership among youth has indeed been declining in recent years. A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 15% of 12-to-17-year-olds reported following the NFL, down from 25% in 2016. This decline is likely due to a number of factors, including the rise of other sports and entertainment options, such as video games and streaming services....
I think the numbers are even worse if you look at Gen Z as a whole. Probably even millennials compared to Gen X for example and even boomers.
this is my thought too but especially the younger generations that you would expect to have a deeper or more intense interest.
We're we love the game, many who watch the Super Bowl don't really know or care, they watch it because it's a time to be around friends and have a good time. Nothing wrong with that.
Many watch to see the Half-time show, and here's something that may shock many - Some watch to see the COMMERCIALS !
Kind of like, how I am with basketball, except of the Celtics, sometimes. IF I tune in, most of the time I will get up and go do something else for 10-15 minutes, no matter who is playing.
Everybody's different, I've switched channels at half-time the last five Super Bowls because I'm not Rap fan, but I do enjoy seeing the new commercials. "Different strokes for different folks".
outside of normal business risks associated to companies, and contact sports safety issues that will always be there, I don’t see much risk at all in anything the nfl is investing in.
the only thing id point to that would be considered as marginally elevated risk is their willingness to be greedy at all times. some b2c companies that want to last forever bend over backwards for brand loyalty. nfl bends their fans over backwards.
Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
beyond what's already been mentioned from the era post tagliabue this may not qualify as 'discreet' but just like .1% less greed. if someone buys sunday ticket, throw in red zone. and preseason games. they are making enough money they could throw fans a few bones instead of acting like spirit airlines.
dont mind the 3 day draft but i wish they'd keep it more about the football/players less of the concert/sideshow.
and this is just utopia, I can deal with all the changes. Nothing bothers me enough about the NFL to care more than to take note/complain, I wasn't including myself in the group bothered by the current state.
1. No Thursday night football. I don't mind an annual MNF game or two if your team is a contender and popular draw, but I can't stand TNF and when being honest coaches and teams hate it too. even playing prime time. Coaches like routine and consistency. and the more "off schedule" games the harder it is to get into that routine. and TNF is basically just a money grab. My preference is for all games to be Sunday at 1 with the occasional 4
2. This is a hard one and not really due to any specific change but just an obvious (seeming) degradation in quality, but consistent officiating and simpler rules. When it takes 4 to 5 minutes to review if a play is a catch and then the "experts" get it wrong half the time too. and the game changing calls and non-calls do impact the game.
3. 66 quarterbacks started games in 2023. Not all were due to injury, some were due to poor play by the starter, but a lot were due to injury. The rules to protect QB's aren't working. Football is a violent game and the ridiculous rules about protecting a QB get "over-called" and impact the game negatively. go back to the days where QB's are treated like other players. I doubt the injuries are worse than what we currently see.
4. If you're going to legislate kick-offs out of the game. Get them out of the game or allow the option to not kick. The sequence of commercial break, kick-off out of the end zone, commercial break, offense starts series is the kind of thing baseball would eliminate in their efforts to speed the game up, football should too. If you as the kicking team intend to kick it out of the end zone, give the kicking the team the option to just not kick it. and avoid the 5 minutes+ of commercials and designate it so the offense just starts at the 25. I view this like an intentional walk in baseball where you no longer need to throw the pitches.
5. Fewer defensive penalties should be automatic 1st downs if the penalty yardage wouldn't result in a 1st down (like defensive holding). Why is that an automatic 1st down on 3rd and 15. It's a 5 yard penalty why not just make it 3rd and 10 if the play is incomplete. or make it even. Offensive holding is 10 yards, why not just make defensive holding 10 yards and if it's not a 1st down instead of 3rd and 15 it's 3rd and 5.
I am sure I have more and some have been mentioned by others, and again a lot of this is just things I'd change not things related to recent changes. I love a lot of the new things.
I like the gambling, lol, fantasy football, red zone, sunday ticket, I have Amazon Prime so that broadcast media games don't bother me, I like the challenges in general since you want to get game altering plays officiated correctly but half the time it seems like it's still controversial (per my inconsistent officiating comment), and more of the last decade or whatever changes.
I agree with the quarterback protection rules. I think the regular protections that apply to the other players sufficiently now protect the quarterback.
I'm curious about replay in the context of the past. Was there a time when fans liked it?
I agree with the quarterback protection rules. I think the regular protections that apply to the other players sufficiently now protect the quarterback.
I'm curious about replay in the context of the past. Was there a time when fans liked it?
Not sure how others feel, but I'm torn. I want the calls to be right, obviously, but I also feel like a: after lengthy reviews it's still sometimes seems like they get it wrong and b: the delays hurt the flow of the game.
this is an area I think technology can help. Like the British fan in his review of the championship games noted- how are things like placement of the football and breaking the plane of the goal line, not managed by technology at this point.
In hockey I feel like review is killing the game in some areas (irrelevant off sides, interpreting goalie interference, intending to blow a whistle, etc.) - at some level if you can be sure the refs are not compromised I'm prepared to accept it's a game played by humans refereed by humans - they call it to the best of their ability and you live with the results.
In some areas I feel like I would adopt that mindset for football too. Unless you can ensure replay is fast and accurate.
Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
The fact that the rules can’t be implemented well across a wide group of officials isn’t proof that we need officials, it’s that the rules have to be redesigned.
Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
How can you go back to individuals now?
I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm sure it's not even a consideration. The canned stuff makes me cringe. The one this past Sunday was so lame; Tony Gonzalez screaming in front of a green screen like it's a comic book movie.
I could just picture in 2008: "Ok Eli we need you to run through it again, but look at camera 2 this time when you say 'Resiliency'." Ugh. Might as well be a GEICO ad.
Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
How can you go back to individuals now?
I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm sure it's not even a consideration. The canned stuff makes me cringe. The one this past Sunday was so lame; Tony Gonzalez screaming in front of a green screen like it's a comic book movie.
I could just picture in 2008: "Ok Eli we need you to run through it again, but look at camera 2 this time when you say 'Resiliency'." Ugh. Might as well be a GEICO ad.
Agree, elements of the super bowl seem manufactured and plastic.
The Super Bowl has turned into a Las Vegas/Disney circus
which I don't care for, but it's for the entire world which has mostly casual fans. Really started in the 90s mainly through the funny commercials. It's actually the only time I watch commercials. Also, adding fantasy football which I cannot stand. I want to watch the games as a pure fan and not be tugged in the wrong direction like hoping a WR scores a TD against the Giants, but the Giants still win.
I moved away from NY in 1979, so I've was unable to watch most of the NYG games until the later 80's when bars began getting all the games on direcTV, but you had to get there early and make sure your game got on a TV you could see and usually with no sound because they would be playing the home team over their speaker system. And many times they had trouble or were limited on the games they could show and you wouldn't be able to get the game until midway the first quarter. It sucked! Then in 2010 I was able to get direcTV and could watch the games live--unless it snowed or rained hard and screwed the reception. Finally, I got the NFL package off the internet about 5 years ago, so I can watch every game in comfort of my home.
Nowadays, I watch the NYG on delay--a couple hours after it finished. Usually, the full commercial-less version, unless I heard they got killed, then I watch the condensed one when I can handle it. I also, watch many of the other games condensed version, sometimes just the second half or 4th quarter.
I bought the full YouTube Sunday Ticket package this year. With the four game on one screen option and three TVs in my living room 1pm on Sundays usually had 5 games + Red Zone at once. Audio stays on Red Zone so I don't have to listen to any ads. Gambling and fantasy football have improved the experience and been a fortunate replacement for rooting for a terrible team.
The options for watching football have never been better. Now we just need AI to find a way to have Summerall and Madden announce every game until the end of time.
This is exactly what is coming - AI Captioning! Within a year or two, maybe sooner, we will get voice options to dub over the close captioning that streams through the broadcast. And my guess is, we will be able to download (for a fee of course!) the announcers of our choice. In your case, you could have Summerall and Madden dubbing over Romo and Nance on one screen, and Gifford and Cosell dubbing over Buck and Aikman on the other!
I bought the full YouTube Sunday Ticket package this year. With the four game on one screen option and three TVs in my living room 1pm on Sundays usually had 5 games + Red Zone at once. Audio stays on Red Zone so I don't have to listen to any ads. Gambling and fantasy football have improved the experience and been a fortunate replacement for rooting for a terrible team.
The options for watching football have never been better. Now we just need AI to find a way to have Summerall and Madden announce every game until the end of time.
Haven't you said, often, that the NFL as a product is inferior to the past versions of it, and particularly the broadcasts of the '80s were clearly superior to today?
Can you blame them for wanting to do that?
Eighteen of the top 25 seasons with the most passing yards per game have come after the Ty Law rule changes, which I've felt are a welcome addition to the game.
I think smash mouth, defensive struggles are boring. I also don't find any joy watching players get annihilated, so I'm also a fan of the safety protocols that have been implemented.
My view is that the the evolution of today's offensive and defensive gameplanning is just incredible compared to the 80s and 90s. Like the corndog play that won the SB where the goal is to hide the motion WR behind another player so the DB shifts his focus away is just next level, IMO.
Fundamentally the tackling sucks into today's game and I think the OL struggles are due to DL being much bigger and athletic than they were a few decades ago. But generally it seems that the game is more atheletic and required a higher IQ than in the past?
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
My view is that the the evolution of today's offensive and defensive gameplanning is just incredible compared to the 80s and 90s. Like the corndog play that won the SB where the goal is to hide the motion WR behind another player so the DB shifts his focus away is just next level, IMO.
Fundamentally the tackling sucks into today's game and I think the OL struggles are due to DL being much bigger and athletic than they were a few decades ago. But generally it seems that the game is more atheletic and required a higher IQ than in the past?
I think the biggest problem is the attrition on the top teams due to the salary cap. I think it's bad for the game that the Chiefs are forced to trade Tyreek Hill simply because they couldn't afford him; they were penalized for their success in drafting Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Travis Kelce. They won the Super Bowl twice without Hill anyway, but they could have been an even greater team. And now they may lose Jones.
I'd like to see less parity.
Absolutely agree here - Oline play across the league absolutely sucks.
Think about what it takes to be an Olinemen in todays game.
Need the body weight and strength to anchor and drive versus the monster DLs of today, and at the same time need the speed, athleticness, footwork to handle the Edge Rushers and Today's linebackers in space.
Who could be possibly built that way?
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this is anecdotal but I have 8 nephews, all under 30 yo, seven from NJ and one from Ohio. All are playing of played sports in high school and college. None are even near my level of interest in the NFL at under 30, not even close. They barely know who the Giants or Steelers are playing on a week to week basis. Yes, the all watched the SB I am sure but regular season is very sporadic on their NFl viewing and pretty ho-hum on whether they watch any game.
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
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Always wished they would simulcast a gameday stadium experience. Nothing but crowd/field noise and the PA announcer. I've never really enjoyed the talking heads and sideline reports. If we can get a Nickelodeon broadcast can't we have this too (and i enjoy the Nick broadcast for a little bit - it really got my 8 year old watching much more intently)
The NFL has become, more or less, what Arenaball was. Some of you like that. I don't. I liked power football and great defense.
I can't stress enough that it's important to watch something other than the Giants.
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In comment 16397974 SomeFan said:
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this is anecdotal but I have 8 nephews, all under 30 yo, seven from NJ and one from Ohio. All are playing of played sports in high school and college. None are even near my level of interest in the NFL at under 30, not even close. They barely know who the Giants or Steelers are playing on a week to week basis. Yes, the all watched the SB I am sure but regular season is very sporadic on their NFl viewing and pretty ho-hum on whether they watch any game.
I'm not sure what the point is, other than anecdotal evidence taken in small morsels can look very different than empirical evidence taken in the aggregate?
There were kids who played sports but weren't die hard NFL fans 30-40 years ago, too. I was friends with plenty of kids like that back then.
Somehow the NFL's engaged audience isn't shrinking. It may be evolving into a different audience than it used to be, but it's not getting smaller. So you're observing a handful of kids today that have different interests than a handful of different kids did a generation ago. I noticed the same thing about grunge music. Can you believe that there are kids today who play instruments but don't listen to Nirvana or Soundgarden? When I was their age, every kid who played an instrument listened to those bands!
There are dozens of major brands that have seen their core buyer shift in a similar way over the past 30 years. Do you think Apple's core consumer is the same as they were in 1994? How about Amazon? How about FedEx? What about a shopping mall? What about any restaurant that delivers food? Do you think they have the same relationship with their customers now in the food delivery app era that they had even 15 years ago when people ordered from the same handful of places and kept their menus in the junk drawer?
yes, SB was watched and this year had a perfect storm. But seems that the focus on the NFL and die-hard fans aren't coming through the ranks. I wonder how the ratings are in the under 30 demo during the regular season.
Seems like you're still basing your entire conclusion on your eight nephews.
The definition of what constitutes a "diehard" fan probably merits some discussion. When I was a kid, we had a two games on Sundays, usually just the Giants game and the Jets game, and then Sunday Night Football (on ESPN), and Monday Night Football (on ABC). There was WFAN for daily discussion (there was no satellite radio and there wasn't even a competing all-sports radio station in the NYC market), the local newspapers for daily updates, and then just chatter amongst other fans wherever you found them (friends, family, etc.). We might get an occasional feature or blurb in Sports Illustrated or The Sporting News. We had The Giant Insider print edition.
There was no internet yet, which meant there were no message boards, no social media, no streaming, no NFL Network. There weren't even any competitors to ESPN yet back then, and there were barely any regional sports networks yet. We had Sportschannel, but there was no YES, no MSG, no SNY, no FSN, etc. Being a diehard fan wasn't really all that time consuming in terms of our daily lives.
Now, you have 24/7 access to NFL news and updates. You can find people to discuss the Giants with at any time of the day, any day of the week. You can watch any Giants game from the past, you can watch any NFL game of the present, you can consume multiple games at the same time across various screens. You get email newsletters, social media updates, message board threads, and blog updates. You get podcasts, and radio shows, and you can tune into radio shows for any market in the world.
Being a diehard fan in 2024 is materially different than being a diehard fan was in 1994. We probably remember how much we CARED about the Giants 30-40 years ago, but we weren't consuming the Giants anywhere close to as much as we do now. All of which is to say that there are fans that we would call casual NFL fans nowadays that actually spend more time engaged with the NFL than we did, as the most diehard of the diehards, as recently as a generation ago.
The NFL didn't force all of those changes. The world did. The NFL just kept up with that evolution, IMO. The same goes for almost any other customer affinity for any other brand, product, personality, etc. There is so much more out there to consume. We grew up at a time when we were starved for access to the things we cared about. Now, the kids who represent the modern equivalent of us from then have infinite content at their fingertips, and their challenge is prioritizing that content within their lives.
Being a diehard now isn't the same as it used to be, and it's unrealistic to expect kids who grew up in the internet era to have the same view of what being a diehard fan means. For us, it was a part of our identity because most of our fan experience happened internally or interpersonally. Now it involves interacting with a screen more often than not. It's not the same.
If you dislike change, you are going to dislike irrelevance even more.
the total estimate of ff players in 2022 between all platforms was somewhere between 40-50m people and more than double what it was a decade earlier.
idk about anyone else but i know very few people who play ff and dont tune in for 2+ games per week now that there are games on at least 3 different days and twice in prime time.
can growth sustain forever? probably not but it hasnt yet.
[quote] is there anything more NFL 2024 than Greenlaw rupturing his Achilles tendon running onto the field? [/quot
Lolll. Nope
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but they had the two best teams playing(sorry Ravens), the Taylor Swift phenomenon and a pretty good game on top.
We can piss and moan about how the NFL conducts business, but they seem to know what they are doing.
Yes and no. They became vocal about subjects they shouldn't have touched and backed off (at least publicly). They've decided to "go Hollywood" (for lack of a better phrase) and it has helped.
But many of the football-related changes and commercialization have made the viewing experience noticeably worse for anyone over 40-50 years old. This gets into the actual quality of play as well as the way the game is presented.
They are seeking a new, bigger audience that is less committed to the product.... the casual fan over the diehard one. It is what it is.
Speak for yourself. I’m 55 and enjoy the product greatly. All year long and not just Giants football.. The negativity and lack of support on this board makes me wonder why a lot of folks here continue to be football fans.
Can you blame them for wanting to do that?
No but the question is if they are doing it at the risk of losing something long term. Weve yet to see sports take a fall as it gravitated towards more entertainment then a gladiator event in the rise if the ESPN era. But it could be a possibility as I think a large % feel as if its become out of touch. Letting the tik tok crowd take over football is t sustainable if the non tick tock crowd opt out. Their riding a popularity wave versus likeing the gane for what it truly is.
they alienate their fan base.
But the NFL is not Bud Light, and the fan base for pro sports is different than most consumer products so I think that risk is very very minor. There is no "Modelo" to take market share from the NFL, fans option is consume the product or don't. And most will no matter how arrogant or obnoxious the NFL gets.
After that the biggest risk is simply the growth ventures don't pan out. People don't watch on Peacock or Amazon Prime or Munich hates American football. Or the US Government bans ads for gambling, and that just impacts growth which is really what the NFL is focused on (like many businesses).
just my opinion.
another form of entertainment could get popular,
player safety could become a bigger issue that leads to legislation, or lower participation,
they could lose revenue streams like gambling.
none may seem likely right now but predicting 50 years from now or 100 years from now who knows. and if any of that happens maybe milking for all they can now is the right move anyway.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
I said the risk is very very small. but you lose the hard core fans and the bond becomes weaker and it takes less for people to find something else to spend their money on.
And I don't think they nailed the younger generations. Data shows in fact younger generations are far less interested in NFL than previous generations (even year to year in the same generation). Maybe the first one (tech) helps, but I doubt technology is the reason people consume the NFL. I think they have to want to watch the games first, then technology can be an enhancer or enabler, but I doubt it's the draw. be interesting to find out though.
I think the numbers are even worse if you look at Gen Z as a whole. Probably even millennials compared to Gen X for example and even boomers.
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they’ve been successfully focusing on new fans and it keeps working. 5/10 years ago I laughed at some of their decisions but they keep panning out. And I don’t think anyone is being alienated outside of fringe fans or the older crowd that gets disinterested in things as they age anyway.
The NFL needs to embrace tech, interest the young generation, and figure out how they are expanding to a new continent full time if they are going to continue to grow. They are nailing the first 2 and the last one is TBD - but judging by how long they are taking they seem to be pretty methodical with it and I bet that will pan out too.
I said the risk is very very small. but you lose the hard core fans and the bond becomes weaker and it takes less for people to find something else to spend their money on.
And I don't think they nailed the younger generations. Data shows in fact younger generations are far less interested in NFL than previous generations (even year to year in the same generation). Maybe the first one (tech) helps, but I doubt technology is the reason people consume the NFL. I think they have to want to watch the games first, then technology can be an enhancer or enabler, but I doubt it's the draw. be interesting to find out though.
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...The NFL's viewership among youth has indeed been declining in recent years. A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 15% of 12-to-17-year-olds reported following the NFL, down from 25% in 2016. This decline is likely due to a number of factors, including the rise of other sports and entertainment options, such as video games and streaming services....
I think the numbers are even worse if you look at Gen Z as a whole. Probably even millennials compared to Gen X for example and even boomers.
We're we love the game, many who watch the Super Bowl don't really know or care, they watch it because it's a time to be around friends and have a good time. Nothing wrong with that.
Many watch to see the Half-time show, and here's something that may shock many - Some watch to see the COMMERCIALS !
Some, in the World, this year, just watched to catch a glimpse of the most popular person in the World - (you know who) !
Kind of like, how I am with basketball, except of the Celtics, sometimes. IF I tune in, most of the time I will get up and go do something else for 10-15 minutes, no matter who is playing.
Everybody's different, I've switched channels at half-time the last five Super Bowls because I'm not Rap fan, but I do enjoy seeing the new commercials. "Different strokes for different folks".
One thing I really miss is the custom super bowl logos. I wish 46 had a unique logo.
the only thing id point to that would be considered as marginally elevated risk is their willingness to be greedy at all times. some b2c companies that want to last forever bend over backwards for brand loyalty. nfl bends their fans over backwards.
beyond what's already been mentioned from the era post tagliabue this may not qualify as 'discreet' but just like .1% less greed. if someone buys sunday ticket, throw in red zone. and preseason games. they are making enough money they could throw fans a few bones instead of acting like spirit airlines.
dont mind the 3 day draft but i wish they'd keep it more about the football/players less of the concert/sideshow.
1. No Thursday night football. I don't mind an annual MNF game or two if your team is a contender and popular draw, but I can't stand TNF and when being honest coaches and teams hate it too. even playing prime time. Coaches like routine and consistency. and the more "off schedule" games the harder it is to get into that routine. and TNF is basically just a money grab. My preference is for all games to be Sunday at 1 with the occasional 4
2. This is a hard one and not really due to any specific change but just an obvious (seeming) degradation in quality, but consistent officiating and simpler rules. When it takes 4 to 5 minutes to review if a play is a catch and then the "experts" get it wrong half the time too. and the game changing calls and non-calls do impact the game.
3. 66 quarterbacks started games in 2023. Not all were due to injury, some were due to poor play by the starter, but a lot were due to injury. The rules to protect QB's aren't working. Football is a violent game and the ridiculous rules about protecting a QB get "over-called" and impact the game negatively. go back to the days where QB's are treated like other players. I doubt the injuries are worse than what we currently see.
4. If you're going to legislate kick-offs out of the game. Get them out of the game or allow the option to not kick. The sequence of commercial break, kick-off out of the end zone, commercial break, offense starts series is the kind of thing baseball would eliminate in their efforts to speed the game up, football should too. If you as the kicking team intend to kick it out of the end zone, give the kicking the team the option to just not kick it. and avoid the 5 minutes+ of commercials and designate it so the offense just starts at the 25. I view this like an intentional walk in baseball where you no longer need to throw the pitches.
5. Fewer defensive penalties should be automatic 1st downs if the penalty yardage wouldn't result in a 1st down (like defensive holding). Why is that an automatic 1st down on 3rd and 15. It's a 5 yard penalty why not just make it 3rd and 10 if the play is incomplete. or make it even. Offensive holding is 10 yards, why not just make defensive holding 10 yards and if it's not a 1st down instead of 3rd and 15 it's 3rd and 5.
I am sure I have more and some have been mentioned by others, and again a lot of this is just things I'd change not things related to recent changes. I love a lot of the new things.
I like the gambling, lol, fantasy football, red zone, sunday ticket, I have Amazon Prime so that broadcast media games don't bother me, I like the challenges in general since you want to get game altering plays officiated correctly but half the time it seems like it's still controversial (per my inconsistent officiating comment), and more of the last decade or whatever changes.
I'm curious about replay in the context of the past. Was there a time when fans liked it?
I'm curious about replay in the context of the past. Was there a time when fans liked it?
Not sure how others feel, but I'm torn. I want the calls to be right, obviously, but I also feel like a: after lengthy reviews it's still sometimes seems like they get it wrong and b: the delays hurt the flow of the game.
this is an area I think technology can help. Like the British fan in his review of the championship games noted- how are things like placement of the football and breaking the plane of the goal line, not managed by technology at this point.
In hockey I feel like review is killing the game in some areas (irrelevant off sides, interpreting goalie interference, intending to blow a whistle, etc.) - at some level if you can be sure the refs are not compromised I'm prepared to accept it's a game played by humans refereed by humans - they call it to the best of their ability and you live with the results.
In some areas I feel like I would adopt that mindset for football too. Unless you can ensure replay is fast and accurate.
Every penalty that's a matter of placement -- offsides, in/out of bounds, breaking the goal, etc. can all be easily called by sensors.
I'd also like to see all reviews initiated by the booth, and have a strict 60 second timer, or the play stands.
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
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Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
How can you go back to individuals now?
The fact that the rules can’t be implemented well across a wide group of officials isn’t proof that we need officials, it’s that the rules have to be redesigned.
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In comment 16398399 christian said:
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Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
How can you go back to individuals now?
I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm sure it's not even a consideration. The canned stuff makes me cringe. The one this past Sunday was so lame; Tony Gonzalez screaming in front of a green screen like it's a comic book movie.
I could just picture in 2008: "Ok Eli we need you to run through it again, but look at camera 2 this time when you say 'Resiliency'." Ugh. Might as well be a GEICO ad.
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In comment 16398728 Go Terps said:
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In comment 16398399 christian said:
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Earnest question to the group, what are some discreet things you wish had not changed and from what era?
The Super Bowl intros of each team. When players were announced individually that was a real, genuine moment in their lives that really came across on TV. Now we get these canned, overproduced pieces that are written by the networks. I know I'm in the minority but I thought the "Resiliency" thing in 2007 was so corny.
The look on Hostetler's face before he came out of the tunnel on his own in 1990: that is real.
that whole approach got ended when the 2001 Patriots refused individual intros and were simply introduced and ran out of the tunnel as a team.
I think (though not 100% sure) that's the first time that was done at a Super Bowl.
How can you go back to individuals now?
I don't see why you couldn't, but I'm sure it's not even a consideration. The canned stuff makes me cringe. The one this past Sunday was so lame; Tony Gonzalez screaming in front of a green screen like it's a comic book movie.
I could just picture in 2008: "Ok Eli we need you to run through it again, but look at camera 2 this time when you say 'Resiliency'." Ugh. Might as well be a GEICO ad.
Agree, elements of the super bowl seem manufactured and plastic.
I moved away from NY in 1979, so I've was unable to watch most of the NYG games until the later 80's when bars began getting all the games on direcTV, but you had to get there early and make sure your game got on a TV you could see and usually with no sound because they would be playing the home team over their speaker system. And many times they had trouble or were limited on the games they could show and you wouldn't be able to get the game until midway the first quarter. It sucked! Then in 2010 I was able to get direcTV and could watch the games live--unless it snowed or rained hard and screwed the reception. Finally, I got the NFL package off the internet about 5 years ago, so I can watch every game in comfort of my home.
Nowadays, I watch the NYG on delay--a couple hours after it finished. Usually, the full commercial-less version, unless I heard they got killed, then I watch the condensed one when I can handle it. I also, watch many of the other games condensed version, sometimes just the second half or 4th quarter.