Another metric - No One Watching the Saints (Teams that pulled the most and fewest viewers in 2024) (11 Viewers)

[bayoumilitia]

I think these numbers are getting misinterpreted for a few reasons.
1. These numbers prove why NOLA is such a viable market. Covering multiple states with no pro team until Atlanta.
2. Even with LSU bring their only in state competition, the Saints average is almost double the highest rated LSU game this season. (USC/LSU at 8 million.
3. After the top five, the variance between franchises is only a few million.
4. The only franchises that really should be worried are Tennessee and Jacksonville. The Raiders will survive and become more viable the longer they’re in Vegas. Mainly because the Raiders fanbase is so huge and they’re less than 10 years in Vegas.
Tennessee and Jacksonville are nearing 3 decades in their respective markets and barely average higher than a Thursday Night MAC game.

I definitely agree with all your points/observations and I’ll add to that.

From a pure state population standpoint Louisiana has approximately 4.6 million residents. You could probably easily subtract 1-1.5 million residents as either Cowboys fans in NorthWest Louisiana or just don’t like NFL football. So of the average viewership each week that tells me that the Saints are drawing in some of what we already knew, regional viewership from Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle but also across the country as well. That is something that many NFL teams with much bigger populations and regional populations (Jacksonville/Tennessee) aren’t doing.

That’s why those that think the Saints are as good as gone to San Antonio if Mrs Gayle ever sells the team are just simply incorrect. First, I think the NFL money making model has changed drastically from where it was 20 years ago especially since giving up the bulk of their tax exempt status. I also think as those TV ratings point out that even through 4 years of mediocrity the Saints viewership is actually still on the cusp of top 10. Finally, in my opinion the potential buyers or ownership groups interested in keeping the Saints in New Orleans will be larger going forward “if” someone were to want to buy and try to move the team in the future. I mean heck Todd Graves (owner of Raising Canes) could pretty much purchase the Saints by himself at this point.

 

[Saint Jack]

I definitely agree with all your points/observations and I’ll add to that.

From a pure state population standpoint Louisiana has approximately 4.6 million residents. You could probably easily subtract 1-1.5 million residents as either Cowboys fans in NorthWest Louisiana or just don’t like NFL football. So of the average viewership each week that tells me that the Saints are drawing in some of what we already knew, regional viewership from Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle but also across the country as well. That is something that many NFL teams with much bigger populations and regional populations (Jacksonville/Tennessee) aren’t doing.

That’s why those that think the Saints are as good as gone to San Antonio if Mrs Gayle ever sells the team are just simply incorrect. First, I think the NFL money making model has changed drastically from where it was 20 years ago especially since giving up the bulk of their tax exempt status. I also think as those TV ratings point out that even through 4 years of mediocrity the Saints viewership is actually still on the cusp of top 10. Finally, in my opinion the potential buyers or ownership groups interested in keeping the Saints in New Orleans will be larger going forward “if” someone were to want to buy and try to move the team in the future. I mean heck Todd Graves (owner of Raising Canes) could pretty much purchase the Saints by himself at this point.

I would just like to add something since you mentioned San Antonio and relocation.
The thing about San Antonio is there is really no net positive to moving there.
1. You immediately create direct competition with Dallas and Houston.
2. You’re probably not the #1 team there because the Spurs have been there for sooooo long.
3. With apologies to the people of San Antonio, it’s not really a city people go to visit.
At least with the Vegas and L.A. relocations, you could say they would draw tourists.
4. And this is related to my first point. Every region in the country is covered right now.
4. The Saints are now a known brand. They’re not the Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, or 49ers; but they have carved out a brand name for themselves since Payton and Brees got here. And that grows with every player that gets inducted into the Hall, every playoff appearance and (hopefully) championship in the future.

 

[Clintonrebel]

We out drew the Falcons and their city has about 10x the population AND they were in the playoff hunt in week 18. That’s embarrassing for Atlanta.

We outdrew the Broncos.

I suspect our tv viewership plummeted late in the season. Given the size of our TV market and our performance on the field, this graphic is better than I would have predicted.

 

[oodank]

This is just another misguided thread that goes to show some posters here are just grasping at anything they think will turn fans against the Saints and the FO..... mob mentality, not realizing the Saints are one of the smaller market teams that will never lead the league in viewership above the blue bloods of the NFL. Those numbers are decent for 'nobody'.

 

[No2DC]

We out drew the Falcons and their city has about 10x the population AND they were in the playoff hunt in week 18. That’s embarrassing for Atlanta.

We outdrew the Broncos.

I suspect our tv viewership plummeted late in the season. Given the size of our TV market and our performance on the field, this graphic is better than I would have predicted.

The Falcons don't really have that many true fans, they mainly have bandwagon folks who hop on when they're playing well. We are unique in the bulk of our fanbase, particularly over 30+ who had to endure the dark times. That's the danger of losing, even hardcore fans begin to tune out.

 

[FLIPPY]

5-12 doesn't draw viewers...

They were the talk of the town with the first two wins, losing 7 in a row, makes a team fall off into obscurity..

 

[Saint Jack]

The Falcons don't really have that many true fans, they mainly have bandwagon folks who hop on when they're playing well. We are unique in the bulk of our fanbase, particularly over 30+ who had to endure the dark times. That's the danger of losing, even hardcore fans begin to tune out.

I’ve been to Atlanta on more than a few occasions in my life.
Usually about every year or two since I was a kid for family.
Post 2006, Atlanta has really been taken over by the Saints. Even during the Bountygate offseason, I saw more Saints stuff than Falcons stuff.
I find the state of Georgia is mainly a Bulldogs state. And when you have 28-3 with no championship to point to at any time in history, it’s a recipe to turn the Falcons into the third or fourth team in Georgia.

 

[FLIPPY]

I’ve been to Atlanta on more than a few occasions in my life.
Usually about every year or two since I was a kid for family.
Post 2006, Atlanta has really been taken over by the Saints. Even during the Bountygate offseason, I saw more Saints stuff than Falcons stuff.
I find the state of Georgia is mainly a Bulldogs state. And when you have 28-3 with no championship to point to at any time in history, it’s a recipe to turn the Falcons into the third or fourth team in Georgia.

Post 2006?

Saints fans took over during the Mora years...

 

[SystemShock]

What I get from that:

The Clowns were in the playoff race until the last game.
The Saints were practically out by week 10.
Still, more people watched the Saints than the Clowns.

That a small market team was practically out by week 10 decimated by injuries, and still pulled more viewers than 9 other teams, that's a positive.

Also, the Josh Allen-led Buffalo Bills are in the AFCCG after a 13-4 season and 15-4 overall... yet, they got less average viewership than the 3-14 Giants, the 5-12 Bears, 6-11 9ers, 7-10 Cowboys (who got more viewers than the Chiefs)... that should tell you something about that metric.

More complaining for complaining's sake.

 

[Nutria]

Wait the gap between the Saints and the team hosting the NFCCG (Iggles) is less than the gap between the Saints and the Pats or the Saints and Dennis Allen/Derek Carr's old team, the Raiders?

And that is the problem with binning and rankings in a nutshell.