How often do you actually watch the national anthem when watching a regular-season NFL game on TV? (2 Viewers)

[Rdanderson91]

I stop what I'm doing and put my hat over my heart and try to get my son to do the same. He doesn't cooperate though. Then when it's over I give my opinion on how they did. We had one national anthem with bagpipes that was honestly one of the worst I've ever heard.

 

[WhoDatPhan78]

Ill watch it if it's the superbowl or something, but it's rarely shown.

FYI: NO ONE is disrespecting anything by protesting the national anthem. Other individuals might feel disrespected by the protest, but I assure you, the flag, anthem, and country aren't bothered by it at all.

 

[Saint_Ward]

I stop what I'm doing and put my hat over my heart and try to get my son to do the same. He doesn't cooperate though. Then when it's over I give my opinion on how they did. We had one national anthem with bagpipes that was honestly one of the worst I've ever heard.

I remember that. I like bagpipes, but I cringed at the beginning. Someone was hitting the wrong note there.

 

[St.Fury]

Same here.

And Chuck, thanks for bringing this up. I thought about it on Monday night when I was surfing between two channels and I changed the channel during the anthem. Once I realized what I had done, I instantly felt a little guilt.
Then I wondered how many times over the years that I have done that.

I've done it before. But it's not intended as disrespect toward the anthem itself. I'm a musician, and a traditionalist. I personally find it disrespectful when vocalists "do their thing" while singing the anthem. It actually really bothers me when people think their talent should overshadow the song/words that represent our country. I also understand that the Star-Spangled Banner is a very difficult song to sing. Vocalists like to change it to make certain parts a bit easier, or to mask a troublesome spot like holding out a specific note. But, I believe in musical discipline. And when tradition comes into play, you don't change the intent of the piece. The only time I believe it is acceptable is when you change tempo for dramatic affect. The one person I can point to doing this without changing the way the song was meant to be was Whitney Houston. It was also arguably the best national anthem ever, IMO.

Yes, I know the history behind the tune, itself. But, once the words were decided to be put to that tune and officially adopted as our anthem, it became a whole new intity. There should be a level of reverence and respect that I simply don't see anymore. And that causes me to prefer to turn away. Now, if I'm at a sporting event, I simply take my hat off, right hand over heart, and sing, regardless of the performer. I often even just tune them out and just pay attention to the words I say because I love my country, despite our ailments.

 

[Paul]

If it's on, I watch it. As an African American man, I certainly have concerns about issues in our country, but I love that song and it has meaning to me.
Ok, there's another reason. I've been trying to hit that damn high note for the better part of 30 years.

 

[meily]

......why dont they sing the third verse?

 

[St.Fury]

I remember that. I like bagpipes, but I cringed at the beginning. Someone was hitting the wrong note there.

I believe that was the raiders game. It was like they kept switching keys. It was definitely weird.

 

[AARPSaint]

I don't usually watch it because I object to the jazzy treatment given to it by overly creative singers. It's not a jazz tune. I don't like it as a tune to begin with and agree with the late Ray Charles that "America the Beautiful" should be the national anthem rather than an adaption of an English drinking song. It's hard to sing, and it's in 3/4 time so you can't march to it unless you have three legs, or unless you modify it like the composer of the march called "National Emblem." So, I usually don't watch it because the renditions generally annoy me. Edit--pretty much what St. Fury said.

 

[JustaSharkie]

Superchuck,

I have noticed that the networks are not showing the national anthem for any of the regular season games that I have watched. To that I say I have not seen a ton of games but, I think, by not showing the anthem the networks don't have to show the protesters... no anthem, no protesters, no problem. Ignore it and it goes away kind of thing, I guess.

I do enjoy the playing of the anthem as this event goes back for years and years and to me, it honors those who gave the ultimate measure and could not be at the game. In my opinion, some traditions and honors should not be messed with, for any reason.

Sure, Kaepernick (and his followers) have every right to protest and try to leverage awareness or social change through the freedoms we have in this country. But I feel he should take off his football uniform and knee down outside the stadium like every other person with a change agenda and not use his "work center" to further his personal message.

 

[bobad]

I'm a patriotic kind of guy, so I enjoy hearing the anthem... though I mute the TV for some screechy or off-key performances.

Just a note about the protests to clear up some misunderstanding.

These protests have nothing to do with the 1st amendment. The 1st amendment allows speaking out against the government on public property. A football field is in control of the owner, and not subject to the 1st amendment. That Saints home field we love is an extension of Mr Benson's yard, so he has every right to control what goes on there. He who takes the risks and pays the bills also writes the rules.

So, the protests are fine if the owner is OK with it, or if it's on public property.

BUT!!! Why would any owner want to alienate half their customers? Why would any player want to alienate half their fans? That part I just don't get.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

i'm sure it would be a fairly easy thing to check - if viewership was ascendant and right when Colin Kap took a knee then viewership started a "negative trajectory" that would be clear

also I bet if we ran a search we might find some posters from years past giving various reasons why interest in NFL is declining well before our outrage du jour

 

[superchuck500]

I have noticed that the networks are not showing the national anthem for any of the regular season games that I have watched. To that I say I have not seen a ton of games but, I think, by not showing the anthem the networks don't have to show the protesters... no anthem, no protesters, no problem. Ignore it and it goes away kind of thing, I guess.

But do you remember it in previous seasons? I don't. Sure, once in a while, they're live at the stadium but I think it's rare - especially during regular Sunday games. And not just this season, I don't ever remember that being part of the regular lead-up to kickoff for TV coverage of regular-season games on Sunday.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I'm a patriotic kind of guy, so I enjoy hearing the anthem... though I mute the TV for some screechy or off-key performances.

Just a note about the protests to clear up some misunderstanding.

These protests have nothing to do with the 1st amendment. The 1st amendment allows speaking out against the government on public property. A football field is in control of the owner, and not subject to the 1st amendment. That Saints home field we love is an extension of Mr Benson's yard, so he has every right to control what goes on there. He who takes the risks and pays the bills also writes the rules.

So, the protests are fine if the owner is OK with it, or if it's on public property.

BUT!!! Why would any owner want to alienate half their customers? Why would any player want to alienate half their fans? That part I just don't get.

exactly right - it's not like public tax dollars are ever used for upkeep or even building these owners' stadia
good point

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

from 1/5/16 - just sayin

Investment bank predicts NFL ratings will fall - Business Insider

It has been a rough year for the NFL and at least one investment bank thinks there is a good chance things are just going to get worse.

The NFL's television ratings appear to have peaked and could fall, according to Pacific Crest analysts Andy Hargreaves and Evan Wingren.

In a note released this week previewing television and streaming networks for 2016, networks such CBS, FOX, and ESPN's parent company, Disney, were each labeled as a "biggest risk" in the network industry with one of the major reasons being the questionable future of the NFL.

They believe the concern for the NFL is the ongoing concussion crisis, off-field issues, and how those will impact ratings in the future. The off-field issues presumably refer to players being charged with serious crimes such as domestic assault.

and from mid 2015

You can add this to the worries over The Walt Disney Co.'s (NYSEIS) TV programming and its sports networks' declining subscriber base: With seven years still remaining on ESPN's $15 billion deal to broadcast Monday Night Football, NFL viewership may have plateaued.

A recent Re/Code report noted that overall NFL viewership last year was down about 1.5% from the 205 million viewers who tuned in during 2013. What's more, viewership overall was boosted by Thursday night football, the series of games that had in the past year aired only on the NFL Network but is now available on CBS affiliates.

At ESPN, average viewership of Monday night NFL games was down almost 3%, from 13.7 million viewers a week to 13.3 million. Monday Night Football got off to a particularly slow start last season, with the first three games down 12% over the prior year.

Indeed, Nielsen numbers show the number of sports fans tuning in to MNF has fallen nearly 10% since 2010.

 

[Belfast Saint]

But do you remember it in previous seasons? I don't. Sure, once in a while, they're live at the stadium but I think it's rare - especially during regular Sunday games. And not just this season, I don't ever remember that being part of the regular lead-up to kickoff for TV coverage of regular-season games on Sunday.

I'd read somewhere that the NFL changed the lineup in 2009 and made the players be on the field for the anthem, whereas previously they'd been in the locker room after warm-ups. Don't know if that's true either. Not sure if it's the same in College ball but I can't recall any times when we were out on the field while the anthem was played, or even if it was played.

Not American myself btw. As an aside, since moving back to Europe many many years ago it seems weird to me now to play an anthem at a game that has no international element as the only time you have it played in the UK is when there's nation v nation type sporting event ( I think). Not a criticism, just an observation.