Brad Daugherty, former North Carolina and Cleveland Cavaliers star turned ESPN NASCAR broadcaster, said it best “the NFL slaughters everything.” I use that quote early and often. It’s very true on multiple levels. While that soundbite is short and to the point, Bob Costas articulated the same message in a more detailed and eloquent manner here.
Costas was on media conference call to preview the NFL season, which as you know begins tonight and he was asked this question:
“Bob, television ratings really speak volumes each season both for NBC and all the networks. But can you speak for a second about the power of the NFL as America’s sport?”
His response is pure poetry.
Bob Costas: “Well, it’s obvious in every measurable way when it comes to television that football has long been the number one sport. Regular season games often get considerably higher ratings than the most important postseason games in other sports. And of course, football is uniquely situated. It’s not just an appealing spectacle for most Americans. But you only play 16 regular season games, most of them are played on Sundays, most of them played at a time of the year when people aren’t traveling and aren’t outside. And this is one I’ve mentioned before that I think people take for granted, but I think it’s important. In football’s postseason, every single game is the equivalent of a Game 7 in the NBA, the NHL, or Major League Baseball or Game 5 if it’s a best of five series.”
“So all of those things played to football’s advantage and the numbers bear it out. It’s not just a sports juggernaut, it’s a cultural juggernaut, and at a time when our tastes are all kind of in niches.”
“You watch the Emmys and you know these are all great shows, but not all of them are watched by everybody or by a huge percentage of Americans like the Cosby Show or Seinfeld used to be or whatever it might be; whereas, football cuts across everything. At a time when everything is in niches, football brings all the demographics under one net.”
Paul M. Banks owns and operates The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports, Yahoo! and the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)