Another example of how the congloms have pushed beyond reasonable limits, and
are now being forced to backtrack in order to deal with viewer dissatisfaction.
The last time I attended a college football game I was bored silly waiting for
the game to be played while the TV audience was being entertained by
commercials...
Regards
Craig
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/03/22/roger-goodell-plans-to-speed-up-pace-nfl-games-2017/99491048/
Exclusive: Roger Goodell says changes coming to quicken NFL games in 2017
Tom Pelissero
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to USA TODAY Sports' Tom Pelissero about
how the league will implement changes in 2017 to speed up the game. USA TODAY
Sports
Every NFL fan has seen an exciting game disrupted in a familiar way: a
commercial break, then a kickoff, then … another commercial break.
Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t like it, either.
“It drives me crazy,” Goodell told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. “We call
those ‘double-ups.’ They actually occurred 27% of the time (on kickoffs last
season). And that’s still too high for us.”
In the coming days, the league will roll out its plans for not only revamping
the commercial structure within TV broadcasts, but also tweaking in-game
timing, replay reviews and more — the product of experimentation and research
the NFL took directly to fans before last season to find out what they liked
and disliked, both in the stadium and on the couch.
Goodell said the changes aren’t tied to a pre-election TV ratings dip last
season. But he acknowledged the expiration of the NFL's current TV deals in
2022 amidst a changing media landscape is “top of mind for us on the broader
picture” as the league continues to seek the best way to deliver a valuable
commodity: three hours of content many viewers still consume live.
MORE COVERAGE
Beginning with the upcoming season, there will be subtle changes to the timing
of the game itself, including standardizing the start of the clock after a
player goes out of bounds and the duration of halftime. A play clock will be
instituted after extra points (and perhaps after touchdowns, though that’s
still under discussion). A vote is expected at the league meetings next week on
a centralized replay system in which referees review plays on tablets, rather
than sideline monitors, and provide input to officiating headquarters in New
York, where the final call would be made.
There will be changes to TV broadcasts, including less frequent, but slightly
longer commercial breaks — a standard pattern of four per quarter (rather than
five, six, five and five), each extended from 1:50 to 2:20. (The NFL’s research
shows fans notice fewer breaks, not how long they are, Goodell said.) Networks
will be allowed to break during replay reviews. At times, a double box allowing
viewers to see inside the stadium while an ad plays, or a sponsored break
featuring one brand, could replace standard commercials. Some in-game promotion
for NFL and partner initiatives will be replaced by more analysis, highlights
and other content.
“We have seen commercialization maybe creep into the game in areas that we
don’t think is appropriate,” Goodell said, “and we’re going to work with our
network partners to try to pull that back, to make sure that we can create that
compelling experience for our fans.”
Other changes — including a potential vote to eliminate coaches challenges
after or late into a commercial break (another issue Goodell said frustrates
him) and an actual reduction of ads and promotions — remain under consideration
as well.
MORE COVERAGE
The goal isn’t to shorten games, though Goodell estimated the changes might
shave five minutes off contests that lasted an average of 3:07:08 last season
(down from 3:08:18 in 2015).
“What we’re looking to do is take that down time out, which is not
entertaining,” Goodell said. “And in our research, we had biofeedback, so we
could see what they were watching and you could tell when they’re not as
interested in what’s happening in the broadcast.
“In today’s day and age, we have to give our fans every reason to watch what’s
happening, find what they see on television and in the stadium as compelling.
Don’t give them a reason to turn away.”
Other frequent targets of fan angst also are being addressed. Goodell confirmed
the NFL intends to begin hiring some of the 17 full-time officials permitted
under its labor deal. He also expects the league “will be loosening up the
celebration rules to allow the players a little more expression of their
enthusiasm,” though the competition committee continues to study that issue, as
USA TODAY Sports reported last month, and discussions likely will extend beyond
the next meeting.
Further changes to commercials, timing and other areas are likely in the coming
seasons, Goodell said. As it does with everything, the NFL will roll out
changes incrementally, gauge the impact and then determine what it should do
next.
As for those obnoxious “double-ups” — Goodell said the goal is to eliminate
them, though significantly reducing them by reducing the number of breaks would
be a positive first step.
“You’re always going to be re-evaluating these areas and trying to say, what do
we do better here?” Goodell said. “Whether it’s in our officiating mechanics,
whether it’s in our commercial mechanics and how work with our TV partners,
what we do in our stadiums — all those things are going to continue to be high
priorities for us.”
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Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero
