[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video” src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/a4rgLz48V9c”] [\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
PRESS PLAY>>TO VIEW THIS MONTH\u2019S WELCOME VIDEO<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A 2-MINUTE DRILL ON BRANDING<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always been a big football fan. In high school, Friday nights were football game nights.\u00a0 Later, I became an avid Michigan and![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kenbanks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/nfl-logo.gif\"){kind=logo}
Michigan State fan (Wayne State was no football power).\u00a0 I became a Detroit Lions fan early on and can remember listening avidly to their last NFL Championship team in 1957.\u00a0 Later on, I was a charter season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went to every game for 13 seasons until I got tired of losing.\u00a0 Now\u2026not so much.\u00a0 Like many others around the country I\u2019m not addicted to NFL football or college football anymore.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kenbanks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/players-kneeling.jpg\")
What has happened to the NFL that makes millions lose interest. \u00a0I think it\u2019s a lack of effective branding.\u00a0 So far this year, television ratings for the NFL broadcasts are down 6.8% from last year, and 2016 was down 8% from the previous year.\u00a0 Many believe that this year\u2019s sideline protests against our flag and country are the reason, and I agree that it is a contributing factor.\u00a0 If the media hadn\u2019t been so infatuated with providing more coverage to the kneeling instead of the playing, I suspect it wouldn\u2019t have been such a big deal, but I don\u2019t think it would have helped the ratings or attendance.\u00a0 The fact is the NFL brand is boring and \u00a0(like Major League Baseball and the NBA )the prospects for growth or a return to the glorious days of yesteryear is not likely.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So, what caused the decline in interest?\u00a0 Let\u2019s start with over-exposure.\u00a0 As the league added more coverage to collect TV revenue with Thursday night games, Saturday games (near the season\u2019s end), Monday night double headers, Sunday night games and early broadcasts from London, the fans are getting bored.\u00a0 The increase in free agency and career ending injuries have made the rosters so temporary that the loyalty of the fans to the players has all but disappeared.\u00a0 Gone are the days of the Steelers who won 4 super bowls with basically the same lineup on the field every year.\u00a0 Even today\u2019s perennial champs, the New England Patriots, have done so with the only constants at QB and coach.\u00a0 Fans like to identify the players as people not just numbers or end zone celebrations.\u00a0 They want winners and they want to know them on a more personal basis.\u00a0 The dedication to Sunday game watching in the fall has diminished as players move more and touchdowns become less attractive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And this lack of interest starts early.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve been to a high school football game recently, you can see that about the only fans are family members and very few students who aren\u2019t on the field.\u00a0 Away team fans don\u2019t even bother to come unless it\u2019s a state championship (or it\u2019s one of those towns that have nothing but Friday night high school games to catch their interest).\u00a0 On the other hand, go to one of the soccer complexes on a Friday night and catch one of 6 or 7 games in progress with kids from age 3 to 13 and more than soccer moms in attendance).\u00a0 On a Saturday, the club soccer teams take over and again loyal fans make treks all over the state or metro area to catch the games.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Football has long benefited from the free coverage in the media and it continues to dominate the sports channel dialogues.\u00a0 However, the brand is suffering from increased head injuries, protests, contract hold-outs, drug suspensions, and spouse or child abuse by several players.\u00a0 All of which turn off the once rabid fans who made the NFL a cult brand for many years.\u00a0 I still watch the home team games on Sunday (or whenever they are on.\u00a0 However, I (like most former fans) haven\u2019t been to a game at the stadium for several years now.\u00a0 It\u2019s simply too much hassle for such a time investment (and money too).\u00a0 The key is for teams to identify more with their communities and to encourage kids to watch more games and play more touch or flag games in the neighborhood.\u00a0 I\u2019m tired of hearing \u201cIt\u2019s just a business\u201d.\u00a0 It should be more of a sport that identifies with the home team and its loyal fans.\u00a0 Just like a successful brand, fans (customers) must have a positive relationship with the product or service.\u00a0 Football needs to recognize this soon.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kenbanks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/publix-logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
with an award winning spot on the importance of family at this time of year.\u00a0 Take a look: \u00a0\u00a0