mass 11 presentation - nfl & female viewership

The NFL’s Female Audience

Matthew LittleRachel Tom-Quinn

Erin CondiffArianna Spang

NFL Ownership

• Each team is owned privately• Very different strategies in different markets

when it comes to attracting female fans• In terms of managing their female fan base,

the Pittsburg Steelers unquestionably do it best

• 34% of women in that market identify as fans

Superbowl XLVIII

• Broadcast on FOX– FOX is owned by News Corp

• 46% female viewers• FOX is known for its conservative values• “Flies in the face of phony Republican War on

Women”

FOX

• The only network that provides easy access to the results of their female viewership

• FOX is known for its conservative values• “Flies in the face of phony Republican War on

Women”• Trying to rebrand• In 2013, up 10% in females 25-54• Their most ever

NFL Network’s RedZoneand DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket

• All game day CBS and FOX games

• Subscription based• No commercials means

less push from advertisers and more focus on game alone

23-28% of women watch between 6 and

10 hours of football per

week

Despite all of the technology devices that Americans have they still watch on their TV’s most

TV In Person Computer Smart Phone

Tablet0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Watch NFL Football Games

Watch NFL Football Games

• In terms of female fans, the NFL trails only college sports, according to data from The

ESPN Sports Poll and the U.S. Census.

Together We Make Football

• Together We Make Football Heidi’s Story

Female Fans can be seen more on the TV

“Homegating”

• "NFL Party was coming together with licensees to make it easy for families and people hosting parties, and certainly women are largely driving that in the home," O'Reilly said. The league considers the site a success, he said, and will increase its content.

Political EffectsOne may not view a sports team as having any place in politics, but that which is popular in our culture will have a political influence regardless of its ultimate intention.NFL attempts to stay politically correct by engaging in something called the “Rooney Rule”, stating a team must interview at least one minority for a head coaching job or general manager position. • The above rule only applies to these positions as they are the

“face of the team” and this would look good for the NFL • Just as racial minorities are being selectively hired, the NFL

has also begun to selectively entice the female gender into participating in the sports culture as well, as they are seen the minority in terms of football viewership.

Economic Factors

• Who’s making money?• Any viewers automatically bring in revenue for the broadcasting

channels partnered with the NFL. • Any attendants to games bring money to the actual league itself. • Our current culture believes that sports are worth the economic

expenditures.

• What are the principal sources of revenue?• ticket sales or gate receipts • local and national broadcasting rights• licensing income• stadium-related revenue including luxury boxes, concessions, and

studio naming rights.

Economics Continued

• Media revenues account for more than half of all revenue gained for the NFL – the actual coverage of the games produces a higher profit than attendance, proving our world to be increasingly virtual.

• In the past, the NFL used to make games un-viewable for television audiences if the tickets were not all sold. Of course, things have changed now that it has been made clear how much profit is gained from media streaming.

Social Effects

• Sports teams bring a sense of togetherness from within.• Sports fans form a bond over the support of teams, thus

allowing both the players and the audience to feel united. – Some fans, however, may find the worst of them brought out

when feuding over their specified favorite team or player. • Superbowl commercials allow for a sense of community

outside of sports culture, for these commercials are widely discussed and watched regardless of one’s interest in the NFL itself.

Mass Media’s NFL Portrayal

• Heavily advertised by popular press, seen as an American staple in today’s age. Popular press focuses majorly on the social aspect of the games.

• Some highlights of popular media sources’ focuses on the NFL and its games:– Fan reactions– Celebrity perspectives– The light, cheerful side of popular culture.

Formal Views on the NFL

• The formal academic journals are the sources that focus on political and economical aspects of the NFL.

• The general public seeks the informal view as a means to escape from the rudimentary reality of life, either through participation or observation.

• The formal will always focus on the intricacies and subtext, whereas the informal skims only the “pretty” and easily digestible surface and takes what is shown at face value.

Representative Examples of Content

1. Super Bowl 2014 – Halftime Show with Bruno Mars – Top Three Rated Commercials• Budweiser’s Puppy Love • Dorito’s Cowboy Kid• Budweiser’s Hero’s Welcome

– NFL’s Commercial Together We Make Football

Subtexts & Effects – Halftime• Fun & Entertaining • Not necessarily for “football fans” • 100 million viewers • Most are not fans (only watch for Halftime)• Pop culture event • It is socially not acceptable not to watch the

Super Bowl • It is basically un-American not to watch the Super

Bowl • The more people that watch the Super Bowl, the

more money the NFL makes

Subtexts & Effects – Top Three

• Sympathetic • Budweiser – Take the emotional route that appeals to

females • Doritos – Mother’s struggle to get sons to help with

household chores• America favored the sensitive commercials this year

over the humorous • Chips and beer were more popular than cars and other

products • The companies that chose humor over emotional

themes this year were not as popular and lost out on a huge market for their products

Subtexts & Effects – NFL Commercial

• Together We Make Football thanks the fans • Females portrayed in the ad• Gives viewers the sense that females are fans

too• Females can understand football too• Socially acceptable for girls to play football• NFL is “giving back” to the people that make the

game possible • NFL spent its own money to run this ad during

the game

Representative Examples of Content

2. A Crucial Catch – Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign – Pink Colored Team Gear– Outfit Stadiums with Logo– Sells Campaign Apparel

Subtexts & Effects

• NFL supports women because it is campaigning for breast cancer awareness

• NFL is attracting more female fans & enhancing its image

• A Crucial Catch is used for both social cause and enterprise

• Political move remain (all of) America’s favorite pastime

• NFL and corporate partners view females as a growing desirable consumer demographic

Representative Examples of Content

3. Verizon’s “Football Girl” Campaign with Terry Bradshaw – Ella sets out to be a football expert so she

can prove to her brothers and Terry that she has what it takes to go to the Super Bowl

Subtexts & Effects• Girls can “do” football too• Females and males on equal “playing fields” a

reality• You don’t have to be a boy to play and analyze

football games• NFL has female reporters – no female game analysts • Anchor booth on game is still an all boys club• Females are asking the questions, not giving their

opinions• Verizon Fios pushed this campaign with a social

media sharing angle – garnering high activity and results

Conclusion

Questions

• 1. How many females do you know who are true NFL fans?

• 2. Is it ethical for the NFL to be targeting females and non-fans?

• 3. Has the Super Bowl (halftime show, commercials, etc.) focused too heavily on entertaining America rather than the game?

Questions

• 4. What channels do you watch the NFL on? FOX? CBS? NBC? ESPN? RedZone? etc

• 5. Why are there still no female game day anchors sitting in the booth discussing the game?

• 6. Is the Terry Bradshaw/Ella Verizon Fios commercial a reality for future generations of girls who aspire to be “footballers?”

Sources• Basen, R. (13, October 3). The NFL's use of pink is not as altruistic as it seems. | SportsonEarth.com :

Ryan Basen Article. SportsonEarth.com. Retrieved from http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/62332742/

• Busis, H. (2014, February 3). Super Bowl 2014: And the most popular ads were... EW.com. Retrieved from http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/02/03/super-bowl-most-popular-ads/

• Carlino, G., & Coulson, N. E. (2004). Compensating advertising. All receptive to the same products. Differentials and the Social Benefits of the NFL. Journal of Urban Economics, 56(1), 25-50.

• Deitch, Richard. (2014). An NFL Ratings Bonanza. Retrieved from http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/08/nfl-tv-ratings-nbc-cbs-espn-fox-playoffs/

• Duru, N. J. (2007). Fritz Pollard Alliance, the Rooney Rule, and the Quest to Level the Playing Field in the National Football League, The. Va. Sports & Ent. LJ, 7, 179.

• Gorman, B. (2011, October 14). No Surprise: 64% Of Americans Watch NFL Football; 73% of Men, 55% of Women. TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/10/14/no-surprise-64-americans-watch-nfl-football-73-of-men-55-of-women/107308/

Sources Continued• Herman, R. (2013, October 11). Robin Herman says make 'Football Girl' a reality in anchor

booth. ESPN. Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/9808193/espnw-robin-herman-says-make-football-girl-reality-anchor-booth

• Leeds, M., & Von Allmen, P. (2004). The economics of sports. New York.

• Lepore, S. (2014, February 4). The complete 2014 Super Bowl Ad Meter results. Super Bowl Ad Meter: Final Ad Meter Rankings. Retrieved from http://admeter.usatoday.com/story/sports/ad-meter/super-bowl/2014/02/03/ad-meter-story-final-ad-meter-rankings/5173807/

• • Robinson, D. (2013, October 17). Fios Football Girl Proves Girls Rock. Fios Football Girl

Proves Girls Rock. Retrieved from http://newscenter.verizon.com/residential/news-articles/2013/10-17-verizon-fios-football-girl-proves-girls-rock/

• YEAR IN SPORTS MEDIA REPORTS: 2013. (2014, February 4). Year in Sports Media Report: 2013. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/reports/2014/year-in-the-sports-media-report-2013.html

Sources Continued• Associated Press. (July 26, 2012). Pittsburgh leads nation in female NFL fans. Retrieved fromhttp

://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8024a78d/article/pittsburgh-leads-nation-in-female-nfl-fans • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/giants/• http://www.cjr.org/resources/• Sports Business Daily. (February 1, 2012). Gap Between Number of Male, Female Super Bowl

Viewers is Shrinking. Retrieved from http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/02/01/Research-and-Ratings/SB-demos.aspx

• http://woldcnews.com/934652/nfl-chicks-takeover-women-love-football-too/