Cowboys draw lowest Week 1 TV rating in nine years as NFL viewership drops 1 percent from 2017

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has demanded that his players not participate in the protests aimed at raising awareness about racism 

The NFL’s ratings saga continued in Week 1, as the Dallas Cowboys drew their lowest local Week 1 Nielsen rating since 2009.

According to Barry Horn, who previously worked for the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys drew a 28.2 in the Dallas-Fort Worth media market for Sunday’s opening loss to the Panthers in Carolina. The Cowboys haven’t drawn such a low local rating since they opened the season at Tampa Bay following a year in which they did not make the playoffs.

The current Cowboys have not reached the postseason in two years and did not make any major off-season acquisitions, although they did lose three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant and are currently without All-Pro center Travis Frederick, who is suffering from an autoimmune disorder.

But even given the team’s limited expectations, the Cowboys have been one of the league’s more reliable draws at the box office and in terms of Nielsen ratings. The team is valued at a league-high $4.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Despite failing to reach the playoffs for two years, the Cowboys are valued at $4.8 billion

Despite failing to reach the playoffs for two years, the Cowboys are valued at $4.8 billion

The Dallas Cowboys lost their opener on Sunday in Carolina, despite a touchdown and 69 rushing yards from running back Ezekiel Elliott 

The Dallas Cowboys lost their opener on Sunday in Carolina, despite a touchdown and 69 rushing yards from running back Ezekiel Elliott 

In total, NFL ratings have slipped roughly 17 percent over the last two years. Many critics, including President Donald Trump, have pointed to the controversial protests during the national anthem, which are aimed at raising awareness of racism and police brutality against minorities.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been very critical of the protests as well, going so far as to tell reporters during training camp that ‘Our policy is that you stand at the anthem, toe on the line.’ 

The Cowboys were one of six NFL teams to not have a single player protest during the national anthem last season, according to multiple reports. However, the team did kneel in unison, along with Jones, before standing together while locking arms for the national anthem prior to a game on September 25, 2017.  

Sunday's CBS coverage was up 28 percent from 2017, thanks to the Patriots-Texans game

Sunday’s CBS coverage was up 28 percent from 2017, thanks to the Patriots-Texans game

Fox enjoyed a 5 percent uptick for its local games compared to 2017

Fox enjoyed a 5 percent uptick for its local games compared to 2017

Despite a disastrous season opener in Philadelphia on September 6, which was delayed by rain and suffered a 13 percent ratings drop from 2017, the NFL’s overall ratings were only down 1 percent in Week 1 compared to last season.

However, there was a vast discrepancy between the most popular and least popular games.

Sunday’s CBS coverage was up 28 percent from 2017—thanks largely to the Houston Texans-New England Patriots opener – while Fox enjoyed a 5 percent uptick for its local games.

NBC, however, suffered a 9 percent drop for the Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears Sunday Night game, despite the fact that quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a thrilling comeback win.

Week 1 marked the third consecutive year that the NFL ratings have fallen in the first week.

 



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