While Cubs fan were celebrating their curse-breaking World Series win, the executives at Fox were also celebrating the TV sky-high ratings for the night's game. Over the years, baseball has become a more regional sport, while football has captivated the nation. But this year, NFL games have seen a double-digit decline in some places, likely for a variety of reasons. A big one could be this crazy election year. Also, the games themselves haven't been as strong this year, and with football games saturating the market multiple nights a week, it's possible that people have just gotten bored with them. The downward ratings trend is troubling for networks who spend tons of money getting the rights to the games to not have their investments pay off. The big test will be in 2017 to see if ratings return to higher levels post-election.
KCRW
