OT - Going gray: Sports TV viewers skew older...

[CaribouJim]

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2017/06/05/Research-and-Ratings/Viewership-trends.aspx

Some interesting stuff from the Sports Business Journal - just as an FYI before you start to read it - digital viewing was not part of the study, so not a huge, huge surprise for the trend but kind of unsettling nonetheless I would think on the somewhat rapid decline for some sports. In any event, it gives me another cherished opportunity to blame something on those damn millennials!

[TheSultan]

Interesting that the median age for watching college basketball is ten years older than the NBA (52 v. 42).

The only sports with a median age under the age of 45 are various soccer leagues and the NBA.

[MU88]

My kids don't watch any sports. They don't mind going to games, but that's about it. Except for watching a few of the NBA stars (Lebron, etc), they have very little interest. These are kids that are good athletes and participate in a number of sports. They just have no interest in watching games on tv. That said, most of their friends are the same.

[CaribouJim]

My kids don't watch any sports. They don't mind going to games, but that's about it. Except for watching a few of the NBA stars (Lebron, etc), they have very little interest. These are kids that are good athletes and participate in a number of sports. They just have no interest in watching games on tv. That said, most of their friends are the same.

Funny you mentioned that. A buddy I grew up with back home in NY was here for a 3-day weekend and when he was leaving I told him to bring his high school son next time and I'll try to round up some Cub or Sox tickets and he replied "Nope - he doesn't like to watch sports" and I said "even a Cubs game in person?" and same thing - "nope, he plays sports, but has little or no interest in watching".

At that age, I could't get enough watching and playing.

[Goose85]

My kids watch sports, and enjoy going to games, but they also grew up going to MU and Brewer games too.
Now that doesn't mean they will ever pay for cable tv when they move on, but they do enjoy watching and going to games, and tailgating too.

The biggest difference is when I watch, I watch. When they watch, it is mostly background noise, as they are mostly on their phones, laptop or computer.

[MU/Panther]

Funny you mentioned that. A buddy I grew up with back home in NY was here for a 3-day weekend and when he was leaving I told him to bring his high school son next time and I'll try to round up some Cub or Sox tickets and he replied "Nope - he doesn't like to watch sports" and I said "even a Cubs game in person?" and same thing - "nope, he plays sports, but has little or no interest in watching".

At that age, I could't get enough watching and playing. Well, who wants to see the Sox or Cubs anyways. :p:p

[CaribouJim]

Well, who wants to see the Sox or Cubs anyways. :p:p

Ouch!!

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I fall into the gray area of the millennial age range, depending on what you classify as the start of the millennial era, and I loved and still love watching and attending sports. With that said, we now live in a time where Millennials are not the only era to contend with, there is a new era of kids coming into their own, all them the centennial's as some refer to them (kids born after 2004), and they are different than even millennials.

[DCwarrior]

I'm of the Generation X era and I used to watch as much sports on TV as humanely possible. However, now that I'm married with kids, my TV sports viewing has been curtailed dramatically. I basically now watch Marquette games, Packer games when they're on TV in the DC area, Washington Capitals playoff hockey (which never goes past the 2nd round), parts of major golf tournaments, World Cup soccer and the rare NBA or MLB game. My kids really aren't interested in team sports and refuse to watch any on TV. I think kids today have many more options in terms of what sports or other extracurricular activities they want to do. To most kids, the idea of sitting around on Sundays and watching 9 hours of football and 3 hours of baseball or basketball every night is just so foreign to them.

[TedBaxter]

Spend all day on their phones watching videos and playing games? Short attention span theatre.

[TheSultan]

So sitting around and watching TV on sports all day is now a sign of a more developed attention span?

It's all just consuming entertainment in a different way.

[Nukem2]

So sitting around and watching TV on sports all day is now a sign of a more developed attention span?

It's all just consuming entertainment in a different way.
A lot of it is not entertainment as they are texting each other about nothingness all day. :p

[TheSultan]

God this place feels like an old folks home at times.

[TedBaxter]

At least I can converse with others while watching a sporting event on TV.

[Nukem2]

God this place feels like an old folks home at times.
It's always interesting to watch couples texting/messaging/surfing/game-playing/whatever at a restaurant and never speak.

[2012Warrior]

I like watching sports with Twitter in the background. Especially if I'm not super invested in the game.

[Goose85]

It's always interesting to watch couples texting/messaging/surfing/game-playing/whatever at a restaurant and never speak.

I'm with you Nukem, I think it is hilarious that some want to post that they are at a restaurant or a picture of their meal on social media, but then not really socialize with those that are at the same table. In that case why go out with that person or group?

It is an interesting dynamic that you see now, as people are fixated on their phones and such interaction.

When I watch a game on TV with my kids, my cell phone may be within reach, but not in my hand. My kids will almost always have it in hand and in view while 'watching' the game. Crazy when you see it live at a game. People pay good money for a ticket, and then look at their phone for much of the game.

[TheSultan]

Its different. Neither right nor wrong. Why make it a value judgement?

[Nukem2]

Its different. Neither right nor wrong. Why make it a value judgement?
Who made a value judgment? We both used the word interesting.

[TheSultan]

Who made a value judgment? We both used the word interesting.

"A lot of it is not entertainment as they are texting each other about nothingness all day."

Don't be so disingenuous.

[Nukem2]

"A lot of it is not entertainment as they are texting each other about nothingness all day."

Don't be so disingenuous.
Huh. Just a statement that some of it is not entertainment. How is that a judgment? Nothing insinuated there. Just what it is, gboow.

[TheSultan]

Huh. Just a statement that some of it is not entertainment. How is that a judgment? Nothing insinuated there. Just what it is, gboow.

Can't even own your statements...

[Nukem2]

Can't even own your statements...
You sound like Murff over at Dodd's board...connecting those imaginary dots in your mind....:p. You are a real tool.

[TheSultan]

You sound like Murff over at Dodd's board...connecting those imaginary dots in your mind....:p. You are a real tool.

No. I'm reading the words you wrote.

And if you have such a problem with me, stop replying to me in your usual manner. You know...snarkiness without substance.

[Nukem2]

No. I'm reading the words you wrote.

And if you have such a problem with me, stop replying to me in your usual manner. You know...snarkiness without substance.
I really don't have a problem with what folks do with their media. As I said, I just find it interesting as to what they do fwiw. Don't try to interpret what I said. You have no clue. BTW, does your employer know that you are here all day?

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Back to the topic... I would be very interested to see what this looks like if you throw in digital media and such, I imagine that would bring some of those numbers back down.

[MUMac]

It's always interesting to watch couples texting/messaging/surfing/game-playing/whatever at a restaurant and never speak.

That's where you are wrong. They usually are texting each other. ;)

[Nukem2]

That's where you are wrong. They usually are texting each other. ;)

Lol, that's what my wife always says. :D