So far this season, viewership on major networks is down about 10% from last season
By
JOE FLINT
Updated Oct. 6, 2016 5:33 p.m. ET
The NFL has been sacked for a loss.
Once considered immune to the audience erosion plaguing the television industry, ratings for the National Football League have slipped through the first four weeks of the season.
TV networks have spent heavily on sports, and the NFL in particular, because of their must-see nature. While more viewers today watch commercial-free streaming services like Netflix or record shows on DVRs and skip the ads, sports programming primarily is still watched live, making it valuable to advertisers.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ratings-fumble-for-nfl-surprises-networks-advertisers-1475764108