Following a ratings scare in the aftermath of the Colin Kaepernick national anthem protests, the NFL has seen a 5% increase in TV viewership and a 49% increase in digital viewership this season, and some believe the uptick can be attributed to legalized sports betting in various states across the county.
While appearing on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” earlier this week, New York Giants treasurer and executive, Jonathan Tisch, acknowledged that sports betting has a “big influence” on current NFL ratings, future NFL ratings and the overall interest in the product.
“That is certainly a big influence,” Tisch said, via CNBC. “Obviously, if you’re betting on a certain game, you’re going to watch to see what happens and you’re going to watch until the bitter end because there are many games that are won on a field goal with three seconds left.”
Tisch added that fantasy football also has an impact on not only viewership, but attendance, noting that strict fantasy players are more likely to sit on their couch watching the NFL RedZone channel than paying full price to attend a single game in person.
In looking ahead, Tisch believes the NFL will adapt to those changes, even potentially allowing fans to place bets from inside the stadium on gameday.
“I think the NFL is getting ready for it,” Tisch said, adding that the Giants, who play in New Jersey where sports betting has been legalized, are prepared for it. “I’m sure the NFL is in constant conversation about how all this is going to unfold.”
One of the biggest discussions to be had, Tisch said, is how the NFL will allocate all of the sports betting revenue based on the league’s revenue-sharing program and how that would be impacted by states where sports betting remains illegal.
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