NFL Has Finally Regained Republicans favorability Lost Due To Kaepernick Kneeling Saga

Ratings for the NFL declined precipitously in 2016 and 2017, ultimately leading to double-digit declines. 

There were people within the sports media who pushed back on the notion the declines were a response to Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players kneeling before the national anthem, purportedly in protest of the relationship between police officers and minority Americans.

They were wrong.

A new study from Morning Consult all but confirms politics was responsible for the decline. Specifically, a significant number of Republicans stopped watching the NFL in 2016 and 2017 but have since slowly returned (as kneeling has come to an end).

Heading into the Super Bowl, the NFL finally regained the favorability that it lost among Republicans nearly 10 years ago. Favorability among Republicans and Democrats is now about equal, as shown below:

Consequently, the NFL has set all-time viewership records in back-to-back Super Bowls, averaging 115 million and 124 million viewers in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

If Sunday's Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles is close (close games generally produce higher peaks and averages), the NFL could top its record for a third straight season. 

Hate for the Chiefs (and the refs) has brought Americans together, regardless of political affiliation.

The NBA should take notice. Unlike the NFL, NBA players and coaches continue to use the space to espouse one-sided political messaging. Case in point: Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August in support of Kamala Harris.

In 2020, a YouGov / Yahoo News poll found that nearly half of America changed its sports viewing habits and blamed political and social messaging for it. The study was primarily in reference to the NBA painting "Black Lives Matter" on the court to honor George Floyd.

NBA viewership is down nearly 50% since 2012.

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 02:   (L-R) Eli Harold #58, Colin Kaepernick #7 and Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline during the anthem prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on October 2, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Americans prefer sports to be an escapism, a distraction from the divisiveness of everyday American politics. The NFL understands that. Other leagues don't, including the WNBA.

For the first time since its inception, the WNBA has transcended into the mainstream conversation (thanks to Caitlin Clark). Yet nasty mean girls like DiJonai Carrington are about to halt the league's movement by begging the league to take action against President Donald Trump.

"We see that some of the policies are already going into action, and, of course, that means that as the WNBA and being at the forefront of a lot of these movements, it's time for us to also take action. It definitely needs to happen as women, women's rights being taken away, like, now, LGBTQ rights being taken away now. They haven't happened yet, but definitely in the works," Carrington said prior to an Unrivaled league game Thursday.

An American sports league has support from both conservatives and liberals to reach its highest possible ceiling of popularity. Apparently, the WNBA doesn't want that.

By the way, given the Morning Consult, has one player ever negatively impacted a league more than Kaepernick did the NFL?