View topic - What can be done about officiating?

[PGHeaven Profile]

I am sick of this shit. I am sick of a game in which more time is spent watching the officials instead of the play. I am sick of officials effecting game outcomes. What if anything can be done? Where can we vent? Is there a website?

[Nick79 Profile]

I've been trying to figure it out? Especially with all the late hit, unsportsmanlike CRAP? They say it's for the health of the players, maybe that's true, they don't want players being paid millions getting hurt. But it certainly isn't a concern of the fans. Most fans in fact want very badly to see severe, extreme brutality and really couldn't give a crap about safety. To me there is nothing worse than a game being decided by a celebration or taunting penalty. I think that stuff should just be allowed! Who cares?

I'm not really sure who exactly the NFL is catering to? I think most fans, who are the customers for their product, would like to see many, many, many rules eliminated and the brutality taken back to it's 1960s level.

[relictele Profile]

I'm the farthest thing from a conspiracy nut but put yourselves in the NFL's shoes...

-If you wanted games to be close (margins typically 14 pts or fewer) to keep gamblers' interests, stage frequent 'upsets' and avoid frequent blowouts
-If you wanted to virtually guarantee parity or at keep the interest of teams fighting for a playoff berth as a reward for a .500 record (!) and their fans nearly to the end of every regular season

then you would tell the officials to overdo it whenever and wherever possible. The officials are the brakes on the players, teams and games. Modern athletes could probably put 40 pts or more on the board on a regular basis but that's not what the NFL wants - at least not every week. The NFL plays up the 'competition committee' as some sort of benevolent society but the aim for both the league and the committee is to keep games close and provide a fig leaf for inept offenses & defenses to stop them from turning fans off and reducing live gate, TV ratings and sportswear sales.

Yes the stakes are high in the league - money and fame for all - and if you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin' but there are frequent penalties that aren't called and plenty of phantom penalties that nullify great, athletic plays. There's no consistency between individual officials, between crews or even between the same crews officiating different teams.

This league leaves nothing to chance - they go after Pop Warner teams called the Steelers or Dolphins -yet they only make the odd cosmetic change to the officiating. It's fair to ask why.

[Coke Oven Profile]

relictele, you are extremely wise. That is exactly what I think is going on. The goal is to maximize the bucks taken in by the nfl as a whole. Gamblers are only a part of it. Think about the tv advertisers. If games are a blowout then a lot of fans will quit watching and tune into another or something else. Less people to watch the ads, less advertizers will be willing to pay.

The buck rules more and more.