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No property delivers, and delivers big, like the National Football League: TV ratings, ticket sales, sponsorships, stars and, yes, controversy.
The league long ago usurped baseball as America’s game. Thanks to its hold on U.S. sports fans, the average NFL franchise is worth about $2.5 billion, up 8 percent over last year, according to Forbes. It has amassed economic power that has made the health of the league vital to a variety of stakeholders, including the stadiums where its teams plays and all the people and businesses connected to them.
But as the league enjoys an unprecedented run of success, it also faces issues that threaten its lofty status: a softening of TV ratings, even as 24/7 on-demand viewing options give fans more reason to watch games from the couch rather than at the stadium; the continuing questions about head injuries in the game and how better to prevent them; and the 2-year-old controversy over player protests during the national anthem that has divided the country.
At the same time, big-budget stadiums are being built in the Los Angeles and Las Vegas markets. Upgrades to venues, especially in the premium areas and including the introduction of celebrity chef-inspired concessions, augmented reality, virtual reality and new ways to use your phone for everything from seat upgrades to viewing player stats, are all in the NFL playbook. And perhaps most important to the sport’s bottom line, sports wagering is being introduced state-by-state after the Supreme Court cleared the way.
As the league kicks off a new season, we take a look at some of these issues, including the anthem controversy and its effects on NFL stadiums. We also look at a couple of ways teams are trying to make the stadium experience more appealing to fans: the Rams’ ambitious Inglewood project, and enhanced tailgating experiences that make the pre- and postgame experience as much of a destination as the game itself.
These issues, and how the league tackles them, will help determine whether the NFL continues to be America’s game.