Troy Aikman Says NFL Is Overexposed

Added on Feb 22, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

In the wake of the highest-rated and most watched Super Bowl ever, one would think the NFL would be sitting pretty as America’s number one sport. Actually, the league is enjoying a prolonged period of success, but former Cowboys quarterback and current FOX analyst Troy Aikman believes football’s reign as king might end because of overexposure and a growing concern about concussions.

Aikman, while speaking at a forum last week about pro football returning to Los Angeles, warned that the NFL’s rapid growth in popularity won’t last.

“I believe, and this is my opinion, that at some point football is not going to be the number one sport,” the The Los Angeles Times reported Aikman said. “You talk about the ebbs and flows of what’s popular and what’s not. At some point, the TV ratings are not going to be there.”

Aikman posited that a decline will occur at some point during the next 20 years, which is a blanket statement of sorts. Twenty years is a wide range, and it’s certainly possible another sport could overtake football in the public’s conscience. However, it’s just as possible it will remain on top.

Aikman’s reasoning is sound, though. Constant media coverage and the league’s decision to expand the number of days in the week games are played could pose a threat.

“At one time, watching football was an event,” Aikman said. “‘Monday Night Football’ was a big event. Now you get football Sunday, you get it Monday, you get it Thursday and, late in the year, you get it on Saturday.”

He brings up an interesting point, but it’s still only one contest per week, as opposed to the other big three sports that play multiple times in seven days. Missing two or three Giants games is completely different than skipping a handful of Yankees games.

The bigger issue that could affect the NFL’s future prospects is concussions. On this front, Aikman knows of what he speaks, having suffered a few during his career. With more and more retired players showing signs of brain trauma later in life due to the game’s violent nature, the league’s “long-term viability” could be in jeopardy.

Rules and equipment changes can lessen the risk of concussions, but it’s impossible to prevent them entirely, barring a switch to two-hand tap or flag football. Whether you agree with Aikman’s assessment or not, he does offer some valid points worthy of discussion.

Source: LA Times