I love a good Christmas movie. Weeks before the holiday, I’m watching my favorites over and over again, ensuring I get my fill. Although the Christmas Story may be on from time to time, Christmas day is usually reserved for the consumption of entirely too much egg nog and multiple naps as festive music plays in the background.
Football isn’t normally in the equation; however, I found myself signing in to Netflix this year to watch the NFL games. As I watched, I couldn’t help but think about how odd it was that the games weren’t on NBC, CBS or Fox. Similar to NFL and/or college games shown on Amazon and Peacock, Netflix has now entered the ring of major live sports.
This got me thinking. It’s already near impossible for a family of four to attend a game without saving for months in advance. What was once a right of passage between a father and son or mother and daughter is now out of reach due to sky high ticket prices.
With major American sports leagues dipping their toes into the utilization of app based broadcasting instead of networks, how much longer until the sports themselves are unaffordable to watch? How many apps will be needed to watch an NFL, NHL or college game?
Our family subscribes to entirely too many apps. I’ll blame myself more than anyone else. I tend to become invested in a show or a particular series and once hooked, I’ll keep the app in order to continue watching. If I’m being honest with myself, I could shed a few of the apps tomorrow and save a few bucks.
Missing shows is one thing, missing sports is another thing altogether.
The networks and companies like Netflix and Amazon know this. They’re all banking on the fact that we’ll continue to tune in no matter how high the price becomes. Budgets be damned, the NFL is an American right of passage. I’m just wondering where the tipping point is. No matter how much we love and identify with our teams, is there a point where we check out? Will there be other sports that take their place?
If it seems unlikely to think we’d never live without football or any other mainstream sport, you’d be surprised. My ten year old daughter is a perfect example of where we may be headed. I was watching Dan Marino throw TD passes at her age whereas she’s watching other people play Minecraft. You heard that right. She’s not even playing the game, she’s watching others play, providing annoying commentary as they scroll through world after world. This is considered entertainment.
This type of viewing should come as no surprise. Years ago colleges started forming E Sports teams where talented gamers began representing universities in a new type of “sport.” Kids pack arenas to watch these gamers ply their trade in a Ready Player One winner take all scenario. This is the equivalent of telling someone in 1970 that we’d be spending $5 for bottled water at a convenience store in twenty years. What once seemed ridiculous is now mainstream and accepted.
Major sports as we know them aren’t going anywhere any time soon. There’s entirely too much money being made. Player and coaching contracts continue to rise while ticket prices surely aren’t being reduced. And yet, I have to think, the populace will rise up eventually and stop watching. There’s only so much a fan of any sport can take. No one wants to have 14 apps to watch their favorite team.
I do have some good news. The word of Minecraft watching has yet to take off. We can get in on the ground floor.
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