Seattle Seahawks Punished by NFL for Being Too Good
By Todd Pheifer
Jan 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) celebrates with fans in the stands after the 2013 NFC Championship football game against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Congratulations, Clink faithful. You have officially altered the business model of the NFL.
According to reports, the NFL was “wary” about putting too many Seattle Seahawks home games into the primetime viewing slots. Why? Too many blowouts, which is bad for ratings.
Haters gonna hate.
The objective fan is going to understand this mentality, even if it prevents the fans in the Pacific Northwest from enjoying their team on the national stage. The NFL is a business, and the league is going to maximize their broadcasting revenue even if it means putting the best team in the league into lesser time slots.
For better or for worse, certain teams have a national following, even if they are less than competitive. The always tiresome Dallas Cowboys come to mind.
Fans will still get to see their beloved Seahawks play in the evening slot four times this season. The first is on opening night (Thursday), as the Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers and hoist the Super Bowl banner.
Then, the nation will see the Seahawks on Monday Night Football in Week 5 against the Washington Redskins, Thanksgiving night against the San Francisco 49ers, and on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Of note is the fact that three of those four contests will be road games for the home-dominant ‘Hawks. Coincidence? I think not.
This is the price of success. The Seahawks may have won the Super Bowl, but they are still in a geographic region that has a more limited revenue stream for the NFL. The league is not happy when the Seahawks blow out the competition at CenturyLink Field.
Dominance in the Emerald City may not make money for the league, but it sure is fun to watch.