NFL Ratings Could Cost TV Partners $200 Million

According to Business Insider, if low ratings for NFL games continue, it could cost the league's television partners around $200 million or more in earnings. The news comes after a dismal week one, which saw ratings drop an average of 13% from last season's opening round of games. A report from UBS adds that in week two, the NFL saw a 4% drop from last year's second week in live and same-day average viewers of Sunday games, as well as a 14% drop in viewership for Monday Night Football.

THE USB report suggested that cable news coverage of Hurricane Irma may have affected week one ratings, but also cautioned that the drop in week two suggests a downward trend. CBS, ESPN, Fox, and NBC are expected to make roughly $2.5 billion in ad revenue this year. However, a 10% drop in ratings through the entire season would cost the networks in the ballpark of $200 million.