Just about everything has been blamed for the worrying downturn in the level of affection that the American public has for football. The kneeling protests of 2016 and 2017 led to negative press, and the American President has spoken out against the NFL repeatedly, which may have switched some of his supporters off the sport. It's not just the NFL which is struggling though; their viewing figures are down, but so are the attendance figures for college football games.
Having exhausted all the other explanations, analysts are now blaming Millennial viewing habits. Millennials are 'cutting the cable' in a big way, deciding not to bother with traditional TV subscription packages and instead finding their entertainment through the internet. The length and slow pace of football games have also been highlighted, with faster and shorter sports seen as more exciting to watch by the Millennial demographic.