How The 2016 Presidential Election Is Tearing The NFL Apart
This year’s presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has been one of the most anticipated elections in years. It has also been controversial and has had a major impact on the lives of Americans. The election has also found a way to rip up the National Football League into pieces.
Players have been surveyed by multiple media outlets on who they are choosing to vote for in the upcoming election. USA Today polled 35 players from seven different teams. Out of the thirty-five, 14 plan to vote for Hillary, 3 for Trump, and the rest were undecided or declined to participate. Buffalo Bills LB Preston Brown says, “I don’t like anyone. Who sucks less? I guess I’ll say Hillary.” Brown represents the views of people across the nation. According to Bleacher Report, 100% of the white players surveyed are voting for Donald Trump while 91% of the black players will vote for Clinton. The NFL is a league that is predominantly black which means most of the players are expected to vote for Clinton. The locker rooms have been divided for months, and mostly because of the players’ views on Donald Trump.
The players in the league aren’t the only aspect of the NFL being negatively affected. The television ratings have take a humongous drop due to the election. For example, the New York Giants took on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night in a Week 4 matchup just over a month ago. The duel would be broadcasted on national television in a primetime spot on ESPN. The game recorded a 9.1 overnight rating, the highest of the season. That may look good, but that rating was 8 percent less than the Week 4 game last year. Yesterday’s Colts-Packers game in the afternoon slot of the Week 9 schedule recorded the lowest rating for the late Sunday national TV window in seven years. Even star quarterback Tom Brady is convinced the ratings are taking a major hit because of the election.
All eyes from the NFL will be tuned in to tomorrow’s election to see the results, and the league hopes everything returns to normal when Week 10 starts on Thursday, November 10th.
