34% of National Football League viewers are women.” -ESPN
In a recent PR Ethics class discussion, many of my fellow students expressed their cynicism toward the NFL’s focus on Breast Cancer Awareness month as a corporate social responsibility initiative. The League has historically raised awareness of breast cancer by having players don pink arm bands, having officials wear pink hats and using pink coins for the traditional pre-game toss. Other regional efforts (like a rose-lit Empire State Building) follow suit.
Students argued that breast cancer was not a prevalent issue among the NFL’s target demographic and, therefore, was a random attempt to show that the boys in cleats had a little heart.
WRONG.
More women than ever are tuning in on Monday nights. And it’s not necessarily because they know that a safety is worth 2 points. In fact, sports knowledge is no longer the main driver behind national ratings. According to this New York Times Magazine piece, Americans are glued to the tube because the NFL has transformed into Jersey Shore on FieldTurf.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/magazine/30FOB-wwln-t.html?ref=magazine
