This year, three playoff teams needed extensions on the deadline to sell out their stadium for the upcoming Wild Card round playoff game: the Cincinnati Bengals, the Indianapolis Colts, and even the Green Bay Packers. These teams were all well above .500 for the season or had won their division to qualify for a home playoff game. But they couldn't even sell out their stadium! If NFL teams can't sell out for a first round playoff game, and for these teams almost certainly their only playoff game of the year, they certainly will not sell out for regular season contests.
Fantasy football has made such an impact on the NFL that quarterbacks, receivers, and running backs are now judged more on how many points they score each week than if they win or not. Fans would much rather sit at home and keep track of their fantasy starting lineups than watch an entire game featuring their favorite team. Going to watch football, for some, outweighs the endless commercials and players standing around, and can be one of the most exciting sporting events of the year when the players are actually playing. But, football does not have the nonstop, intense, nail biting action of a basketball game or a hockey game, so with the onslaught of fantasy football taking fans by thousands out of NFL stadiums and onto couches and computers, the NFL may soon have to rethink their ticket sales and stadium sizes.
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