Fans are consuming pro football games at “record levels,” according to the president of the San Francisco 49ers. But with ratings for NFL games sliding amid the changing media landscape, Al Guido says the league needs to better job of reaching viewers. “If you look at the deal we did with Amazon, if you look at the Verizon-Oath deal, the Thursday night deal -- for us, we gotta get to a point where we have content in every single fan’s hand,” he told Cheddar in an interview. “And we’ve removed some of the exclusivities, which I think will lead to better ratings moving forward.” Guido was referencing the deal struck between the league and Fox this week to carry Thursday Night Football games for the next five seasons. The $3 billion price tag raised some eyebrows in light of ratings numbers -- research firm MoffettNathanson found viewership was down 13 percent during the regular season this year, and as much as 20 percent for the playoffs. Whether those declines continue into this weekend’s Super Bowl remains to be seen. The New England Patriots will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 4th. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-the-san-francisco-49ers-are-taking-advantage-of-silicon-valley).

Share:
More In Sports
Opening Bell: June 14, 2018
The battle between Microsoft and Amazon is heating up. According to a Reuters report, Microsoft is working to develop cashierless technology to compete with Amazon, which recently introduced its first check-out free grocery store in Seattle. The Boring Company has won the bid to build Chicago's Hyperloop. Elon Musk's company was one of four competing for the project. The Hyperloop will connect commuters between the city and O'Hare International Airport. The president of the Staten Island Yankees joins us to talk about his team's temporary rebranding. For all five of its Saturday night home games this season, the team will play as the Staten Island Pizza Rats. The team's president Will Smith tells us the story behind this campaign.
Staten Island Yankees Adopt Pizza Rat
The minor league baseball team is temporarily rebranding itself this season to incorporate the famous rodent that dragged a pizza slice down New York City's subway steps. "It's an aggressive name, I think it's probably a little edgy, a little different," said Staten Island Yankees president Will Smith.
Topgolf Seeks to Open a 19th Hole Near You
The driving range-slash-entertainment venue includes bars and restaurants, turning golf into a fun activity for all demographics, says Topgolf executive chairman Erik Anderson.
World Cup Vote to Test FIFA's Anti-Corruption Reforms
The vote this week for host of the 2026 World Cup will be a test of FIFA's efforts to clean up its act after a corruption scandal rocked world soccer's governing body three years ago, said Ken Bensinger, author of "Red Card: How the U.S. Blew the Whistle on the World's Biggest Sports Scandal."
Load More