National Anthem Controversy Hurts NFL From Both Sides

No matter which side of the debate you fall on (including the "I don't care I just want to watch football" side), the spotlight of the sports world has been the National Anthem for the past week. A movement stemming originally from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, highlighting police brutality and racial inequality, blew up in Week 3 following comments from President Donald Trump.

The issue has been a source of great division for the NFL, its players, its fans, and even onlookers on social media. President Trump sparked this new wave of protest after comments both live and on Twitter. He referred to a player who kneels during the National Anthem as a "son of a bitch," adding owners should fire or release these players. This may have been plausible last week, as the movement was all but dead. But following Trump's comments, players were further compelled to kneel during the Star Spangled Banner to display their right of freedom of speech. Players and owners alike saw his comments as unacceptable, and a direct attack on the National Football League. Trump would go on to tweet with the hashtag #BoycottNFL.

The act of kneeling during the National Anthem has been a heated debate since Kaepernick first did last preseason. Many feel regardless of cause, the Anthem isn't a time to voice those concerns. Defendants of the protesters argue the act isn't disrespectful, especially as some players still place their hand over their heart, and all are quiet and respectful of the flag.

Before the season started, a Twitter movement arose to boycott the NFL in FAVOR of those kneeled, specifically, they threatened to not watch any games until Colin Kaepernick was signed by an NFL team.

Conversely, after the outburst of players kneeling during the National Anthem in Week 3, many fans are claiming they will start their NFL boycott. Angered that politics has entered their safe haven of sports, they also plan not to watch a game until the protests end.

This puts the NFL in an extremely awkward position. The league has always been proud of the US Military and has many ties to it. Last year, during the first wave of protests, the NFL was relatively quiet regarding the act of kneeling. Many debated the issue on sports talk TV but the NFL didn't take a strong stance either way, obviously allowing it without penalty.

Many argue that the NFL did collectively showcase how they felt about Kaepernick's actions, as he was unable to find a new contract after opting out of his 49ers deal.

Threats of boycotts could be real or exaggerated; we will most likely learn through the ratings. This may not even be possible until more data is available, eliminating outliers. The #BoycottNFL crowd tried claiming an early victory, as Sunday Night Football ratings for Redskins-Raiders took a year-to-year fall. However, the Cowboys-Cardinals matchup on Monday Night Football saw a huge increase. Obviously, the teams playing makes a difference and its far too early to draw conclusions.

Either way, the National Anthem itself is receiving an all-time high in coverage. The pregame show on CBS had its highest ratings since 2010, and Fox had an increase of 33% in viewership. Whether fans wanted to see their favorite players kneel or stand, they tuned in to do so.

After a hugely controversial weekend, it will be interesting to see how the NFL reacts moving forward. With fans on both sides of the heated debate threatening to boycott, the NFL must walk a fine line or risk losing half its fanbase.