Hello Journal,
Yesterday, I wrote a well-meaning and completely understandable facebook post about cancer. The NFL does breast cancer awareness in order to reach out to the 42% of women who come to football games but only 28% will watch it on TV. I was very well meaning by saying: Hey, if they do something for women, why not also reach out for their key demographic, men.
Yes, breast cancer is a killer and personally, I find the NFL's version of breast cancer month a bit overblown. While it's very nice to see the pink and the awareness being raised for women, I made a pretty good assessment that the NFL seems to be ignoring their main demographic: Which is men. If we are going to have a breast cancer awareness month for Women, how about something for the men as well? That's your base demographic who watches (72%) and who comes to games (58%)
Prostate and Colon cancer are the biggest cancer killers of men and I think the NFL fails to recognize this. I was being extremely well meaning with my post stating that the NFL is forgetting a big demographic that pays the big bucks to come to games or sits home and watches it on television. Now all I am trying to do is say: Hey NFL, are you forgetting your main populace?
Doing breast cancer awareness while commendable seems like to be getting more and more like a "cash grab" for the NFL so they can try and get women to watch the sport. In fact, it's not really helping women watch football. In fact, since breast cancer awareness month for the NFL started, Nielsen stated that there has only been a fraction of a percent increase in women viewing football on television.
See the NFL and NBA have it ALL WRONG... The MLB, MLS, and NHL have done it correctly...
MLB - Will have a breast cancer awareness weekend for the mother's day weekend. Pink bats, pink armbands, pink eyeblack, and that's great. For the men, a father's day weekend for prostate and colon cancer. Blue bats, blue armbands, and blue eyeblack. Truly commendable and they don't make it a cash grab at all. In fact, sales of mother's day and father's day have been pretty much even. Women's viewership of baseball has risen more than 10% and more and more women are going to games because it's a longer season. They also do Stand Up 2 Cancer which is for a total fund for ALL CANCER RESEARCH! Over $19,000,000 has been raised for SU2C.
NHL - Hockey Fights Cancer has been undeniably the most successful with the NHLPA and fans contributing more than $25,000,000 towards ALL CANCER RESEARCH and not just one set cancer. They have it right. Game worn jerseys go up for auction, fans contribute what they have, everything.
NBA - Only seems to want to promote research for breast cancer, doesn't seem like they are hitting their key demographic either. Come on LeBron James! Kobe Bryant! Stand up for prostate and colon cancer awareness!!! Come on NBA Players Association! Where's that give back to your key demographic spirit!!!!!
MLS - Soccer kicks cancer has been wonderfully successful! Childhood cancer, Breast Cancer, Men's Cancers... $12,600,000 contributed and raised!
See, don't the NBA and NFL see that they do need to target their main paying audience a bit more?
My remarks on this post are not inflammatory and insensitive. I'm making people aware that ALL CANCERS are killers. Cancer sucks! And my friend Amanda? She's kicking cancer's fricken butt!!! My grandmother kicked cancer's butt!!!!
I'm raising awareness for every cancer and I believe every sports league needs to do so as well!
I need to thank Gina, Heather, and Joanna F. for defending me... along with Mark Morrison as well. Thanks guys.
"Until the next post, I'm signing off..."
~ Joshua
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