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What Unites America? Sunday Night Football

By Shlomo Maital

Drew Esocoff

      Americans are disunited – perhaps, more than ever, since the Civil War.

       A 2017 poll found this:  “Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s political divisions are at least as big as during the Vietnam War, according to a new poll, which also finds nearly 6 in 10 saying Donald Trump’s presidency is making the U.S. political system more dysfunctional. The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll — conducted nine months into Trump’s tumultuous presidency — reveals a starkly pessimistic view of U.S. politics, widespread distrust of the nation’s political leaders and their ability to compromise, and an erosion of pride in the way democracy works in America.”

        Since then, it’s gotten worse. E.g., Jan. 6. So, what does unite America? 

        Football!  Specifically, Sunday Night Football on NBC TV.

          Jody Rosen explains why on the podcast The Daily (NYT), reading his Sunday NYT essay  “How an Ordinary Sunday Night Football Game Turns Into the Most Spectacular Thing on TV”. 

          Tune in to the game, to tune out the world, is the slogan.

           NBC pays the NFL $3 billion for the rights.  It loses money.  Ad revenue doesn’t pay for the huge costs – even though a 30 second commercial costs over $800,000!  But it’s worth it.  TV viewing is plummeting, yet ratings for the Sunday night football game  (SNF) on TV are soaring.

           Who watches  SNF?  Well – pretty much everyone.  Blacks, white Americans, women, Hispanics, young, middle-aged, old. 

            Why?

            Rosen describes someone few have heard of – the legendary director Drew Esocoff.  Each week, during the 18 week regular season, plus the playoffs, a convoy of a dozen or so huge trucks travels to the city that hosts the game – and goes to work. Esocoff choreographs 200 screens, cameras, sound men, play-by-play, commentators…  all this, to tell a story, for a violent game that has players injured every game – sometimes seriously.  (A Buffalo Bills player had his heart stopped, after a hard tackle, and was revived by speedy medical attention; he has resumed play since). 

       I am a regular viewer.  As a part-time journalist and blogger, I am amazed at how Esocoff tells a gripping story each game – shots of jubilation, heartbreak, near misses, frustration, anger, mingling crowd views, players, referees.  Some games are gripping to the end, but many are one-sided, challenging the commentators and producer to maintain the viewer interest.   

         SNF is the most-watched program on television, and has been every year, for years. SNF averaged 18.7 million TV viewers in 2022  ranking as primetime’s #1 TV show for an unprecedented 12th consecutive year.   In Sept. 2023, Esocoff began his 18th season directing SNF.

         If football unites Americans, perhaps politics can learn from football.  Football has clear rules.  Those rules are enforced with skill (video replays make certain of this).   Bad behavior is penalized. Performance is well compensated.  The system finds those with skill, no matter what their race, background or status. (Caveat:  There is a paucity of  Black coaches). 

         And Esocoff?  We can learn from him too.  DIE.  Document.  Inform.  Entertain.  He and play-by-play announcer Mike Tiriko follow this mantra brilliantly.  Facts. Recount them.  Never bore, but entertain.  Find the human interest.  Tell stories for 3 hours weekly.

         Football unites America. Politics disunites America.  Politicians —  learn from football.