Los Angeles Watched Less NFL On Fox After Rams Move

Well, this is a thing.

In a report from Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, we learn that FOX’s ratings in LA declined in 2016 largely due to the fact that the market was forced to watch the Rams this season:

According to Nielsen, which tracks viewership, Fox’s rating for NFL games declined in Los Angeles this season over last season’s figure. That is astounding, as fans usually flock to the local team’s telecasts and provide a big boost to local ratings.

Nielsen reports that 8 percent of homes in the LA market tuned in to Fox’s NFL telecasts this season — down from 8.3 percent in 2015, when the Rams were in St. Louis. These figures are for all NFL games shown on Fox, not just those of the Rams. Officials of that network were not available for comment.

It’s pretty simple to understand why. In 2015, FOX was able to show more competitive games in Los Angeles, especially in December when the drama ratchets up as the playoffs approach. This year, LA was served a December of in which the Rams entered 4-7 and left 4-11 before capping the season with a 6-44 flagellation at home from the Arizona Cardinals.

In the end, LA may be different than St. Louis, but residents of both cities don’t like bad football. And the Rams were pretty bad this season. (Larry David voice) Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty bad.