NFL Parity and Ratings Rule

NFL Football remains the highest rated regular-season and post-season sport on television.

One of the major reasons ratings remain strong (aside from gambling and fantasy leagues) is that each year new teams are in playoff contention.  Several post-season berths are not decided until the last week or two of the season.  Unlike many other sports, the NFL, with its revenue sharing and salary caps, has long been designed to create at least a semblance of parity.  Teams in smaller markets, such as Green Bay, can effectively compete with larger market teams like New York.   

This is dramatically different from the other two major American sports, NBA Basketball, and Major League Baseball.  With Major League Baseball, of course, teams in larger markets, primarily because of their stronger revenue streams, have a decided advantage over smaller-market teams.  The NBA, on the other hand, only uses five starters, so two or three key players switching teams can result in power shifting accordingly (LeBron leaves Cleveland for Miami, and Cleveland immediately goes from top contender to struggling franchise, while Miami becomes a top playoff team).

In the NFL parity rules.  Consider the following:

The New England Patriots were the only team to win their division last season and this season.

In 2005 and 2006, 7 of the 12 playoff teams from the previous season made it to the post season.  In 2006, 2007, and 2008 half the playoff teams from the previous year made the cut that season.  Five playoff teams from 2009 did not make it in 2010.  And this year, 6 of the 12 playoff teams from a year ago were missing in action (Jets, Colts, Chiefs, Eagles, Bears, and Seahawks).

Four last-place teams from 2007 (Dolphins, Ravens, Eagles, Falcons) made the playoffs in 2008.  The New Orleans Saints were in last place in their division in 2008, and won the Super Bowl the next season.  In 2009 the Chiefs were last in their division, but won their division in 2010.  Both the Bengals and Broncos were last in their divisions in 2010, but led their divisions this season.

On the other side of the coin, in each of the past four seasons, 5 of the 8 division leaders from the previous year did not even make the playoffs: in 2008 the Patriots, Cowboys, Packers, Bucs, and Seahawks; in 2009 the Dolphins, Steelers, Titans, Giants, and Panthers; in 2010 the Bengals, Chargers, Cowboys, Vikings, and Cardinals, and this season the Colts, Chiefs, Eagles, Bears, and Seahawks.

Five of the eight divisions (AFC North, South, and West, and NFC South and West) had different first- and last-place teams versus last season.

Over the past four seasons, every division except the AFC East had at three different division winners.

Five of the eight divisions (AFC North, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, and NFC West) had different leaders in each of the last three seasons.

Over the past five seasons, every team in the AFC South won the Division.  The other seven divisions six had just one team that did not win the division during that time.

 Final NFL Division Standings 2007 - 2011

2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
AFC East
N England *	Miami *	N England *	N England *	N England *
Buffalo	New England	NY Jets *	NY Jets *	NY Jets
NY Jets	NY Jets	Miami	Miami	Miami
Miami	Buffalo	Buffalo	Buffalo	Buffalo
AFC North
Pittsburgh *	Pittsburgh *	Cincinnati *	Pittsburgh *	Baltimore *
Cleveland	Baltimore *	Baltimore *	Baltimore *	Pittsburgh *
Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Pittsburgh	Cleveland	Cincinnati *
Baltimore	Cleveland	Cleveland	Cincinnati	Cleveland
AFC South
Indianapolis *	Tennessee *	Indianapolis *	Indianapolis *	Houston *
Jacksonville *	Indianapolis *	Houston	Jacksonville	Tennessee
Tennessee *	Houston	Tennessee	Houston	Jacksonville
Houston	Jacksonville	Jacksonville	Tennessee	Indianapolis
AFC West
San Diego *	San Diego *	San Diego *	Kansas City *	Denver *
Denver	Denver	Denver	San Diego	San Diego
Kansas City	Oakland	Oakland	Oakland	Oakland
Oakland	Kansas City	Kansas City	Denver	Kansas City
NFC East
Dallas *	NY Giants *	Dallas *	Phila *	NY Giants *
NY Giants *	Phila *	Phila *	NY Giants	Phila
Washington *	Dallas	NY Giants	Dallas	Dallas
Phila	Washington	Washington	Washington	Washington
NFC North
Green Bay *	Minnesota *	Minnesota *	Chicago *	Green Bay *
Minnesota	Chicago	Green Bay *	Green Bay *	Detroit *
Detroit	Green Bay	Chicago	Detroit	Chicago
Chicago	Detroit	Detroit	Minnesota	Minnesota
NFC South
Tampa Bay *	Carolina *	N Orleans *	Atlanta *	N Orleans *
Carolina	Atlanta *	Atlanta	N Orleans *	Atlanta *
N Orleans	Tampa Bay	Carolina	Tampa Bay	Carolina
Atlanta	N Orleans	Tampa Bay	Carolina	Tampa Bay
NFC West
Seattle *	Arizona *	Arizona *	Seattle *	San Fran *
Arizona	San Fran	San Fran	St. Louis	Arizona
San Fran	Seattle	Seattle	San Fran	Seattle
St. Louis	St. Louis	St. Louis	Arizona	St. Louis

*Made the playoffs

Comments

[NFC East]

your article title is absolutely great. "NFL Parity and Ratings Rule" too much informative article post. I hope you can post this kind of article again.
Thank you.

[Denver Plumber]

Parity throughout the NFL is a good thing if you enjoy competition, a fresh product, and your team having a chance to win “on any given Sunday.