Weak start to USFL as league, XFL, cannibalize each other

As expected, the USFL and XFL split the already-limited spring football audience in their first head-to-head.

Click here to read the story at sportsmediawatch.com.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are ratings?
2. How do ratings provide a measure of a team or league’s popularity?
3. Why are ratings important to a league like the XFL or USFL?
4. What is competition for the entertainment dollar?
5. What does the headline of this story mean when it suggest the USFL and XFL “cannibalized” each other?
6. How might that demonstrate the concept of competition for the entertainment dollar?
7. Why is the quality of the sports product important to TV ratings?
8. Why are ratings important to broadcasters?
9. How might low ratings impact both leagues moving forward?
10. What do you think they could do to increase ratings? Be prepared to discuss your answers in class.