ictable; or is it? When you look at a Padres/Yankees World Series, you know who is going to win. When you look at a Broncos/Falcons Super Bowl, you know who is going to win. The Super Bowl this past year received a 40.2 rating, the lowest in 7 years (interactive.ctra.com). Each rating point represents 980,000 viewers. Despite the fact that this is a very large audience, it was not as big as past games. Although it should not be, the fans can usually "see the future" for the outcome of most big games. This will hurt TV ratings if the fans become tuned out. A direct result of this could be a loss of sponsorships. Why would a company and corporation spend money on an event which people may not want to watch? Also, in years to come, the companies may not want to commit due to the fact that it may be the same situation; a lopsided game. With a decrease in advertising, what will be the fate of the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and World Series?The NBA was one of the leagues that strove off this decrease in Major League Baseball popularity. The NBA's biggest star at the time, Michael Jordan, had much to do with its success. A good name for this could be the "Jordan Effect." Since Michael Jordan has entered basketball, the NBA has turned into a billion-dollar business. With his presence, TV ratings skyrocketed. When a viewer tuned into a basketball game on Sundays, most definitely there would there be a Bulls game. A normal Jordan game would bring in a 6.5 rating (foxsports.com). During his 1 1/2 years of retirement, a normal game would bring in a 3.8 rating (foxsports.com). Due to the lockout and Michael Jordan's retirement, a decrease in ratings is eminent. Playoff ratings during the Jordan years were well over 10, sometimes going to 13 (foxsports.com). That meant that about 9-12 million people were watching these games. With the absence of this superstar, ratings will plummet. Also, products that were endorsed by Michael Jor...
