The Media Is Deeply Invested In The NFL, Ray Rice story will go away much quicker than expected..

[Stuart G]

I think it must be said how deeply the media is invested in the NFL. I believe that after a relatively short time the story about Ray Rice will go away. Some media may keep track, but most slowly/or quickly stop covering it. TV has billions in contracts, and does not want that league to loose viewers. Because if NFL "football" looses viewers, other football may loose viewers too. Another sport is gaining in popularity among young viewers, and the vested interests do not want that sport, soccer, to take viewers from NFL and other football. I am not in charge, but the NFL and all media wants this to go away. Local TV devotes lots of time to football reports and updates. Sports segments have huge numbers of viewers. Sports magazines obviously love the NFL, and do not want fewer purchases for any reason. So, that is why I believe this one will go away faster than many desire. Tough for us. It is the media's football game and the rest can go away.

[kairos12]

1. Rice will be back playing next season. Bank on it.

[Stuart G]

3. Nothing on this story surprises me.

On Sunday, I watched some kind of lead up to Sunday football..This one was on Fox, but there were others. First Sunday of the season you thought you were leading up to the Super Bowl or World Series. Greatest event on tv, the beginning of NFL football. Well, I do not think so..

[malaise]

2. I disagree

The Oscar Pistorius verdict tomorrow will extend the discussion on 'violence against women' by prominent athletes for some time.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. So your theory is that sports fans don't mind cheering for face punching bullies and that he remains

a big draw for the Ravens fans? Because that's the only thing that would make 'the media' want him or anyone else in the NFL or on a drama or a sit com or talk show. Some media companies are involved with the NFL. They are not at all 'invested' in any individual.
If sports fans wish to define themselves yet again as the people who cheer for monsters, then he will play. If sports fans don't really want their kids to see violent criminals made into hero millionaires, if they want better examples, he will not play.
It's all about what the desired demo wants. It's all about making money.

[Stuart G]

6. "It is all about money"

Whatever works in this situation....So, if he doesn't play anymore. There the media will point out..He isn't playing..Let's get back to the games.. The NFL punished him.."See. the commissioner resigned, he is gone"...Let's get back to the game. ...

Yes...It is all about money. The focus will be on it is over,, "Let's get back to the game." That is what I believe..

[kelliekat44]

5. I'll be glad when it does. I am sick of hearing about it. Alterer motives..much. I hope both his

wife and he get the help they need to get through this and become excellent parents for their child.

[Johonny]

7. I've never noticed the media as all that friendly to sports...

If Ray Rice isn't a football player then his domestic violence case is just one of countless cases that quietly go away. The story has come alive time and time again since February only because of the media. The Redskin name controversy only got traction because of the media. Michael Vick is still fending off dog stories years latter. Meanwhile minor pot smoking turns into national stories for people like Ricky Williams and Josh Gordon. Heck people like Johnny Manziel are under such a microscope that we know every non-criminal dodgy thing they've done. The media has a love-hate relationship with sports. Today the sports page is half gossip column and the AM radio dial is half sport talk radio and sport talk radio doesn't like happy stories. They love hating it because negative news draws in readers and listeners. Have you ever listen to the Jim Rome show. They don't do many "I love sports" segments on Jim Rome. There's a reason the media is so successful hounding coaches and GMs out of jobs these days. Because the NFL is so popular the news around it is massively over hyped beyond compare to anything (but soccer in Europe). The only reason Ray Rice story coverage dies down some is because the next big story (Jerry Jones sexual harassment suit) is coming. If negative media news killed sports it would be dead long ago. Instead there is so much media dedicated to it (it has its own section of the newspaper) every story is hyped to max. The argument was the media used to cover athletes butts in the 1920s-1960s but that era is long dead. Fans love to complain and what appears to "hurt" sports has never shown to actually hurt sports.

If you think the media is sports friend go ask the many assistant coaches that will be purged come the end of football season to satisfy the angry media. I think Ray Rice is toast because the media is never going away. It is a good thing at times too because the Redskins are getting ground up by the same media machine and it is only going to get worse for them.

[LittleBlue]

8. It will go away because the case is resolved

as far as criminal laws and NFL rules. Maybe the tabloids will camp outside Rice's house hoping for an incident. He's not in the NFL anymore so what exactly is left to be written about? Other than tabloid talk.