The Colin Kaepernick-led player protests may be hurting the NFL broadcast networks where its hurts them the most: in the pocketbook.
With NFL TV ratings plunging by double-digits over the first quarter of the 2016 season, some NFL TV networks are being forced to provide so-called "make-goods" to advertisers, media sources tell Sporting News.
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When advertisers and ad agencies buy commercial time on NFL partner TV networks, they're promised certain numbers in terms of ratings and audiences. If the game fails to reach those numbers, the networks have to "make good" for the audience shortfall by providing the equivalent of free commercial time.