As we head into the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs football remains America's favorite sport -- by a wide margin -- in a new Gallop poll. But its popularity has dropped by 6% in the past ten years and the NFL is probably more to blame than the college game.
Sportstalk 790's Greg Koch says these things are cyclical.
"If football drops it's still the number one sport in America; I think it will always be the number one sport in America; we have a penchant for watching big men do violent things to one another."
Koch says the NFL protests are a factor.
"The protests did not help at all, I will tell you that; that's another very divisive thing. I know a lot of people who haven't watched an NFL game since."
37% of respondents said football is their favorite sport -- basketball was a distant second with 11%.
Koch says recent rule changes have also angered a lot of fans.
"Nobody can really tell you what a catch is or isn't -- it seems to change from week to week. Nobody can tell you what the real targeting rule is; when a running back comes and drops his head at the last moment in a bang-bang play is the defensive player really expected to change where he was going to hit?"
Koch says this is probably more of a blip than a trend and football will likely return to its former glory.