BizFeed: Philly Sports Teams Take Nosedive in TV Ratings
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Ben Revere is unable to catch a fly ball triple by Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick in the first inning of a July 6th game at Dodger Stadium.
1. Phillies, Sixers and Flyers See TV Audience Shrink
The News: There’s not a whole lot of interest in Philadelphia sports these days. The Phillies are literally the worst team in professional baseball. The 76ers are coming off a horrific season, as part of its peculiar and (potentially genius) tanking plan. And the Flyers had an off year and missed the playoffs. That’s led to horrifying TV ratings for the three sports teams. For many fans, the Eagles’ Monday night opener against the Atlanta Falcons can’t come soon enough.
The Philadelphia Inquirer examined the Nielsen ratings, reporting that “Phillies viewership has plummeted 65 percent from 2011,” the last season of a glorious run of five straight playoff appearances. In news that should surprise nobody, “Sixers viewership has nosedived 72 percent over the same period.” The Flyers also lost audience, as viewership was down 36 percent.
Why It Matters: When Philly’s professional sports teams stink, it reverberates through the entire economy. Bars have smaller crowds, retailers sell less merchandise, and advertisers can’t move as much product over the TV airwaves. Heck, even the guys selling pretzels and bottled water outside the stadiums must be feeling the sting.
Meanwhile, the Phillies recently signed a 27-year, $2.5 billion contract to air games on Comcast SportsNet. But never fear Brian Monihan, president of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia told the Inquirer. These things are “cyclical” and although the team’s aren’t playing so hot, “our passion for covering them remains high.”
2. Google Earned $65 Billion in One Day
The News: When the stock market closed on Friday, Google found itself worth $65 billion more than when the opening bell rung. It was a shocking turn of events for one of the richest companies in the world. The final share price of $669.62 represents an increase of more than 16 percent — and is the stock’s all-time high. It was the second-largest increase ever for a Nasdaq stock. (Cisco went up $66 billion on April 17, 2000.)
Why It Matters: The Wall Street Journal said the increase can be attributed to the tech giant answering two key investor concerns: “Can it make money from mobile phones and can it be managed with more discipline?” Sure, the second-quarter earnings were good, but more important was “hints that smartphones wouldn’t crush Google’s search-advertising money machine, and that Google’s founders, who own a controlling stake in the company, wouldn’t spend their way to oblivion.”
3. Common Job-Seeker Mistakes
The News: Forbes has revealed a list of the five most common mistakes job seekers make. Here’s one that particularly caught my eye: “The belief that only a full-time, salaried position in a certain kind of firm and function will be a good match for them.”
Why It Matters: Whether job seekers like it or not, the United States is increasingly becoming a freelance economy. That means short, contract work is the new norm — and while it’s not permanent, it can still mean competitive salaries and exciting opportunities. Sometimes you need to buy your own health care, set up your own retirement plan and get to work.
