Don’t like the Super Bowl? The NFL will listen if you don’t watch

Don’t just not watch it, get the NFL where it really hurts if you’re that unhappy

If you don’t like the NFL product or aren’t happy with this Super Bowl, you have every right to turn off the TV. If you don’t want to support the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, no one is forcing you to watch. And maybe that’s the best course of action instead of complaining. But if you won’t watch, there’s a lot more that goes with it if you really want to get the NFL where it hurts.

When the Eagles and Chiefs secured their spots in Super Bowl LIX, social media erupted with the usual groans. Some fans were tired of seeing the Chiefs in their third straight Super Bowl, especially given the persistent officiating conspiracy theories. Others weren’t thrilled about the Eagles being their opponent.

So, as always, we complained.

“The league is fixed!”

“The refs favor the Chiefs!”

This year, those complaints feel even louder. Take, for instance, the bizarre question posed to Patrick Mahomes about the NFL refs:

Or the comments from NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green, who said it was “insulting and preposterous” to suggest that 138 officials across 17 crews are colluding to help one team.

He’s right about one thing—it is insulting. But what’s truly insulting is that officiating has been so inconsistent and outright bad that fans even entertain these conspiracy theories. The reason people believe the league is rigged isn’t because of some grand scheme; it’s because the NFL refuses to hold referees accountable, implement full-time officiating crews, or modernize its review process. As long as these issues persist, the skepticism will, too.

That said, let’s put one argument to rest: the NFL is not fixed. It’s not some scripted show like the WWE. If you still believe that, let it go. However, even if the conspiracy theories aren’t true, the perception of a rigged league can still have consequences—most notably, fans choosing not to watch.

And that’s the point: if you genuinely believe the NFL is broken, do something about it. The league doesn’t care about your complaints. They certainly don’t care about social media rants. They might even laugh at the idea that fans believe officiating is rigged. But you know what they would care about? Losing money.

If you’re unhappy with the state of the NFL, make a real statement—don’t watch. Don’t buy the merchandise. Don’t contribute to the billions made on Super Bowl Sunday through advertising, grocery sales, and streaming subscriptions. Imagine if, instead of watching the game, fans tuned into Dance Moms or Cobra Kai instead. Imagine if grocery sales didn’t spike, beer and snack consumption didn’t skyrocket, and Sunday Ticket subscriptions started declining. That would be an actual problem for the league.

Take it even further: cancel your season tickets and stop renewing overpriced streaming packages. If fans truly believe the product is compromised, they should act accordingly. If enough people do, the NFL will have no choice but to respond.

By watching and spending money, you’re telling the NFL everything is fine. They’ll gladly take your dollars while ignoring your complaints. If Bills fans, for instance, could get a refund on their Sunday Ticket subscriptions, no questions asked, for feeling wronged in the AFC Championship, who would be held accountable? I think we can venture a guess to the answer.

Right now, the NFL is saying, “Sorry, no refunds.”

So, don’t give them your money, rating, or time.

We all recognize that the NFL has issues, but until it starts losing profits, it has no incentive to fix them. The league is expanding, the fanbase is growing, and revenue continues to climb—why would they change anything if the money keeps flowing?

This isn’t about competition, integrity, or Patrick Mahomes’ legacy. It’s about money. And if you’re truly fed up with the product, the only way to make an impact is by taking your time elsewhere.

Stop watching, stop spending, and stop supporting a system you believe is not just broken but shattered and frustration-inducing. Complaining while still tuning in only fuels the cycle. The only thing the NFL will ever listen to is its bottom line.

The NFL will never fix itself. But if you’re truly unhappy, stop giving it your time, money, and attention. That’s the only thing that will ever make a difference. If you’re still watching, enjoy the game. But if you think it’s broken beyond repair and it’s a sense of misery and frustration rather than a punchline, maybe it’s time to find something else to do on Sundays.