It took 21 seasons, but the NFL finally looks ready to make substantive changes toward wider eligibility for “Hard Knocks.” This comes in the wake of existing restrictions that left producers with only four teams to choose from for the 2023 offseason before ultimately opting for the Jets.
My colleague Ben Fischer broke the news earlier today that NFL Media will seek an ownership vote Tuesday on a plan to revamp team selection rules for the HBO show centered on what goes on behind the scenes at training camp, with the goal of expanding the pool of potential featured teams -- while also making the documentary series less invasive.
Some key changes, if approved, mean teams will only be able to avoid a training camp version of "Hard Knocks" if:
- The team has participated within the last eight years (down from 10)
- The team has a first-year head coach (a rule that is unchanged)
- The team will be participating in the in-season “Hard Knocks” show in the current season or next season
“Hard Knocks” for years was, by many, just as anticipated as the start to the regular season. Owners like Jerry Jones clearly saw the value, as the Cowboys have been featured three times. But the show’s first-run ratings have declined (not helped by roster cuts breaking on social media), and casual sports fan interest has waned. A decade ago, when the Texans were featured, premiere episodes on HBO were getting anywhere from 825,000 to 933,000 viewers. Now, those premieres are lucky to get a third of that audience.
There's also increased saturation in the NFL docuseries space. Prime Video had “All or Nothing,” and more recently Netflix rolled out “Quarterback.” Then there are teams tapping into their own growing in-house media operations to create content for their websites and social platforms.
Another key change in the proposed eligibility is that teams that make the playoffs will no longer be off-limits to producers in the following two offseasons. Fans want to see popular teams and perennial contenders. This potentially gives HBO access to those kinds of media magnets.
HBO is also taking a page from Netflix and not focusing on one team for the in-season “Hard Knocks.” These new rules would see a full four-team division selected. Having more breadth in subject matter in “Quarterback” made that series work for me -- and clearly others -- as Netflix is keeping with the model for “Receiver” this coming season.
But the in-season show still has to compete with live NFL games, a glut of other live sports in the fall and the rollout of non-sports programming across TV/streaming.
