Yeah, the NFL seems to be in the same boat as the tobacco industry. They're peddling a product with an increasingly large downside and a smaller and smaller upside. That's going to be a harder sell as time goes by.

Another challenge is that more and more grade schools and junior highs -- and even high schools -- are discontinuing football in favor of soccer, which is safer, cheaper and growing in popularity. This will inevitably have an effect on college and pro football in the future, not only in terms of fewer feeder schools for their programs but also a future fan base that didn't grow up devoted to the sport.