Chargers-Rams Combine for Lowest Preseason Rating in NFL in Last 13 Years

Saturday night's preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers drew a ratings share of 1.4, which is the lowest for any nationally televised NFL preseason broadcast since 2004.

Sports Media Watch provided the numbers, which show the contest was the lowest-rated game since a New York Jets-Indianapolis Colts game 13 years ago. The two Los Angeles teams drew just 2.2 million people for their broadcast, which is under one-eighth of Los Angeles' 18 million population by itself.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers previously pulled a 1.5 ratings share earlier this preseason.

There is no obvious reason the game tanked so hard in the ratings, aside from it being a Saturday night. The anticipated boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor did not begin until after the conclusion of Chargers-Rams. The Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks drew 5.2 million viewers Friday, and the Fox doubleheader of Cincinnati Bengals-Washington and Chicago Bears-Tennessee Titans also drew solid ratings.

The simple fact is neither of these teams carries all that much intrigue. The Rams are expected to be one of the NFL's worst teams and feature a roster of unproven young players. The Chargers lack any real marketable stars aside from Philip Rivers, who has been in the NFL since 2004.

Aside from the most hardcore fans, there really wasn't much of a reason to spend Saturday night tuning into a game that doesn't count between these two teams.