Tim Tebow: Has Media Exaggerated the Extent of National TebowMania?

Tim Tebow is a bigger sensation in the media than he is in ticket sales.

The Broncos will visit San Diego to take on the Chargers this weekend. On Tuesday, the Chargers announced that there were still 3,400 non-premium tickets remaining for the game.

The fact that the Chargers would have a hard time selling tickets right now is not surprising. After starting the season 4-1, San Diego has lost five straight games, and there is no sign of a recovery.

What is surprising is that these struggling sales come in a game against the Denver TeBroncos.

Tebow in the Media

Anyone who has even walked past a TV in the past month has likely been inundated with news of Tebow.

Tebow has become a launching pad for endless NFL debates. Can his style succeed in the NFL? Will he ever be a pocket passer? Are the Broncos sold on Tebow as their future? Everyone in the media has seemingly weighed in on these issues. 

Tebow's 4-1 record as a starter has only elevated his name on the sporting news ladder. The fact that two of these victories have come in the fourth quarter has blown it right off the charts.

As evidence of that, Tebow will grace the cover of the next Sports Illustrated.

Tebow on the Field

The fact that Tebow is a media star is not hiding the fact that his play on the field has largely been a snoozefest.

Tebow's performances have largely been filled with off-target passes and lots of run plays. On the season, Tebow is only completing 44.8 percent of his passes.

And instead of growing into the passing game, he is actually throwing less. Tebow has completed 10, two and nine passes in his last three games, respectively.

Conclusion

Tebow is a better talking point than a selling point for the NFL.

His style of football has never been a recipe for success in terms of NFL popularity. Most fans love to watch the passing game. It is no coincidence that the popularity of the NFL has grown as NFL passing games have grown.

Fans want offense. They want scoring, excitement and aerial assaults. While fourth-quarter comebacks are nice, that does not offer fans enough to make up for 3.5 quarters of ugly. 

Everyone seems to have an opinion on Tebow, but that does not mean people are dying to watch him play. The media has been hyping a controversial figure to drive interest in themselves and stay relevant.

There are plenty of reasons for the media's infatuation with Tebow.

While Tebowmania may be sweeping the airwaves, it is not sweeping ticket sales.

This points to the reality that fans are not as ravenous for anything Tebow, as the media suggests.