While generating a lot of buzz, these short-term variations are not nearly as consequential as the larger, long-term forces at work that provide much more insight into the future of sports viewership. They are more like the sea foam bubbling up on top of more substantial waves. Yes, the short-term ups and downs may sometimes accentuate the longer-term trends but they can also mislead. For all of the talk surrounding the NFL’s decline in viewership, it has bounced back strongly this season.