This will likely be an unpopular opinion, but it is just my opinion.

In the Midwest, the Kappernick debacle, and the downstream protests from nba players, lends itself as a figurative rotten egg on network's reputation. Nobody here disagrees with his motives, but they see his methods as despicable. Furthermore if people speak out against him, they're accused as being racist, which they aren't (false dichotomy). All of this ends up poisoning the brand. Getting constantly accused for something you're not, and then having to be reminded about it when you just want to relax leads to viewers migrating elsewhere.