Social mood and the NFL

Goodell tells '60 Minutes' recession has helped NFL's TV ratings

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the recession has helped build TV audiences for NFL games.

Speaking on CBS' 60 Minutes, to be aired Sunday, Goodell says the nearly 60 million people tuning in to watch last Sunday's conference championships show that.

"People want to feel part of a group, feel like they're connected, and right now during these difficult times, they can turn on free television and watch the greatest entertainment that's out there," Goodell says. "They can forget their worries.for just a few hours."

If people want to feel connected, they get out of the house and meet in large groups. When they want to be alone, they stay at home and watch the game.

"Our biggest challenge going forward is how do we get people to come to our stadiums, because the experience is so great at home," he says. "When you turn on [a football game], you want to see a full stadium."