The NFL has taken seriously the drop in TV ratings, and the reaction could be a decrease in TV advertisements.

Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal reports that the league will experiment with the number of advertising breaks in Week 16. The league will change the numbers of ads in a given break, and the total number of ad breaks during a given game. The effort could help the league determine whether fans want longer ad breaks that occur less frequently or shorter but more numerous breaks.

Ultimately, no permanent changes may be made. But at least the NFL is exploring all options in an effort to improve the viewing experience — and to ensure that as few viewers as possible turn the channel or shut the TV off completely.