Growth in NFL sponsorship revenue slowed slightly last season as fewer people tuned into the games — the result of general viewership trends and unfavorable player publicity, according to a trade report.

NFL ad revenue grew 4.3 percent, to $1.25 billion, down from a 4.4 percent gain a year earlier, according to the IEG Sponsorship Report, which attributed the slowdown to controversies — like some players not standing for the national anthem.