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Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

45 percent of those polled across the nation said they believed the settlement with Colin Kaepernick was an admission of collusion by the NFL.

By 3-to-1, public thinks Kaepernick’s chance of a new contract in the NFL has now decreased.

South Orange NJ, March 4, 2019 – In a national poll, 45 percent of the public said that they believe the confidential settlement of Colin Kaepernick’s lawsuit against the NFL for collusion was essentially an admission of guilt on the part of the NFL. On the other side, 40 said it was not an admission. Of those polled, 15 percent said they did not know or had no opinion.

White people were evenly divided on whether the settlement amounted to an admission of collusion by the NFL, but African-Americans said they believe it is by a 3 to 1 margin.

Kaepernick is credited with beginning the “anthem protests” in the NFL which drew ire and even boycotts from many football fans as well as President Trump. Although a past poll had shown 32 percent of Americans supported Kaepernick’s protests, which were intended to draw attention to racism in America, roughly 44 percent disapproved, with the rest (24 percent) either having no opinion or not knowing.

In the same poll (September 28, 2017), when asked whether or not NFL players should be ordered to stand for the national anthem or be fired from the team as President Trump had suggested, only 18 percent responded “yes.”

Kaepernick became a free agent in early 2017 and was not hired by any NFL team. He brought suit against the NFL for collusion in keeping him out of the league. He was not hired for the 2018 season either.

Results consistent with 2017 findings

With 45 percent of those polled across the nation saying they believed the settlement was an admission by the NFL that collusion against Kaepernick took place, the overall finding was consistent with the Seton Hall Sports Poll of 2017, which queried the public on why they thought Kaepernick had not yet been hired by any NFL team. Then “47 percent felt it was because of his protests and 19 percent because he wasn’t good enough.”

“I would imagine the court settlement stipulated that there was no admission of collusion by the NFL, but in the court of public opinion, not everyone buys that,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute in the Stillman School of Business. “The bottom line is that given that each NFL team has a quarterback and two backups, it’s difficult to understand outside of the context of the anthem protests why Colin Kaepernick, who played in a Super Bowl a few years ago, was unable to land a job even as a backup to the backup.”

For these most recent findings, 794 adult Americans were polled on both landlines and cellphones, with a margin of +/- 3.5%.

New Job for Kaepernick in the NFL?

Regarding Kaepernick’s future prospects of a job in the NFL, the margins weren’t nearly as close as those regarding an admission of collusion. By more than a 3-1 margin (41-13%), respondents believed that Kaepernick’s chance of being signed to a new NFL contract has decreased because of the settlement.

Impact of Settlement on Protests

The settlement of Colin Kaepernick’s lawsuit against the NFL also finds the nation evenly divided on its impact on his protests. By a margin of 44 to 42 percent (14 percent not knowing or having no opinion), the public says the settlement has not diminished the impact of Kaepernick’s protest.

While white respondents were evenly divided on whether the settlement diminished the impact of the protests, by 2 to 1, African-Americans believe that it does diminish the impact.

Disapproval of University of Mississippi Basketball Protesters

In a related matter, by a 42 to 29 percent margin (29 percent did not know or had no opinion), people disapproved of the University of Mississippi basketball players kneeling last weekend to protest an on-campus rally honoring Confederate soldiers. That margin draws a close comparison to the September 2017 Kaepernick findings. However, 12 out of 13 African-Americans offered support of the protest.

Results breakdown below; this release may be found online at http://blogs.shu.edu/sportspoll/2019/03/04/many-think-settlement-with-kaepernick-is-admission-of-collusion-by-nfl/

The Official Seton Hall Sports Poll podcast discussing this topic with Seth Everett and Rick Gentile can be found at https://itunes.apple.com/mt/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467.

ABOUT THE POLL

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

This poll was conducted by telephone February 25-27 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

RESULTS

Eight men’s basketball players on the University of Mississippi team knelt during the national anthem last Saturday in response to a pro-Confederate rally taking place on campus. Do you approve, disapprove or have no opinion of the players’ action?

1 – Approve 29%

2 – Disapprove 42

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 29

Colin Kaepernick recently won a settlement of a lawsuit from the NFL accusing the league of collusion by teams not signing him because of his protests during the national anthem. Do you think his acceptance of a settlement diminishes the impact of his protest?

1 – Yes 42

2 – No 44

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 15

Do you think the NFL’s offer of a settlement is an admission that collusion against Kaepernick took place?

1 – Yes 45

2 – No 40

3 – Don’t know 15

Do you think the settled lawsuit has increased, decreased or has had no effect on Kaepernick’s chances of being signed to an NFL contract and continuing his career?

1 – Increased 13

2 – Decreased 41

3 – Had no effect 46

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?

1 – Very closely 20

2 – Closely 35

3 – Not closely 29

4 – Not at all 15

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been showing the world what great minds can do since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous academic programs, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall embraces students of all religions and prepares them to be exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. In recent years, the University has achieved extraordinary success. Since 2009, it has seen record-breaking undergraduate enrollment growth and an impressive 110-point increase in the average SAT scores of incoming freshmen. In the past decade, Seton Hall students and alumni have received more than 30 Fulbright Scholarships as well as other prestigious academic honors, including Boren Awards, Pickering Fellowships, Udall Scholarships and a Rhodes Scholarship. The University is also proud to be the third most diverse national Catholic university in the nation.

During the past five years, the University has invested more than $165 million in new campus buildings and renovations. And in 2015, Seton Hall launched a School of Medicine as well as a College of Communication and the Arts. The University’s beautiful main campus in suburban South Orange, N.J. is only 14 miles from New York City — offering students a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. Seton Hall’s nationally recognized School of Law is located prominently in downtown Newark. The University’s Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in Clifton and Nutley, N.J. opened in the summer of 2018. The IHS campus houses the University’s College of Nursing, School of Health and Medical Sciences and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University.

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

Did Zion’s Sneaker Explosion Hurt the Nike Brand? Nearly One in Five Say ‘Yes’

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Did Zion’s Sneaker Explosion Hurt the Nike Brand? Nearly One in Five Say ‘Yes’

Majority feels student athletes should be compensated by sneaker companies for wearing their brands; less support for them receiving pay for playing revenue producing sports

South Orange NJ, March 1, 2019 — It was the sneaker explosion heard round the world, when Duke’s Zion Williamson’s Nike went poof last week in a game against North Carolina. Did all the publicity hurt the Nike brand?

According to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, nearly 1-in-5 respondents said it was the indicator of the quality of the brand. More than two thirds, 67%, felt it was a one-time fluke.

“That’s a good percentage favoring the one-time mishap,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “But 18% (those who felt it represented the brand’s quality), is not a small number. Nike has some rebuilding work ahead – of its image, not just its sneakers.”

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, with questions asked of 794 adult Americans on landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

Compensation for Student Athletes

Meanwhile, a majority of Americans believe that student athletes should be compensated by sneaker companies for the use of their brands in collegiate athletics if they are required to wear the brand, and that students in revenue producing sports – like football and basketball – should receive compensation on top of scholarships and cost of attendance stipends.

On the question of financial compensation for student athletes from sneaker companies – like Nike and Adidas – , the public says “yes” by a margin of 57-36%.

On the question of compensation for participation in revenue generating sports, the margin was closer, with 49% saying “yes” and 46% saying “no.” And while white respondents are in favor of “sneaker compensation” by a 54-41% margin, African-Americans are in favor by 3-1.

While the public is pretty evenly split on student/athlete compensation for play, 49-46%, whites are more negative at 40-54%, while African-Americans are strongly in favor by a margin of 5-to-1.

The 49% overall in favor of compensating student athletes for playing is a significant jump from the result when the question was asked four years ago. In the November 2015 Seton Hall Sports Poll only 36% said “yes – compensate,” while 57% opposed the idea — compared to this week’s finding of 49% in favor, 46% opposed.

Should Zion Play?
With Zion Williamson considered by many a likely number one draft pick by the NBA, the question of his continued participation in Duke’s schedule arose, considering the millions of dollars at risk should he reinjure himself. By a 47-27% showing, the public felt he should continue playing.

An even wider margin – 59-30% – said that college football draft hopefuls should play in bowl games at the end of their seasons, even with the draft looming. The question noted that a number of them did in fact, choose not to play.

Results breakdown below; this release may be found online at http://blogs.shu.edu/sportspoll/2019/03/01/did-zions-sneaker-explosion-hurt-the-nike-brand-nearly-one-in-five-say-yes/

The Official Seton Hall Sports Poll podcast discussing this topic with Seth Everett and Rick Gentile can be found at https://itunes.apple.com/mt/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467.

ABOUT THE POLL

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

The results:

Last Wednesday, Duke basketball standout Zion Williamson injured his knee when his Nike sneaker burst apart 30 seconds into a game. Do you think this incident is an indicator of the quality of the Nike brand or do you think it was just a one-time fluke?

1 – Indicator of quality of brand 18

2 – One time fluke 67

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 15

Do you think student/athletes should receive some financial compensation from the sneaker company — like Nike or Adidas — if they are required to wear the company’s shoes due to an arrangement between the sneaker company and the university?

1 – Yes 57

2 – No 36

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 6

Do you think student/athletes should be financially compensated, in addition to a scholarship and cost of attendance stipend, for participating in revenue producing sports, such as men’s basketball and football?

1 – Yes 49

2 – No 46

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 5

Do you think Zion Williamson, the probable number one choice in this year’s NBA draft, should decline to play for Duke for the remainder of the season in order to insure that further injury doesn’t hurt his NBA draft status or should he continue playing for the remainder of the season?

1 – Decline to play 27

2 – Continue playing 47

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 26

During the past college football season, several NFL draft hopefuls decided to not participate in their team’s bowl games for fear that injury could negatively affect their draft status. Do you think this was a smart move on the part of the players or should they have played and shown loyalty to their schools and teammates

1 – Smart move 30

2 – Should have played 59

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 11

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?

1 – Very closely 20

2 – Closely 35

3 – Not closely 29

4 – Not at all 15

Poll: 70 Percent More Likely to Watch Game If They Wager on It

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As leagues move towards embrace of gambling, 70% say they’re more likely to watch a game if they wager, but 61% say it will lead to cheating or fixed games.

South Orange, NJ, November 30, 2018 — If you bet that wagering on a game leads to greater viewership – you’d be right. A survey by the Seton Hall Sports Poll has found that 70% of Americans say they would be more likely to watch a game they bet on.

In a week in which Major League Baseball announced a marketing partnership with MGM Resorts, the era of “No Betting Permitted” signs at ballparks is over, and the fans seem to love it.

But it is a double edge sword – 61% say they believe that legal betting on sports events leads to cheating or the fixing of games.

But oh that 70% of heightened interested in watching games is music to a sports league’s ears. Within that, the poll found that 88% of those age 18-29, the coveted demographic loved by sponsors and hardest to reach – would be more likely to watch if they placed a bet.

“Watching is the first step towards creating a paying fan,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute of the Stillman School of Business. “In the 1980s, the leagues became aware that fantasy sports were heightening interest, and eventually, they embraced it. Now they appear to be ‘all in’ with something once impossible to imagine.”

The poll was conducted this week across to country to 741 adults on landlines and cellphones, and has a +/- 3.7% margin of error.

Asked if they were more likely to bet on a game if they could do it with their cellphones, 64% of those 18-29 said they would do it. 40% of the overall sample said they would be more likely.

Younger people, in fact, have less resistance to gambling. On the question of whether legalized sports gambling is creating a compulsive gambling problem, only 5% of those 18-29 strongly agreed, while the number grew to some five times that among older respondents. (21% of those 30-44, 28% 45-59 and 30% over 60).

40% said they approved of the Supreme Court’s ruling that betting on professional sports could be declared legal by individual states, with only 16% disapproving. The gender breakdown was dramatic here, with 52% of men favoring the court’s decision, but only 28% of women.

The gender gap repeated in a question of whether betting should be limited to pro sports or extended to college sports. 42% said pro and college, 35% said just pro – but 51% of men said pro and college, with only 33% of women agreeing.

Of the 33% who say they have bet sports, 51% believe gambling leads to cheating or fixing of games vs. 61% of the overall public.

Of the 33% who say they have bet on sports, 31% agree that legalized sports gambling is creating a compulsive gambling problem in this country (43% overall agreed); 49% said they would be more likely to wager if it was legal in their state (vs. 31% overall), 77% said they would be more likely to watch games they bet on (vs. 70% overall), and 56% said they would be more likely to gamble on sports if they could bet using a cellphone (vs. 40% overall).

The Official Seton Hall Sports Poll podcast discussing this topic with Seth Everett and Rick Gentile can be found at https://itunes.apple.com/mt/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone November 26-28 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute at the University’s Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

The Supreme Court recently ruled that betting on sporting events could be declared legal by individual states. Do you approve of this ruling, disapprove or do you have no opinion?

1 – Approve 40%

2 – Disapprove 16

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 44

Do you think legal sports betting should be limited to professional sports or should betting on college sports be legal as well?

1 – Just Pro sports                               35
2 – Professional and college                42
3 – Neither (don’t give as an option) 12
4 – Don’t know/No opinion                12

What comes closer to your view of betting on sports events:

1) It should be allowed and taxed since a lot of people do it anyway.
2) It shouldn’t be allowed since it promotes too much gambling and damages the integrity of sports.

1 – Should be allowed                         54
2 – Shouldn’t be allowed                     36
3 – Neither (don’t give as an option)   3
4 – Don’t know/No opinion                7

Should gambling on sports be regulated on a state-to-state basis or by the federal government?

1 – States                                             65
2 – Federal government                       26
3 – Neither (don’t give as an option) 5
4 – Don’t know/No opinion                4

Tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with the following statement: Legalized sports gambling is creating a compulsive gambling problem in this country.

1 – Strongly agree                               22
2 – Somewhat agree                           21
3 – Somewhat disagree                      29
4 – Strongly disagree                           24
5 – Don’t know/No opinion                5

Do you believe legal betting on sports events leads to cheating or fixing games?

1 – Yes                                                 61
2 – No                                                  33
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               6

Is betting on sporting events legal in the state in which you reside?

1 – Yes                                                 15
2 – No                                                  33
3 – Don’t know                                    52

(SKIP NEXT QUESTION IF YES)

Would you be more likely to bet on a sporting event if it was legal in your state?

1 – Yes                                                 32
2 – No                                                  66
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               3

Have you ever placed a bet on a sporting event?

1 – Yes                                                 33
2 – No                                                  67
3 – Don’t know                                    0

Have you ever participated in a Super Bowl pool involving money?

1 – Yes                                                 39
2 – No                                                  61
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               1

Have you ever filled out brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament for cash prizes?

1 – Yes                                                 17
2 – No                                                  83
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               0

Have you ever wagered money on a daily fantasy website like DraftKings or FanDuel?

1 – Yes                                                   3
2 – No                                                  97
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               0

If you placed a bet on a sporting event would it make you more likely to watch the broadcast of that event?

1 – Yes                                                 70
2 – No                                                  27
3 – Don’t know/No opinion                3

Do you think you would be more likely to gamble on sports if your were able to place a bet using your cell phone as opposed to going to a casino or gambling parlor?

1 – Yes                                                 40
2 – No                                                  57
3 – Don’t know/No opinion               3

How closely do you follow sports, very closely, somewhat closely, not closely or not at all?

1 – Very closely                                  20
2 – Somewhat closely                       39
3 – Not closely                                    16
4 – Not at all                                        26

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

Poll: Tiger, Nike, Kaepernick, Trump, Serena and Urban Meyer

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Is Tiger Woods an Endorsement Magnet Again? Seton Hall Sports Poll Suggests He Is. Poll Also Queries Attitudes On Nike, Kaepernick, Trump, Urban Meyer and Serena.

South Orange NJ, September 28, 2018 — Tiger Woods’s first PGA victory in five years was generally considered a feel-good event for the sport, but can it translate to a return to the endorsement world in which he was once prominent? 70% of respondents said yes, they would expect Woods to get more endorsement opportunities now, to only 16% saying no. Only 9%, however, said they would be more inclined to buy a product bearing his endorsement, while 8% said less inclined and 82% said it would not matter.

Those were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week among 780 Americans on land lines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 3.6%. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Stillman School of Business and its Sharkey Institute. Rick Gentile is the director.

Effects of Nike Commercial with Kaepernick

The controversial decision by Nike to use Colin Kaepernick in its commercials resulted in 16% saying they would be more inclined to buy Nike products, 26% less inclined and 52% saying it had no effect. Among African-Americans, people were more inclined to buy Nike by a 6-1 margin.

NFL Anthem Ruling?
Meanwhile, on the issue that started it all – the kneeling for the national anthem – 56% said the NFL should leave things as they are as opposed to issuing a ruling on the issue, which 39% favored. Younger respondents – ages 18-29 – by a 3-1 margin, said the matter should be left as is without the issuance of a new rule.

President Trump Tweets on NFL Protests Divisive?
Asked whether President Trump’s tweets about player protests were helpful, 56% said they divided people, 21% said they united people, and 10% said they had no effect.

“A clear majority wants the furor over the NFL player protests put to rest,” said Gentile, “and the presidential tweets on the subject to do the same.”

The Urban Meyer Suspension at Ohio State
Ohio State’s head football coach Urban Meyer suffered a three-game suspension for mishandling a case of domestic abuse by an assistant coach. 34% felt it should have been more severe, and 9% felt it should have been less severe. 32% felt that was an appropriate punishment.

Serena Williams, People Agree Men have More Latitude to Argue in Tennis
Asked for opinions on the Serena Williams clash with tennis officials at the US Open earlier this month, 56% agreed with her that male tennis players are given more latitude to “misbehave” than women players. 37% disagreed. Among men, it was “yes” by a 49-32% margin; among women, it was “yes” by 62-22%.

Asked if race was a factor in her being penalized, 25% said yes, 58% said no. and African-Americans were split evenly.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been a catalyst for leadership — developing students in mind, heart and spirit — since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 academic programs, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S.News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall, which embraces students of all religions, prepares its graduates to be exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. Its attractive main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is only 14 miles by train, bus or car from New York City, offering a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. The university’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark.

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone September 24-26 among 780 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

1- Do you think the NFL should issue a rule regarding protesting during the playing of the national anthem or do you think the league should leave things alone?

1-Issue a rule 39

2-Leave things alone 56

3-Don’t know/No opinion 6

2- Do you think the main effect of President Trump’s tweets on the subject of NFL players’ on field protesting was to unite people or divide them?

1-Unite people 21

2-Divide people 56

3-Had no effect 10

4-Don’t know/No opinion 14

3- Does the Nike TV commercial featuring Colin Kaepernick make you more inclined, less inclined or have no effect on whether you purchase Nike products?

1-More inclined 16

2-Less inclined 26

3-No effect 52

4-Don’t know/No opinion 6

4- Tiger Woods lost many non-golf endorsement deals a few years ago because he was perceived to be involved in some scandalous behavior. After his victory over the past weekend do you think sponsors will once again reach out to have him endorse products?

1-Yes 70

2-No 16

3-Don’t know/No opinion 15

5- Would you be more inclined to purchase a product endorsed by Tiger Woods, less inclined or would his endorsement not matter?

1-More inclined 9

2-Less inclined 8

3-Wouldn’t matter 81

4-Don’t know/No opinion 3

6- Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was suspended 3-games for mishandling a case of domestic abuse involving one of his assistant coaches. Do you think the punishment of Coach Meyer should have been more severe, less severe or was it appropriate?

1-More severe 34

2-Less severe 9

3-Appropriate 32

4-Don’t know/No opinion 25

7- In the finals of the US Open Tennis Tournament, Serena Williams was penalized for several rules infractions regarding behavior. She claimed that she was punished more harshly than a male player would have been for the same behavior. Do you think male tennis players are given more latitude to misbehave than female players?

1-Yes 56

2-No 27

3-Don’t know/No opinion 17

8- Do you think Serena Williams’s race was a factor in how she was penalized for her behavior during the match?

1-Yes 25

2-No 58

3-Don’t know 17

9- How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?

1-Very closely 20

2-Closely 37

3-Not closely 32

4-Not at all 11

Sports Poll Featured in USA Today, NY Daily News, Yahoo Finance, ESPN and SportsBusiness Daily

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The Seton Hall Sports Poll, sponsored by the Sharkey Institute and the Stillman School of Business, was featured in USA Today, the NY Daily News, Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports along with ESPN, SportsBusiness Daily and a number of other media outlets.

The most recent poll asked people what they thought about President Trump’s comments regarding the NFL national anthem controversy (71% would like him to stop commenting, only 23% said he should continue to do so); what they thought about the efficacy of a plan to deal with the anthem controversy put forward by a number of NFL owners that would keep players in the locker room while the anthem played (63% said “not effective,” 27% said “yes”); and whether or not they planned on buying and NFL merchandise over the holiday season (20% said yes, and a whopping 74% said no) and whether the anthem controversy had anything to do with their decision not to buy (a third said it did).
In addition to these questions, the Poll gauged the public sentiment on the current selection format for the college football playoffs, the prospect of Roger Goodell’s contract extension, the impact of Jerry Jones, Women in sports broadcasting, and a number of other questions. You can see the release here.

Media Highlights

USA Today, “New poll shows fewer people support President Trump’s involvement in NFL anthem protests.”
NY Daily News, “Most Americans want Trump to shut up about NFL anthem protests, new survey finds.”
Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports, “Poll: 71% of Americans want Trump to stay out of NFL anthem spat.”
ESPN’s Darren Rovell (who specializes in the business aspects of sports and has nearly 2 million followers on Twitter) tweeted the findings on NFL merchandise and the anthem controversy.
ESPN editor, William Weinbaum, also reported the poll’s findings, “A Seton Hall Sports Poll released Thursday found 71% of Americans oppose & 23% favor President Trump continuing to comment on NFL players’ anthem protests. Last month, 55% opposed & 37% supported his involvement in the issue.”
Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily, “Daily Digit.”

Nearly 20 Percent Watch Live Sports on Mobile Devices or Computers

South Orange, NJ, November 21, 2016 The Seton Hall Sports Poll looked at the viewing habits of fans – of all sports – and found that 22% said they watched less live sports on TV than in the past; 13% said they are watching more, and 60% about the same.

Of interest within those results, 17% said they sometimes watched on a computer; 19% said they sometimes watched on a mobile device (like a phone or a tablet), and 83% said they watched on a traditional television set.

These were the findings of the latest Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted last week among 913 randomly called adult Americans, on both landlines and cellphones. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3%.

As an area of growth, viewing on a mobile device has the greatest increase. Of those watching on a mobile device, 28% are watching more, 15% less, and 55% about the same. Of those watching on a computer, 25% are watching more, 23% less, and 50% about the same. Of those responding “yes” to television sets, 16% are watching more, 20% less, and 63% about the same.

“Television remains by far the biggest aggregator for sports fans,” said Gentile. “But nearly 20% of fans do some of their viewing in other ways. We will regularly be tracking these trends.”

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone November 14-16 among 913 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

Media: Media: Marty Appel Public Relations, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Seton Hall Associate Director of Media Relations, Michael Ricciardelli, michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu;
Office Phone: 973-378-9845
Cell Phone: 862-520-9639

The results:

How do you watch live sports? On television?
Yes 83%
No 17

On a mobile device (tablet or phone)?
Yes 19
No 81

On a computer?
Yes 17
No 83

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
Very closely 18
Closely 30
Not closely 35
Not at all 18

National Anthem Protest a ‘Turn Off’ for NFL Fans; Nearly 20% Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

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National Anthem Protest is a ‘Turn Off’ for NFL Fans, Cited as the Leading Cause for Viewership Falloff

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Nearly 20% Occasionally Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

South Orange, NJ, November 21, 2016 – In a year of declining television viewership for NFL games, 23% of Americans say they are watching fewer games, and a quarter of them attribute it to the protests during the playing of the national anthem.

Of those watching fewer games, the fall off was attributed to:

Protests during the national anthem 25%

Too many commercial interruptions 10%

Match-ups aren’t as good 10%

Too many games on TV 8%

More interest in the election 3%

Other (or don’t know) 44%

“The anthem protest still seems to resonate most loudly but there clearly are a number of issues negatively affecting viewership,” said Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “We saw last week that the best remedy is great match ups and great games”

As for San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the protests, 50% disapprove of his not choosing to vote in this month’s election, with only 14% approving. Among African-Americans, only 30% voiced disapproval, compared to 58% of white respondents.

Nearly 20% Occasionally Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

watch-live-sports-shsp The poll also tracked viewing habits of fans – of all sports – and found that 22% watched less live sports on TV than in the past; 13% are watching more, and 60% about the same.

Specifically, 17% said they sometimes watched on a computer; 19% said they sometimes watched on a mobile device (like a phone or a tablet), and 83% said they watched on a traditional television set.

“Television remains by far the biggest aggregator for sports fans,” said Gentile. “But nearly 20% of fans do some of their viewing in other ways. We will regularly be tracking these trends.”

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone November 14-16 among 913 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

The results:

Do you find yourself watching more NFL games, fewer NFL games or about the same amount of NFL games?
More 10
Fewer 23
About the same 58
Don’t know 9

(IF “FEWER” ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION. IF MORE OR SAME SKIP NEXT

QUESTION)

Why have you watched fewer NFL games? Please pick your main reason from the following.
Match-ups aren’t as good 10
Too many games on TV 8
More interested in the election 3
Too many commercial interruptions 10
The protests during the national anthem 25
Other 37
Don’t know 7

Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player who sparked the national anthem protests, refused to vote in the recent Presidential Election, also in protest. Do you approve, disapprove or have no opinion about this decision?
Approve 14
Disapprove 50
No Opinion 36

Do you watch more live sports on TV than in the past, less live sports on TV or about the same amount as in the past?
More 13
Less 22
About the same 60
Don’t know 5

How do you watch live sports? On television?
Yes 83
No 17

On a mobile device (tablet or phone)?
Yes 19
No 81

On a computer?
Yes 17
No 83

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
Very closely 18
Closely 30
Not closely 35
Not at all 18

Lebron Is Still King When Endorsement Matters, According to Seton Hall Sports Poll

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LEBRON IS STILL KING WHEN ENDORSEMENT MATTERS, ACCORDING TO SETON HALL SPORTS POLL

James Has Edge Over Curry Among Consumers

Retired Manning, Somewhat Deflated Brady Top Football Endorsers

South Orange, NJ, September 27, 2016 — LeBron James is more likely than Steph Curry to influence a purchasing decision by American consumers according to a national poll conducted last week by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.

The poll was conducted this week among 875 adults on both landlines and cellphones across the nation. (There is a margin of error of +/- 3.4%).

When asked which player is more likely “to sway your purchase decision on something he endorses”, 26% selected James and 19% selected Curry, with 40% choosing neither, and 16% declaring “don’t know.”

“Curry got enormous attention last year, but James did win the championship, and he’s been on the scene a lot longer” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “We will be watching to see if this turns over the next season.”

When confronted with marquee names from the NFL, and asked if their endorsement would sway a purchase decision, the retired Peyton Manning scored highest among those listed, with 31% saying “yes” to his name. Tom Brady, currently serving a four-game suspension for “Deflategate,” ranked second with 21%. Others listed were Aaron Rodgers (17%), Cam Newton (16%), JJ Watt (15%) and Odell Beckham Jr. (13%).

Manning was the only player where women rated him as high as men; they were much less impressed by the others. Manning in fact had 32% “yes” among women, 31% among men. Brady was 19% yes among women, 23% among men. Rogers received only 9% “yes” from women, 25% “yes” from men.

Advertisers will likely note that younger people are more likely to be swayed by an endorsement. It was most apparent among those giving the answer “neither,” with 26% of 18-29 years old saying “neither” while 40% of those 30-44, 43% of those 45-60 and 46% of those over 60 did.

Rick Gentile was interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467?mt=2#episodeGuid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogtalkradio.com%2Fsetonhallsportspoll%2F2016%2F09%2F23%2Fseason-2-september-2016-colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-controvery

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone September 19-21 among 875 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

Media: Media: Marty Appel Public Relations (212) 245-1772, AppelPR@gmail.com; Rick Gentile (917) 881-9489.

The results:

1. Which basketball player is more likely to sway your purchase decision on something he endorses, Steph Curry or LeBron James?

Curry 19
James 26
Neither 40
Don’t know 16

2. I am going to read you the names of some current and former NFL players. Tell me if their endorsement would sway your purchase decision:

Cam Newton
Yes 16
No 64
Don’t know 20

Peyton Manning
Yes 31
No 56
Don’t know 13

Tom Brady
Yes 21
No 65
Don’t know 15

Aaron Rodgers
Yes 17
No 61
Don’t know 22

JJ Watt
Yes 15
No 62
Don’t know 23

Odell Beckham, Jr.
Yes 13
No 65
Don’t know 22

New Poll: By over 2 to 1, USA Believes NFL not Honest in Recent Years on Subject of Head Injuries

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BY OVER 2 TO 1, USA BELIEVES NFL HAS NOT BEEN HONEST IN RECENT YEARS ON THE SUBJECT OF HEAD INJURIES

29% VIEW LEAGUE LESS FAVORABLY

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Both men and women agree –

73% Say Women’s soccer team pay should equal men’s

South Orange, NJ, April 15, 2016 — By more than a 2 to 1 margin, the nation believes theNational Football League has not been honest in recent years on the subject of head injuries, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week. While 26% believe the league has been honest, 58% feels it has not been. 16% said they did not know.

The poll was conducted among 730 adults on both landlines and cellphones across the nation. (There is a margin of error of +/- 3.7%).

29% – nearly a third – now view the NFL less favorably, with 56% saying the matter has had no effect on their feelings about the league. (7% see it more favorably).

“Even though an overwhelming margin feels the league has been less than honest on this issue, the NFL continues to enjoy great popularity, with a majority of the respondents still saying it has no effect on how they view the league,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “But the 29% who view the league less favorably is a substantial number.”

51% feel the NFL is not doing enough to protect its players from concussions and head injuries (vs. 35% who feel they do), and 54% feel they do not do enough for retired players who suffer from brain injuries (vs. 22% who feel they do). These “not doing enough” numbers are up 10% for both active and retired players since the question was last asked, in October 2014, by the Poll.

49% feel the sudden retirement of the New York Jets lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson will raise awareness of the subject of head injuries. And a whopping 80% feel that greater precautions should be taken by high school and college programs to limit concussions.

When asked “If your son wanted to play football…..” only 21% said they would enthusiastically encourage it, 56% said they would cautiously allow it, and 18% said they would absolutely forbid it. Among men, it was 30% (encourage), 49% (allow), 18% (forbid), while among women, it was 13% (encourage), 62% (allow), and 19% (forbid).

MEN SUPPORT EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS
ALMOST AS MUCH AS WOMEN DO, AND BOTH OVERWHELMINGLY SO

While a national dialogue on the matter of equal pay for women plays out on the Presidential campaign trail, on the matter of members of the US Women’s Soccer team (World Cup champions), receiving comparable pay to members of the Men’s team, 73% indicated they should receive the same pay, with an additional 11% saying they should receive more. Only 8% said they should receive less, as they currently do. Men strongly support equal pay, with 69% of them approving, while 76% of women concur.

NBA WANTS TO RAISE MINIMUM AGE FROM 19 TO 20 – MAJORITY AGREES

With the NBA Commissioner saying he would like to raise the minimum age to draft players from 19 to 20, this effectively meant college players would have to complete two years, not one. 55% of respondents agreed with the two years of college plan, with only 13% supporting one year. The Poll asked this question in March, 2014, at which time 54% supported two years, and 19% supported one and done.

SALARIES FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES? 24% SAY THEY WOULD LOSE INTEREST

The Poll asked if interest would change if college athletes were compensated, and 64% said their interest would remain the same, with 24% saying it would decrease and only 11% saying it would increase.

COLLEGE HOCKEY GROWTH? 44% EXPRESS INTEREST

Asked if they would be be interested in seeing a further growth of hockey on the college level, 44% indicated they would be either somewhat interested (28%) or very interested (16%), with 51% saying they were not interested in that.

ENDORSEMENTS BY PGA GOLFERS AN INFLUENCE?

Asked how likely they would be to buy a product endorsed by some leading PGA professionals, Phil Mickelson’s 24% “likely” rated highest among the five players listed, with Tiger Woods receiving 21%, Rory McIlroy 19%, Jordan Spieth 17% and Master’s winner Danny Willett 9%. The “not likely” tally came in at 62% for Woods, 61% for Willett, 56% for Spieth, 55% for Mickelson and 54% for McIlroy. Mickelson also scored highest (46%) among those identifying themselves as fans or players of golf (38.5% of all polled).

Buying Products Endorsed by Golf Stars

Results Likely Unlikely Golf Fans Likely Golf Fans Unlikely

Mickelson 24% 55 46 40

Woods 21 62 35 52

McIlroy 19 54 38 44

Spieth 17 55 35 47

Willett 9 61 17 58
Rick Gentile will be interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings. Links will follow upon completion.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone April 11-13 among 730 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.

The results

An NFL Executive Vice President has suggested that there is a link between football and severe brain injury. Do you think the league has been honest about this link in dealing with the subject of head injuries for the past few years?

Yes 26

No 58

Don’t know 16

Has the league’s handling of the controversy concerning brain injuries made you feel more favorable to the NFL, less favorable to the NFL or has it not affected your view of the league?

More favorable 7

Less favorable 29

No effect 56

Don’t know 8

Do you think the NFL is doing enough to protect its players from concussions and head injuries?

Yes 35

No 51

Don’t know 15

Do you think the NFL has done enough for retired players who suffer from brain injuries after sustaining concussions during their playing days?

Yes 22

No 54

Don’t know 24

NY Jets offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson just announced his retirement after never missing a game for his entire 10-year career. He had stated that he was troubled by the NFL’s downplaying the long-term effects of concussions.

Do you think his retirement will raise awareness of the subject of head injuries or not have any effect on awareness?

Raise awareness 49

Have no effect 36

Don’t know 15

Do you think greater precautions should be taken by high school and college football organizations to limit the number of concussions by student/athletes, or is enough being done?

Greater precautions 80

Enough being done 13

Don’t know 8

If your son wanted to play football would you enthusiastically encourage it, cautiously allow it or absolutely forbid it?

Enthusiastically encourage 21

Cautiously allow 56

Absolutely forbid 18

Don’t know 6

The Commissioner of the NBA has said he wants to raise the minimum age for eligibility to the NBA draft from 19 to 20. In effect, this means players would have to finish two years of college before becoming eligible instead of one year as it is now. Do you think they should leave the rule as it is now at one year, change to two years, or have no limits for when a player can be drafted?

One year 13

Two years 55

No limits 19

Don’t know 11

If collegiate athletes begin to receive salaries would your interest in following college athletics increase, decrease or remain the same?

Increase 11

Decrease 24

Remain the same 64

Collegiate hockey has seen more participation recently. How interested would you be in seeing further growth of hockey on the collegiate level, very interested, somewhat interested or not at all interested?

Very interested 16

Somewhat interested 28

Not interested 51

Don’t know 6

Members of the US Women’s Soccer team have filed suit against USA Soccer because despite winning the Women’s World Cup they received about one quarter of what the men, who finished 15^th, received. Do you think the women should receive more than the men, the same as the men or less than the men?

More 11

Same 73

Less 8

Don’t know 9

Do you either play golf, follow golf or watch golf broadcasts?

Yes 39

No 57

Don’t know 4

How likely would you be to buy a product endorsed by the following players:

Jordan Spieth

Likely 17

Not likely 56

Don’t know 27

Rory McIlroy

Likely 19

Not likely 54

Don’t know 28

Phil Mickelson

Likely 24

Not likely 55

Don’t know 22

Danny Willett

Likely 9

Not likely 61

Don’t know 30

Tiger Woods

Likely 21

Not likely 62

Don’t know 17

14. How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?

Very closely 19

Closely 41

Not closely 28

Not at all 13

Seton Hall Sports Poll in Media Across the Country

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Seton Hall’s latest Sports Poll gauged public opinion on star athlete approval ratings, ticket purchasing, PED use, the most admired sports accomplishments and the most anticipated sporting events.

The poll and its findings were featured by media outlets across the country, including Forbes, the NY Daily News, ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” the San Francisco Chronicle and the Star Ledger/NJ.com as well as a number of sports radio talk shows, including KKFN in Denver, NBC Sports Radio, 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, and 790 The Ticket in Miami.

In addition, ESPN’s Sports Business reporter, Darren Rovell, a Twitter follower of @HallSportsPoll, issued a number of tweets about poll findings to his million plus followers.

Media highlights include:

Forbes, “Poll Shows Rehashed Sexual Assault Story On Peyton Manning Has Zero Impact On His Favorability”

NY Daily News, “Seton Hall Sports Poll: Fans dig Manning despite renewed focus on sex-harassment charges”

San Francisco Chronicle, “Stephen Curry’s approval, disapproval ratings”

Star Ledger/NJ.com, “Is Peyton Manning still beloved despite allegations? Poll indicates …”

NBC Sports Radio, The Scott Seidenberg Show, “Steph Curry approval rating vs. Lebron and Kobe”

ESPN SportsCenter, “Steph Curry popularity vs. LeBron”

ESPN’s Darren Rovell, to 1.15 million followers on Twitter

Seton Hall Sports Poll: Peyton Manning has never had a higher approval rating (68% say they like him) since 1st poll in Nov. 2011.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 25, 2016

New athlete popularity polling from @HallSportsPoll pic.twitter.com/2igWccj3Se

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 26, 2016

40% of people saying they are fans of Steph doesn't mean 60% don't like him. @HallSportsPoll data showed only 1% said they didn't like him.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 26, 2016

Read more about the most recent Sports Poll »

Super Bowl 50 Advertising, are you Paying Attention?

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According to the most recent Seton Hall Sports Poll, a whopping 68% of all Americans plan on watching Super Bowl 50.
That’s roughly 218 million people, not counting the international numbers.
Why?
Well, because it’s the Super Bowl.

But given a choice of reasons, “I’m a football fan” and/or a “fan of one of the teams playing” account for only 59% of all Americans who plan on watching.

And, sponsors take note, a full 10% of those who said they would be watching say they will do so because they are “interested in seeing the commercials.” And 18% because “it’s a big event.” That’s 28% (approximately 61 million people) who will be watching and are not doing so primarily to watch football. They are watching to be entertained.

We also know that 55% of everyone watching (118 million people) say they’ll watch the Super Bowl commercials closer than they normally watch commercials. Because, well, Super Bowl commercials have come to be a part of the entertainment.

But here’s the kicker, as Darren Rovell of ESPN notes:

88% say seeing a product in a Super Bowl ad doesn't affect their buying habits (Source: @HallSportsPoll)

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 28, 2016

And this, of course, is right in line with the numbers we polled in the Fall when a resounding 44% said they paid attention to sponsor signs in stadiums; but an overwhelming majority said that it made no difference:

85% of people say that a sports sponsorship doesn't affect their decision to buy that brand (Seton Hall Sports Poll). Too low for $ spent.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 2, 2015

Rovell is right. That’s just way too low a number to be possible for all the money spent. But remember, these numbers reflect what people think and what they say, not how they behave or what they ultimately do.

As for the ROI on dollars spent on advertising to over 200 million people, many of whom are watching for the express purpose of being entertained by your ad? This article in Ad Sense breaks it down, and the number of repeat advertisers speaks volumes– as does the number of new advertisers launching a product campaign.

And ultimately, it’s about brand awareness. You may not run out to buy that product on Monday, but you (and close to 220 million other people) will be aware of it. And that’s a first and crucial step in product marketing.

Poll Results Featured in NY Daily News, NJ.com, The Record, Legal Sports Report and USC/USA Today Sports, ‘Fields of Green’

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The Seton Hall Sports Poll’s results were featured in the NY Daily News, NJ.com, The Record, Legal Sports Report and Fields of Green, an online partnership between USA TODAY Sports Media Group and the USC Sports Business Institute

A discussion about the poll results can be heard on Seth Everett’s “Sports with Friends.”

The Daily News and NJ.com focused on the finding that following the Paris attacks that included terrorist activity outside the Stade de France during a major soccer match, 73% of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned about attending a sporting event in a large venue.

Daily News, “Seton Hall Sports Poll: Paris terror has raised concerns about stadium safety in U.S.“

NJ.com: “Paris attacks have Americans fearing safety at sporting events, poll says”

The Record and Legal Sports Report wrote about the findings regarding Daily Fantasy Sports.

The Record: “U.S. public seeing DFS as gambling moreso than game of skill, per Seton Hall poll”

Legal Sports Report: “Poll: Half Think Daily Fantasy Sports Should Be Legal; Half Also Think DFS Is Gambling“

Fields of Green focused on the public perception of stadium sponsorship included in the Poll’s last results.

Fields of Green: “Fans say they aren’t affected by team sponsorship deals“

You can hear Seth Everett and Rick Gentile discuss these and other findings on the podcast, here.

Seton Hall Sports Poll Update

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Seth Everett gives the latest Seton Hall SportsPoll update: MLB’s World Series vs. NFL; interesting result for sports stadium billboard sponsorship and perceived effect (1 minute, 27 seconds).