Category Archives: Basketball

Roughly Half the Nation Feels Legalized Sports Betting Calls Integrity of Games into Question

South Orange, NJ, May 16, 2018 — Concern over the integrity of sports results has gone hand in hand with the question of legalized gambling over the years, and Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, which ended the federal ban on sports wagering, has intensified the discussion even further.

The most recent Seton Hall Sports Poll (conducted April 23-25 among 736 adults in the U.S. with a +/- 3.7% margin of error), found that 48% feel legalized sports betting would negatively impact the integrity of sporting events.

This was consistent with a poll taken by the SHSP in 2014, when 49% answered affirmatively to the same question. When the question was posed in 2012, 53% said the sports integrity would be negatively impacted.

“People tend to be in favor of gambling on games, but a large number – nearly half the population, believes the outcome of games could be subject to questioning,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Stillman School of Business and its Sharkey Institute. “ Whether the games are fixed or not isn’t the question so much as whether public confidence is eroded. That’s a big problem for sports leagues.”

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 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 April 23-25 among 736 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute, with cell phone interviewing provided by Braun Research.

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 of Seton Hall’s April poll:

Would you be in favor of legalized betting on sports events?

Yes 55%

No 35

Don’t know/No opinion 10

(IF NO TO ABOVE SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

Would you be in favor of betting on just professional events or should betting on collegiate events be legal as well?

Just professional 36

Both professional and collegiate 49

Don’t know/No opinion 15

Do you think legalized sports betting would negatively impact the integrity of sporting events?

Yes 48

No 42

Don’t know/No opinion 10

The US Supreme Court is about to rule on whether states should be allowed to legalize betting on sports events or whether it should be up to the federal government to decide. Do you think sports betting should be under state control or federal control?

State control 62

Federal control 27

Don’t know/No opinion 12

Supreme Court Decision on Sports Betting Aligns with Poll Findings

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South Orange, NJ– May 14, 2018
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the ban on sports betting is unconstitutional and leaving the decision in the hand’s of individual states, is in line with the Seton Hall Sports Poll’s findings on sports betting in America.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of New Jersey and, ultimately, in favor of legalized sports betting. By a margin of 55% – 35%, a full 20 points, the American public favors legalized betting on sports events, according to a poll conducted three weeks ago by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.

“The Supreme Court ruling is in synch with the trend the Seton Hall Sports Poll has tracked for several years now,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Stillman School of Business and the Sharkey Institute. “Our respondents more and more, are in favor of legalized sports betting and, moreover, want it out of the hands of federal government.”

The poll was conducted over landlines and cellphones to 736 randomly selected people across the country, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.

The poll also asked whether people think that sports betting should be controlled by individual states, or by the federal government.

62% said sports gambling should be under state control, with
27% saying the federal government should control it.

Broken down by gender, men are much more inclined to support legalized betting,
with 63% saying yes.

Only 47% of women favored legalized betting.

Approval fell significantly by age, with 68% support from ages 18-29, down to 37% at age 60 and over. Similarly, the support number fell based on level of education, with 71% supporting legalized gambling among those who did not finish high school, to 39% for those with post-graduate degrees.

Those who favor legalized betting think it should cover both professional and college sports by a margin of 49% – 36%.

The results can be found here

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 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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, 862-520-9639; 908-447-3034

The results:

Would you be in favor of legalized betting on sports events?

Yes 55%

No 35

Don’t know/No opinion 10

(IF NO TO ABOVE SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

Would you be in favor of betting on just professional events or should betting on collegiate events be legal as well?

Just professional 36

Both professional and collegiate 49

Don’t know/No opinion 15

Do you think legalized sports betting would negatively impact the integrity of sporting events?

Yes 48

No 42

Don’t know/No opinion 10

The US Supreme Court is about to rule on whether states should be allowed to legalize betting on sports events or whether it should be up to the federal government to decide. Do you think sports betting should be under state control or federal control?

State control 62

Federal control 27

Don’t know/No opinion 12

Americans Favor Legalized Sports Betting

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Americans Favor Legalized Sports Betting, But Also Believe it Impacts the Integrity of the Games

South Orange, NJ, April 26, 2018 — By a margin of 55% – 35%, the American public favors legalized betting on sports events, according to a poll conducted this week by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.

And by a margin of 48% – 42%, those same respondents feel that legalized betting would negatively impact the integrity of sporting events. Even among those favoring legalized gambling, one of three believes that it would have a negative impact.

“It’s outrageous when you think about it,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute. “It comes close to saying ‘We don’t care about the legitimacy of the games, what matters is being able to bet on them. A majority favors gambling, and by a slimmer margin think the games might be fixed as a result.”

The poll was conducted over landlines and cellphones to 736 randomly selected people across the country, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.

The poll also asked whether people feel that sports betting should be controlled by individual states, or by the federal government. (The U.S. Supreme Court is about to rule on that issue).

62% said sports gambling should be under state control, with 27% saying the federal government should control it.

Broken down by gender, men are much more inclined to support legalized betting, with 63% saying yes.

Only 47% of women favored legalized betting.

Those who favor legalized betting think it should cover both professional and college sports by a margin of 49% – 36%.

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 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com; Rick Gentile (917) 881-9489
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

Would you be in favor of legalized betting on sports events?

Yes 55%

No 35

Don’t know/No opinion 10

(IF NO TO ABOVE SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

Would you be in favor of betting on just professional events or should betting on collegiate events be legal as well?

Just professional 36

Both professional and collegiate 49

Don’t know/No opinion 15

Do you think legalized sports betting would negatively impact the integrity of sporting events?

Yes 48

No 42

Don’t know/No opinion 10

State control 62

Federal control 27

Don’t know/No opinion 12

63% Say they’ll Watch Olympics, 43% Plan to Use Live Stream

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Public says ‘yes’ to criminal charges for gymnastics and college officials in wake of Dr. Nassar trial; big pushback on NBA proposal for gambling on basketball.

S. Orange, NJ, February 7, 2018 — The Winter Olympics in South Korea may be 14 time zones removed from the Eastern Time Zone of the US — but 43% of Americans say they plan to watch NBC’s live streaming content during the Games, with only 48% saying they did not have such plans.

“That is a healthy number of people turning to devices other than television,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute. “You might call this the breakthrough year for streaming coverage making a big impact.”

The poll was conducted January 29-31 with random calls to 706 adults on landlines and cellphones across the country, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.8%.

A big chunk of the country — 63% — say they will watch at least some coverage of the Games, which begin Friday, February 8. That is double those who said “no” (31%) to watching any coverage.

Asked if they would be more likely to buy a product advertising during the Olympics, 87% said it would make no difference, a number that advertising executives would surely debate. Five percent said they were “more likely” and 5% said “less likely” to buy the product.

Big Pushback on NBA Proposal for Gambling on Games in New York State

The Poll also asked people about a proposal from the NBA that would allow gambling on its games in New York State, using hand held devices and kiosks in addition to casinos and racetracks. (The league would receive one percent of all wagers). Asked if the league should be taking such an active role in promoting the legalization of sports gambling, 69% said “no” with only 16% saying “yes,” and 14% in the don’t know/no opinion category.

But there was a clear age difference in support of wagering. While only 7% of those 45-59 supported the New York State proposal, the number jumped to 19% for those 30-44 and 36 percent for those 18-29.

Criminal Charges for Gymnastics, College Officials in Wake of Dr. Nassar Trial?
A Resounding ‘Yes’ from the Public

Finally, the Poll asked whether Board members from U.S. Gymnastics Federation and officials at Michigan State University should face criminal charges for not acting on complaints from gymnasts regarding Dr. Larry Nassar, the American public shouted “yes” by 78% to just 6%, with 16% saying “don’t know or no opinion.”

“We have seen resignations in the wake of the Nassar conviction and sentencing,” said Gentile. “But public opinion says more punishment is needed, and this is really an overwhelming statement.”

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 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone January 29-31 among 706 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 3.8 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. A doctor who was employed by the U.S. Gymnastics Federation and practiced medicine at Michigan State University has been convicted of sexually abusing over 100 female gymnasts (including many minors) over a period of decades. As a result, the president and athletic director of Michigan State have resigned as has the entire board of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation. Do you think the gymnastics board members and university officials should face criminal charges for not taking action on the many complaints from victims?

1. Yes 78

2. No 6

3. Don’t know/No opinion 16

2. Do you plan on watching any television coverage of the Winter Olympics from South Korea that will begin on Feb. 8?

1. Yes 63

2. No 31

3. Don’t know 6

3. Many of the events during the Olympics will be live streamed by NBC. Do you plan to watch any of the live streaming content?

1. Yes 43

2. No 48

3. Don’t know 10

4. Would you be more likely to buy a product advertised during the Olympics, less likely or does it make no difference?

1. More likely 5

2. Less likely 5

3. No difference 87

4. Don’t know 3

5. The NBA has proposed a plan for sports gambling to the NY State Senate that would include the league receiving one percent of all wagers and allow wagering on handheld devices and in kiosks as opposed to just casinos and racetracks. Do you think a professional sports league should be taking such an active role in promoting the legalization of sports gambling?

1. Yes 16

2. No 69

3. Don’t know/No opinion 14

Professor Charles Grantham in The Undefeated and Wharton Business Radio on Athlete Anthem Protests

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Professor Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sport Management, was featured in The Undefeated and on Wharton Business Radio on Sirius XM.

Grantham, who is the former Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, published an essay in The Undefeated entitled, “Unions had better start doing their jobs to protect NFL players’ rights.”

In the essay, Grantham writes:

Colin Kaepernick’s act of protest in the backdrop of a presidential election, and now administration, where race is front and center has created a firestorm with regard to racial attitudes and relations in America.

The protest, using sports as the platform, has opened a conversation that is long overdue in America, and each day more people are brought into the debate offering support or disagreeing with the protest. Whatever your opinion, the‎re is still an “uncomfortable silence” from the segment of the sports community that can actually effect the very change Kaepernick, NFL players and other athletes are seeking….

Any solution to this protest will require the commissioners‎ and union leaders in both sports to demonstrate the courage currently displayed by the athletes and the bold thinking required to change status quo. While management and labor are most often adversaries, they are financial partners in a defined revenue sharing/salary cap business model because of the collective bargaining agreement. Thus, the biggest challenge to leadership on both sides of the aisle is to determine when and how outside forces affect revenue and franchise values.

On the Sirius XM Wharton School of Business radio show, “Knowledge@Wharton,” host Dan Loney led a roundtable discussion on the anthem protests as well as the rights and relative business interests of both players and owners. Along with Professor Grantham, the show featured Wharton Professor Emeritus and CEO of Global Sports Institute, Ken Shropshire; and Andrew Brandt, director of the Center for Sports Law at Villanova and NFL business analyst for ESPN.

You can hear the show in its entirety here.

Fifty-three Percent Say TV Revenue in NCAA Tournament Detracts from Academic Goals of a University

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Two Years of College vs One?
41% Favor Raising the Age Limit for NBA Eligibility;

Number who Say ‘Scholarship is Sufficient’ for Student-Athlete Compensation Trending Down

South Orange, NJ, March 23, 2017 — A clear majority of the American public believes that television revenue generated by the NCAA Basketball Tournament has turned collegiate athletics into too big a business, detracting from a university’s academic goals.

Fifty-three percent (53%) responded “yes” to that question in a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week among 739 adults across the country. Thirty-five percent (35%) responded “no.” The poll has a +/- 3.7% margin of error and is conducted with both landline and cellphone users. The poll is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

When asked, however, how much importance universities place on graduating basketball players – 58% said they believed the schools placed either a high or medium importance on graduation. This is about even (59%) from a similar Seton Hall Sports Poll taken five years ago.

Both the NBA Commissioner and the president of the NCAA have suggested raising the minimum age for eligibility in the NBA draft from 19 to 20. That essentially raises the commitment to college basketball from one year to two years. 19% thought it should remain at one year, but 41% favored two years. 26% said there should be no limits. When asked this question two years ago, 12% favored one year, and 56% two years with 23% saying no limits.

63% felt requiring an extra year of eligibility in college was a good thing, even if it meant losing a year of professional salary. 26% said no to the extra year requirement. When asked this question in 2014, 73% favored staying in school, a significant drop.

NUMBER WHO SAY ‘SCHOLARSHIP IS SUFFICIENT’ IS TRENDING DOWN

“Yes” Responses, 2012, 2013, 2017

45% of the nation felt student/athletes should not share in TV revenue or receive a salary for participating, with 40% saying they are exploited by not sharing in the revenue and should receive compensation. Men are more likely than women to believe that the students are being exploited, and people 18-44 are much more likely to believe that the students are exploited than those over 45.

60% felt providing a scholarship was sufficient for athletes, whereas 69% (2012) and 71% (2013) in previous Seton Hall Sports Polls felt providing a scholarship was sufficient. 35% believe the athletes should receive some form of salary or salary/scholarship.

“The public seems to be more sympathetic to increasing fees to student/athletes above scholarship,” noted Rick Gentile, Director of the Poll. “This is in sync with major conferences beginning to offer additional ‘cost of attendance’ aid to student/athletes.”

On the matter of whether people fill out a set of brackets or participate in a poll over this year’s tournament, 13% said they did. 35% of the nation says they follow the tournament either closely or very closely.

Interest in the tournament vs. the NBA playoffs is virtually even, with 30% saying they are more interested in the NCAA and 29% the NBA. But when asked the same question in 2014, 39% said the NCAA and only 22% said the NBA. In 2011, 44% said NCAA and 29% said NBA.

46% of respondents felt that most (or all) colleges break the rules in recruiting athletes, the same number as when the question was asked in 2013.

Asked who makes better role models and given a choice of five options, 52% said teachers, 17% said coaches, 9% said college athletes, 9% said pro athletes, and 3% said politicians.

A podcast in which Seth Everett interviews Rick Gentile can be downloaded at https://t.co/iRcZH6RBTQ

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone March 20-22 among 739 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 University Associate Director of Media Relations, Michael Ricciardelli
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu; 908-447-3034

The results:

The commissioner of the NBA and the president of the NCAA have suggested raising the minimum age for eligibility to the NBA draft from 19 to 20. In effect this means players would have to attend two years of college instead of one year as it is now. Do you think the rule should be left as it is now at one year, change to two years, or have no limits for when a player can be drafted?

One year 19%

Two years 41

No limits 25

Don’t know 15

Do you think requiring another year of school for student/athletes is a good thing for them even though they could lose a year of pro salary?

Yes 63

No 26

Don’t know 11

Do you think student/athletes who participate in revenue generating sports should receive a salary from their school, a salary plus scholarship or do you think a scholarship is enough compensation?

Salary 6

Salary plus scholarship 29

Scholarship 60

Don’t know 5

Which of the following statements do you most agree with:

Student/athletes are given a great opportunity to be able to participate in the NCAA Tournament and should not share in TV revenue or receive a salary for their participation. 45

Student/athletes are exploited by the NCAA Tournament because they don’t share in the TV revenue and should receive a salary for their participation 40

Neither (DON’T READ) 3

Both (DON’T READ) 2

Don’t know 11

How closely have you been following this year’s NCAA Tournament, very closely, closely,

not closely or not at all?

Very closely 13

Closely 21

Not closely 30

Not at all 36

Did you fill out a set of brackets or participate in a pool involving money for this year’s tournament?

Yes 13

No 83

Refuse to answer 4

Do you think the selection process to participate in the tournament is fair to all division one schools or do you think schools from the major conferences have an advantage?

Fair 24

Major conf. have advantg. 46

Don’t know 30

Which event are you more interested in, the NCAA Tournament or the NBA playoffs or are you not interested in either?

NCAA Tournament 30

NBA Playoffs 29

Neither 34

Don’t know 7

Do you think the television revenue generated by the NCAA Tournament has turned collegiate athletics into too big a business that detracts from a University’s academic goals?

Yes 53

No 35

Don’t know 12

How much importance do you think universities place on graduating basketball players, a high importance, medium importance, little importance or no importance?

High importance 25

Medium importance 33

Little importance 21

No importance 8

Don’t know 13

How many college basketball programs do you think break the rules in recruiting athletes, all of them, most of them, very few of them or none of them?

All 9

Most 37

Very few 34

None 4

Don’t know 16

Do you think it hurts the game when colleges recruit athletes they know won’t stay for the full duration of their eligibility?

Yes 48

No 40

Don’t know 13

Who do you think make better role models, college athletes, pro athletes, coaches, teachers or politicians?

College athletes 9

Pro athletes 9

Coaches 17

Teachers 52

Politicians 3

Don’t know 10

Young People Show Greater Support for Legalized Sports Gambling, but Overall Nation Divided

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Strong support for sports gambling being regulated on a State-by-State basis

South Orange, NJ, February 23, 2017 – If younger people are to set the trend for the future of legalized gambling in America, they are certainly showing support for the concept today.

Asked by the Seton Hall Sports Poll this week, “It’s been said a lot of people bet on sporting events anyway, so government should allow it and tax it. It’s also been said legal betting on sporting events is a bad idea because it promotes too much gambling and damages the integrity of sports. Which comes closer to your view?”…….

…….46% of Americans stated support for allowing betting on sporting events, while 42% said it was bad idea. This is a substantial increase from 2010 when a Fairleigh Dickinson poll showed 39% of Americans supported it, with 54% saying it was a bad idea.

Younger people are twice as likely to say “allow it” than those over 60. There is a clear age trend in support by age group: 67% of 18-29, 48% of 30-44, 42% of 45-59 and 30% of 60+.

The poll was conducted February 20-22 among 626 adults across the country on both landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of 4.0 %.

“If younger people carry those beliefs forward, and as they become lawmakers themselves, we could see a major shift in the legality of sports gambling,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

But where will the shift occur? A growing number of people, representative of general trends in the US, believe it should be on a state-by-state basis. 70% of all respondents support regulation on a state-by-state basis, with only 21% saying gambling should be regulated by the federal government. When asked this question in November 2014, 61% said state-by-state, and 29% said federal government.

The age trend also was also demonstrable on a question of whether it was appropriate for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s to call for legalized betting on a strictly regulated basis: 56% of those 18-29 supported his stance as appropriate, 34% of those 30-44, 28% of those 45-59 and 21% of those 60+ supported the stance.

Similarly, addressing New Jersey’s attempt of recent years to allow for sports gambling, 61% of those 18-29 said they should have passed the law, while 50% of those 30-44, 47% of those 45-59 and 33% of those 60+ supported it.

Daily fantasy games, a recent entry into the sports gambling discussion, attracts young people far more than older ones. While nationwide, only 15% say that have participated, the number is 24% for those 18-29, 11% for those 45-59, and only 6% for those 60+. 61% of all respondents believe those daily fantasy games are a form of gambling, with 23% calling them a game of skill.

Asked “have you ever gambled on a sporting event?” 31% of all respondents said yes, 66% said no. This is in line with the same question, asked in November 2014, at which time 33% said yes, 67% no.

A podcast in which Seth Everett interviews Rick Gentile will be available shortly.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 20-22 among 626 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 , AppelPR@gmail.com;
Seton Hall Associate Director of Media Relations, Michael Ricciardelli, michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu

The results:

It’s been said a lot of people bet on sporting events anyway, so government should allow it and tax it. It’s also been said legal betting on sporting events is a bad idea because it promotes too much gambling and damages the integrity of sports. Which comes closer to your view?

Allow it 46%

Bad idea 42

Don’t know 12

A while ago NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reversed the league’s historical stance and advocated legalized betting on sporting events on a strictly regulated basis. Do you think it’s appropriate for the leader of a major professional sports league to take such a stance?

Yes 34

No 51

Don’t know 15

A few years ago, New Jersey passed a law allowing for sports gambling in the state. The major sports leagues and the NCAA successfully lobbied for an injunction to block the law because they said gambling on sporting events damaged the integrity of the game. Do you think New Jersey should have been able to pass a law allowing sports betting in the state?

Yes 47

No 39

Don’t know 13

Four states (Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon) are exempt from a federal law passed in 1992 that banned betting on sporting events. With which of the following statements do you agree?

The law should be left as it is 18

The law should be changed to allow all states to legalize sports betting if they choose to do so. 45

Legalized sports betting should be outlawed in the four states in which it’s now legal 23

Don’t know 15

Do you think publishing point spreads in newspapers and on line encourages betting on sporting events?

Yes 53

No 36

Don’t know 11

If gambling on sporting events was legalized do you think it should be regulated on a state-by-state basis or by the federal government?

State-by-state 70

Federal government 21

Don’t know 10

Have you ever gambled on a sporting event?
Yes 31
No 66
Refuse to answer 3

(IF NO TO PREVIOUS QUESTION)

If gambling on sporting events was legalized do you think you would place a bet?

Yes 13

No 80

Don’t know 8

Commissioner Silver stated that gambling has become a popular form of entertainment in the United States. Do you agree or disagree?

Agree 69

Disagree 22

Don’t know 9

Baseball spring training has just begun in Florida and Arizona. Do you plan on participating in a baseball fantasy league this season?

Yes 2

No 91

Don’t know 6

Have you ever participated in any of the daily fantasy games for any sports?

Yes 15

No 81

Don’t know 4

Do you think participating in fantasy activities is a game of skill and therefore should be exempt from gambling laws or is it just another form of gambling?

Game of skill 23

Gambling 61

Don’t know 17

Poll: Modest Support for Pro Teams in Vegas, Almost No Support for Public Funding of Stadiums

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South Orange, NJ, February 13, 2017 – The American public feels that if an NFL team – presumably the Oakland Raiders – moved to Las Vegas, it would be okay with them, despite the city’s position as the center of legalized sports gambling.

Asked in a Seton Hall Sports Poll last week how they felt about the Raiders possibly relocating there (in a publicly funded stadium), 40% said it was okay, 31% said it was not, and 29% undecided.

The poll was conducted February 6-8 among 661 adults across the country on both landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of 3.9 %.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t get 31% saying no for any other city,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “But a majority of those expressing an opinion still supports the concept despite no major league team having yet played a game there.” (The NHL is putting a team there next season).

As for the public funding of a stadium, 75% felt the team should fund it with only 6% saying the public should fund it.

“The public funding issue seldom varies, with the city in question usually getting local support because of the expected business growth it brings in,” said Gentile. “This doesn’t always pan out, but the arguments on the local level usually resonate.”

BY 66%-12% PUBLIC SAYS KEEP OLYMPIC HOCKEY OUT OF NHL LABOR NEGOTIATIONS

The poll also asked a hockey question, in light of National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman’s position saying he is against the league participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics unless the players agree to extend the current collective bargaining agreement. Poll participants were asked if they felt it was appropriate to use the Olympics as leverage in a labor negotiation. Only 12% said yes, with 66% voicing no, and 22% “don’t know.”

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 6-8 among 661 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:

The Oakland Raiders have announced they would like to move to Las Vegas and will play in a new stadium largely funded by the public. Do you think professional sports franchises should be making their home in Las Vegas considering it’s the sports gambling capital of the U.S.?
Yes 40%
No 31
Don’t know 29

Do you think the public should be funding stadiums and arenas to attract professional franchises or should these organizations pay for construction of their own stadiums?
Public should fund 6%
Organization should fund75
Don’t Know 18

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said he’s against the NHL participating in the 2018 Olympics unless the players agree to extend the current collective bargaining agreement. Do you think it’s appropriate to use participation in the Olympics as leverage in a labor negotiation?
Yes 12%
No 66
Don’t know 22

Sports Poll Podcast, with Rick Gentile and Seth Everett 11.21.16

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IBM Computer Technician Click below to hear or download a discussion on the findings of the most recent Seton Hall Sports Poll release– featuring veteran sportscaster and analyst Seth Everett with Rick Gentile, Director of the Sports Poll and 10 time Emmy Award winner for his work as Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of CBS Sports.

Streaming link : http://tobtr.com/9624753

Download : https://t.co/1Ao9Tijmcj

Nearly 20 Percent Watch Live Sports on Mobile Devices or Computers

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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.

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

*****

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

Sports Poll Cited by Media Across the Country

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The Seton Hall Sports Poll was cited by media across the country, including Forbes, ESPN, USA Today, CNBC, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, CBS, ABC, MSN, Breitbart, NY Daily News, Yahoo Sports, The Sporting News, UK’s Daily Mail, Star Ledger, Miami Herald, Arizona Republic, San Francisco Chronicle and radio stations all throughout the land. In addition, Benjamin Watson, an NFL player for the Baltimore Ravens, cited to the poll in an article he wrote on SportsBlog.

On ESPN, in addition to a print piece written by sports business analyst Darren Rovell, the Poll’s results were featured on the TV shows “First Take” and “Outside the Lines.”

The most recent Sports Poll asked the public questions on the declining viewership of NFL games, the potential for “rigging” various sporting events and the presidential election, and what they thought about “locker room talk.”

Media highlights include:

USA Today, “Poll: About 50% of Americans Believe Sports, Presidential Election Could Be Rigged”

Forbes, “Will Fans Tune Back In To The NFL After The Presidential Election?”

CBS, “Poll: NFL Ratings Down Due To National Anthem Protests”

CNBC, “There Are a Lot of Reasons for the NFL’s Ratings Slide”

ESPN, “Anthem Protests Part of Problem with NFL Ratings”

New York Times, “TV Viewership Falls in N.F.L. and Premier League: A Blip, or Something Worse?”

The Sporting News, “Is Donald Trump Right about Colin Kaepernick and NFL TV Ratings?”

Miami Herald, “NFL’s declining TV ratings a needed slap in face for sport that has itself to blame”

Yahoo Sports, “NFL Viewership is Down, but not for Some of the Reasons you Might Think”

Breitbart, “Miami Dolphins Kneeler Doesn’t Think NFL Ratings Dip Connected to Anthem Protest”

Breitbart, “Fans Agree: NFL Ratings Fall Due to Anti-American National Anthem Protests”

San Francisco Chronicle, “Twitter Woes; Anthem Protests and Assorted Backlashes”

Legal Sports Report, “Poll: Nearly Half of Americans Think Sporting Events can Be Rigged”

ABC, “Poll Finds Anthem Protests Hurting NFL Ratings”

NY Daily News, “NFL’s declining ratings could be due to these three factors: poll”

Sports Illustrated, “About 50% of Americans Believe Sports could Be Rigged”

The Arizona Republic, “California conservatives to observe polling stations”

Daily Mail, “National anthem protests have caused NFL ratings to drop by 12 per cent”

SportsBlog (article from Benjamin Watson, NFL player, Baltimore Ravens), “More than just National Anthem Protests for NFL Players, Teams”

MSN, “Poll: About 50% of Americans believe sports, presidential election could be rigged”

Star Ledger, “People Think Presidential Election, Sports Games could be Rigged, Poll Finds”

NJ 101.5 “Rigged?!? About half of Americans thinks pretty much EVERYTHING might be fixed”

Roughly Half Say Sports Events and Presidential Election Could Be ‘Rigged’

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South Orange, NJ, October 31, 2016 – With the word “rigged” being thrown about in this election season, the Seton Hall Sports Poll asked Americans if they felt that sports contests and the upcoming presidential election “could be rigged by outside influences.”

A majority, though in some cases slim, said “yes, they could be rigged.”

sports-poll-10-31-16-rigged The results: 52% said “yes” that an NFL game “could be rigged by outside influences” with 42% saying “no.” For an NBA game, 51% said yes; 42% no.

For college sports the margins were closer: for a college football game, it was 47% yes, 46% no, and for a college basketball game, it was 46% yes, 45% no.

Of all the questions asked, only baseball’s World Series, taking place as the poll was conducted, had a majority that believed its games could not be “fixed,” with only 42% saying “yes” and 51% saying “no.”

And pointedly, 47% of Americans said “yes” a presidential election “could be rigged by outside influences,” while 46% said “no”.

In each case, between 7-9% said they did not know.

The poll was conducted last week – October 24-26 – among 841 adults (landline and cellphone) with a margin of error of +/- 3.4%.

Asked whether the presidential election “could be rigged,” 47% said yes, and there is a great deal of overlap in the people that believe in rigging – of that 47%, some two-thirds said yes, the NFL or NBA could be rigged, and somewhat fewer – 57% – said the World Series could be rigged.

“The sports organizing bodies rely heavily on the public believing that their games are honest,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “This measurement of public perception certainly can’t please them, just as people in government are so upset about Donald Trump’s charges.”

The poll also asked whether some teams having ownership positions with fantasy sports companies opens the door for the rigging of performances of professional athletes to affect the daily fantasy outcomes. 45% said yes, 32% said no, with 24% stating “don’t know.”

Rick Gentile was interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings, which can be heard at https://t.co/jShJhGXMWi

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone October 24-26 among 841 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, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall University, michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

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

*******

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 »

Rick Gentile and Seth Everett Podcast on Sports Poll, Athlete Popularity

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Click on the image to listen to the podcast.

Manning’s Public Approval Unscathed by Recent Accusations; Curry Still Well Behind LeBron, Kobe, in Approval Poll

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Pizzi’s 7 Marathons-7 Continents-7 Days Draws Near-Super Bowl Attention

South Orange, NJ, February 25, 2016 — Despite recent accusations hurled at Peyton Manning over PED use (by Al Jazeera) and his behavior in college, his approval ratings remain high among the American public and seemingly not influenced by the negative publicity at all.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll asked 762 adults across the country (using landlines and cellphones), for approval or disapproval on a number of star athletes this week. Manning had a 68% approval rating, with only 3% disapproving of him. This is consistent with previous Seton Hall Sports Polls — in fact, his highest approval (or favorable) rating yet. (The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.6%).

Date Polled Feb 2016 Oct 2013* Sept 2012* Nov 2011*

Approve 68 64 62 65

Disapprove 3 4 3 4

* Earlier polls asked “favorable/unfavorable”

And while basketball fans have become enamored with Steph Curry, his approval rating still trails established veterans LeBron James and the retiring Kobe Bryant. Curry had a 40% approval rating (with a remarkable 1% disapprove), while James had a 53% (9% disapprove) and Bryant a 51% approval (with 11% disapproving).

After James left Cleveland for Miami with a press announcement that was not well received, his approval was 40%, his disapproval 16%. (Seton Hall Sports Poll, November, 2010).

“It seems right to say that he has recovered from that PR blip of six years ago,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

Other athletes in the poll included boxer Manny Pacquaio (28% to 15%), Cam Newton (37% vs. 11%), and Patrick Kane (16% vs 3%).

Summary of all:

Athlete Approve Disapprove No Opinion

Manning 68 3 29

Newton 37 11 52

Bryant 51 11 38

Curry 40 1 59

Pacquaio 28 15 57

James 53 9 39

Kane 16 3 81

Most Admired Sports Accomplishment

Manning’s Super Bowl victory also led the results in a question of which recent accomplishment was most admired, but his 37% was not that far ahead of a strong 31% for runner Becca Pizzi, who completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Bryant’s All-Star farewell had 14% and Denny Hamlin’s Daytona 500 victory had 7%. (Among women, Pizzi’s accomplishment was a virtual dead heat with Manning’s Super Bowl win, with 34% to Manning’s 33%).

PED Use Ban
New York Mets relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia recently became the first Major Leaguer banned for life after testing positive for a banned substance for the third time. 47% felt the punishment was right, and only 7% considered it too harsh. 32% thought it should have been banishment after one or two failed tests.

Ticket Purchasing
Respondents were also asked about their ticket buying habits for sports events. 43% said they bought sports tickets online, with only 18% saying “the box office.” 19% said they got them from friends. Ticketmaster outpolled StubHub 55% to 26% as the go-to choice, but when asked if they would likely go to a site with a relationship to the team, 56% said yes.

Looking Forward to…
Asked what event they are most looking forward to, respondents gave a slight nod to the NCAA basketball tournament with 30% to the start of baseball season at 28%. The NBA playoffs drew 17%. Among African-Americans, the result was heavily in favor of the NBA (48%), with the NCAA at 27% and MLB at 13%).

Rick Gentile will do a Podcast on this poll with Seth Everett. To stream, : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/setonhallsportspoll. To download: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467?mt=2

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:
This poll was conducted by telephone February 22-24 among 762 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 3.6 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.

The results

Which athlete’s recent accomplishment do you most admire: Peyton Manning’s second Super Bowl win; Denny Hamlin’s victory driving in the Daytona 500; Kobe Bryant appearing in his 18th and last NBA All-Star game or Becca Pizzi completing 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days?

Manning 37%

Hamlin 7

Bryant 14

Pizzi 31

Other 12

Which event are you most looking forward to, the major league baseball season, the NBA playoffs or the NCAA Basketball Tournament?

Baseball 28

NBA 17

NCAA 30

Don’t know 25

Recently Jenrry Mejia, a relief pitcher for the New York Mets, was suspended for life by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned substance for the third time. Do you think banishment after testing positive three times is too harsh, just right, should be after 2 times, or should a player be banished after the first positive test?

Too harsh 7

Just right 47

Should be after 2 times 16

Should be after first time 16

Don’t know 14

How many sports events would you say you’ve attended in the past year?

None 32

Fewer than 5 34

Between 5 and 10 17

More than 10 17

(IF NONE SKIP NEXT 3 QUESTIONS)

When you are looking for tickets, where do you get them: box office, friends, on line, or another way?

Box office 18

Friends 19

On line 43

Other 12

Don’t know 9

(IF OTHER THAN “ON LINE” SKIP NEXT 2 QUESTIONS)

Which on line service do you use to acquire tickets, Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats, Ticket City, Ticket Exchange or some other?

Ticketmaster 55

StubHub 26

Vivid Seats 2

Ticket City 2

Ticket Exchange 2

Other 14

If your favorite team had a relationship with one of the online ticket retailers, would you be

more likely to go to them first?

Yes 56
No 27
Don’t know 17

Now I’m going to ask you your opinion of several prominent sports figures. Please tell me whether you approve, disapprove or have no opinion of the following people:

Peyton Manning

Approve 68

Disapprove 3

No opinion 29

Cam Newton

Approve 37

Disapprove 11

No opinion 52

Kobe Bryant

Approve 51

Disapprove 11

Don’t know 38

Steph Curry

Approve 40

Disapprove 1

Don’t know 59

Manny Pacquaio

Approve 28

Disapprove 15

Don’t know 57

LeBron James

Approve 53

Disapprove 9

Don’t know 39

Patrick Kane

Approve 16

Disapprove 3

Don’t know 81

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

Very closely 18

Closely 38

Not closely 30

Not at all 14

A Working Response To Stadium Terror

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By Sean Lintott

Working at a sports venue doesn’t seem like a dangerous job on the surface. I never entertained the idea that large sports venues like MetLife Stadium, where I intern, could be the target of a major terrorist attack. Maybe it was naivety, or maybe I just didn’t have any reason to have such a concern.

All of this changed after the tragedy that struck Paris on the evening of November 13, 2015. I received a message from my boss before seeing any of the news. I manage the stadium’s social media account and she instructed me not to respond to any messages regarding the terrorist attacks until the authorities make their statement and to immediately report any worrisome messages. After this message, I turned on the news and saw the horror that was unfolding in France. So many thoughts flooded my mind, but still, none of them involved my safety at work.

That Sunday, the Giants were hosting the New England Patriots. That morning, I woke up and did my typical morning routine. Then it was time to head to the stadium. When I arrived at the parking lot, I could sense a much larger police presence, but it wasn’t overwhelming by any means. I made it to the employee entrance of MetLife Stadium and that’s when it became apparent that this wasn’t going to be just another day at the office. It normally takes me about two or three minutes to get inside the stadium. That day, it took me over twenty minutes just to get to the metal detectors. Security personnel was doing very thorough scans of every employee before they went through the metal detectors. Once I was in the stadium and got to my office, you could feel a sense that everybody was slightly on edge. Personally, I settled in and started working on my responsibilities for the day.

An hour or two into my workday, I received a call from my mother. I could hear concern in her voice. She asked me if I was at work, if I felt safe, how much of a security presence there was, and a multitude of questions that you can imagine any mother would ask in this situation. I assured her that I felt safe and that security was doing a diligent job of screening everybody before they even got close to the venue. Once I thought that I’d convinced her of my safety, I got back to work. The game took place and everything felt mostly normal.

I refuse to live in fear of terrorism. Yes, there are bad people in this world that want to harm the innocent. However, living in fear is letting them win. They want to take freedom from the world and they want you to be afraid. This world is much stronger than that, though. For every person that wants to cause harm in this world, there are thousands of people that will do everything in their power to prevent that from happening.

So to answer the question the Sports Poll asked of the public after the terror attack at the soccer stadium in Paris: “How concerned does this make you in regard to attending a sporting event in a large venue in the United States?” I am not concerned about attending sporting events at large venues in the United Stated. Sports are one of my biggest passions, and nobody, not ISIS or any other group, can take that away from me.

Public Divided on Whether Fantasy Sports Commercials Should Run During Televised Games; Governor Christie’s ‘Really?’ Comment on Debate May Have Rung True

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South Orange, NJ, October 29, 2015 — Despite ongoing investigations by the Justice Department and the FBI into whether daily sports fantasy games are a form of gambling, the American public is divided on whether commercials for those sites should be appearing in televised sports events.

A Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week (Oct. 26-28) among 820 random adults across the country by landline and cellphone, found that 41% felt they should be able to advertise and 39% felt they should not. (20% said they did not know.)

The poll has a margin of error of 3.5%, making the result a statistical dead heat.

“The ads from DraftKings and FanDuel are ubiquitous,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “They are definitely a new and impactful part of the sports landscape. It happened, seemingly, overnight. But there is certainly no hard push-back by viewers about running these ads.

“It seems to harken what {N.J.} Governor {Chris} Christie said in the debate last night about playing fantasy sports as an issue – ‘really?’”

Only 4% of respondents said they participated in a baseball fantasy game.

The Poll also asked if sponsors who promote products (such as fantasy sports), in an environment where its athletes are forbidden to participate (college athletes may not gamble), should not be allowed to advertise on any college sports. By 59% to 34%, respondents said they should not. A similar margin – 56%-36% – felt that beer advertising should not appear on college sports telecasts. (It currently does). The Poll also noted that the NCAA has said the ads will not run during their college basketball tournaments, and 47% felt that was a good decision, versus only 30% saying it was a bad decision. (23% did not know).

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