Tag Archives: Baseball

By 49% to 35% Americans Say ‘No’ to Bonds and Clemens for Hall of Fame; 62% Agree with Joe Morgan’s Call to Ban Drug Users

Orange, NJ, December 12, 2017 — By a margin of 49% – 35%, Americans have said “no” to the inclusion of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The two have not yet been elected by the Baseball Writers, who are voting now for the 2018 inductees. Both seemingly had Hall of Fame credentials even before their linkage to performance enhancing drugs.

The poll also showed Americans agreeing with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, who sent a letter to voters saying players named as PED users should not be elected. 62% supported Morgan’s position, with only 26% opposing.

“Bonds and Clemens are not the only reported PED users who would likely have gained election,” said Poll Director Rick Gentile. “But they represent the top of the list of players under consideration who were scarred by the drug use. Support for their inclusion just isn’t there.”

The poll was taken November 27-29 across the nation, on both landlines and cell phones, with randomly placed telephone calls. The poll is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. There were 719 respondents, with a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.

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 November 27-29 among 719 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

Phone numbers were dialed from random samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The landlines were called Seton Hall’s Poling Center at the Stillman School of Business and cell phones from Braun Research Incorporated. 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:

Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan recommended that players with a history of performance enhancing drug use during their playing careers should not be voted into the Hall of Fame. Do you agree or disagree with his recommendation?

Agree 62%

Disagree 26

Don’t know/No opinion 12

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were players with Hall of Fame caliber careers before they allegedly began using performance enhancing drugs. Do you think they should be elected to the Hall of Fame?

Yes 35

No 49

Don’t know/No opinion 16

Poll Finds Americans Favor Protective Foul Line Netting in Baseball Stadiums, Except for the Young

Leave a reply

South Orange, NJ, October 5, 2017 — A poll conducted by the Seton Hall Sports Poll has found that by an overall margin of 49% to 31, Americans believe that baseball stadiums should extend netting down the foul lines to protect fans from foul balls and wayward bats. The remaining 20% either did not know or had no opinion.

When broken down according to age, however, a different view appears: 18-29 year old respondents reached the opposite conclusion, opposing the extension of protective netting by a 39% to 33% margin.

In fact, the number in favor of protective netting along foul lines in baseball stadiums rose in correlation to age group.

Ages 18 – 29, 39% opposed installation of protective netting while 33% were in favor

Ages 30 – 49, 49% favored installation of protective netting while 36% opposed

Ages 45 – 59, 52% favored installation of protective netting while 30% opposed

Ages 60+, 56% favored installation of protective netting while 23% opposed

“Clearly the concerns about safety grow as our respondents get older. It’s rare that such a direct correlation occurs from age group to age group,” noted Rick Gentile, Director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute as part of the University’s Stillman School of Business.

The New York Yankees recently announced that they would “significantly expand” the protective netting at Yankee Stadium after a toddler was seriously injured when struck in the face by a foul ball.

The poll of 845 adults (on both landline and cellphone) was conducted across the US on Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday last week. It has a margin of error of 3.4%.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone September 25-27 among 845 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

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

Leave a reply

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.

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

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

Cord Cutting Can Wait – 98 Percent Watched Super Bowl on TV; Public Says Brady ‘Best Ever’

Leave a reply

South Orange, NJ, February 9, 2017 – An era of cord-cutting may loom in the future, but for now, traditional television viewing of the Super Bowl has a firm grasp on the American public. According to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week in the days after the game, a whopping 98% watched on TV, with only a combined 1% – barely – watching on phone, tablet or computer.

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 %.

“It’s the biggest event of the year in America, and people want to watch it on their biggest and most reliable device,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

Meanwhile, asked if Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history, 63% of those who identified as sports fans agreed with only 19% disagreeing. Of those who said they were NFL fans, 51% agreed, and 21% disagreed. Among the general population, 39% agreed, with only 21% disagreeing.

“These are remarkably high numbers, given the controversies surrounding him – a large dislike for the New England Patriots, his suspension over ‘deflategate’ and his support of a controversial President,” said Gentile.

In the excitement following the first overtime in Super Bowl history and the fifth Super Bowl win for the Patriots, 44% found the game the most compelling of recent championships, with Game 7 of the World Series registering 26% and the college football championship (Alabama-Clemson) at 11%.

“For the World Series to be named by one out of four Americans, three months after it ended and in the days after a thrilling Super Bowl is great news for baseball,” added Gentile.

Asked if they saw any commercials during the game that made them want to purchase the advertised product, 83% said no, and 12% yes.

“People generally don’t acknowledge that commercials influence their buying,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “Of course, their purchasing habits show the opposite – advertising drives sales. And 12% of the viewing public is a very large number. Advertisers should be pleased.”

7% said they enjoyed the commercials the most, but 13% named the halftime show and 72% said “the game” when asked what they enjoyed the most.

A commercial for GNC, the vitamin chain which sells substances banned by the NFL, was not shown. Asked whether GNC should have been allowed to advertise in the game, given that the banned products were not mentioned, 50% said yes they should have been allowed, with 23% saying no.

10% acknowledged wagering on the game (either through a bet, a pool or a fantasy league) and 84% said they had no wager on the game. 15% said they would have bet if wagering was legal.

A podcast in which Seth Everett interview Rick Gentile can be heard at https://t.co/bqIjtpjD64

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: Marty Appel Public Relations, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall University,
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu

The results:

Did you watch the Super Bowl game on Sunday?
Yes 72%
No 28

(IF NO SKIP TO QUESTION 6)

Where did you watch the game? (Don’t read options)
At home 75
At a friend’s house 17
In a bar or restaurant 5
Somewhere else 3

What was the primary device you used to watch the game, a TV, phone, tablet or computer?
TV 98
Phone 0
Tablet 0
Computer 1
Other 1

Which did you enjoy more, the game, the halftime or the commercials?
Game 72
Halftime 13
Commercials 7
Don’t Know 7

Did you see any commercials during the broadcast that made you want to purchase the product advertised?
Yes 12
No 83
Don’t know 5

Did you place a bet on the outcome of the game, participate in a pool, engage in fantasy play or not wager any money on the game?
Bet 5
Pool 4
Fantasy 1
No Wager 84
Don’t Know/No Ans. 7

If sports gambling was legal in your state would you have placed a bet on the game?
Yes 15
No 79
Don’t know 6

Tom Brady is being called the greatest quarterback in NFL history after winning his 5th Super

Bowl. Do you agree, disagree or are you not sure?

Agree 39
Disagree 21
Not Sure 35
Don’t Know 5

GNC, a maker of dietary supplements, was forced by the NFL to withdraw its commercial from the Super Bowl because it makes some products that NFL players are banned from taking. No mention of the banned products occurred in the commercial. Do you think GNC should have been allowed to advertise in the game given that the banned products were not mentioned?
Yes 50
No 23
Don’t know 27

Which event did you think was more compelling, the Super Bowl, the college football championship or the 7th game of the World Series?
Super Bowl 44
College championships 11
World Series 26
Don’t Know 19

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
Very closely 19
Closely 33
Not closely 33
Not at all 16

Do you consider yourself a fan of NFL football?
Yes 56
No 40
Don’t know 5

Sports Poll Podcast, with Rick Gentile and Seth Everett 11.21.16

Leave a reply

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

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

Leave a reply

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

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

1 Reply

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

Seton Hall Sports Poll, January 2016, Super Bowl and Politics

Leave a reply

WHEN SUPER BOWL INTERSECTS POLITICAL SEASON, WHAT’S THE MOST COMPETITIVE CONTEST OUT THERE?
And Which Candidate Would You Want Coaching Your Team?

South Orange, NJ, January 28, 2016 — With the Super Bowl coming right as the presidential primary season “kicks off,” Americans said they were following the presidential contests by more than a 2-to-1 margin over football, with 60% choosing the political contests, and 24% the Super Bowl. 53% say the political races will be the most competitive, compared to 37% naming the Super Bowl. (By party, 35% name the Republican race, 18% the Democratic race).

The responses came in the latest Seton Hall Sports Poll, which polled 771 Americans (by landline and cellphone across the nation) this week. The margin of error is 3.6%.

Blending sports and politics, Donald Trump was the choice of 32% when the Poll asked “which candidate would you like to have coach your favorite team?” Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders each received 15%. (Interestingly, among African-American respondents, a third named Clinton, about double any other candidate on the list).

The reasons for watching the Super Bowl are of course, varied. 40% said it was best explained because they were football fans, with 19% saying they were a fan of one of the participating teams, 18% saying it was a “big event,” and 10% interested in the commercials. Only 2% said it was primarily because they had a bet on the game, although in another question, 13% said they participated in wagering on the game.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS AND THEIR IMPACT

Regarding commercials, 52% acknowledge that they watch Super Bowl commercials more closely than in other TV shows, with 39% saying “about the same.” 88% said seeing a product advertised in the Super Bowl would make no difference in their buying habits, and the remainder is split.

“This news reinforces the prices charged for Super Bowl ads,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “88% may say it doesn’t influence them, but when 52% say they pay more attention to ads during the game than in other TV shows– that’s a powerful number for advertisers to focus on.”

THE MANNING/ AL JAZEERA REPORT

Peyton Manning, whose name emerged recently as having been sent human growth hormones (the report was on Al Jazeera and was recanted by the source), was the subject of a question on whether that report changed opinions about him. (During the polling period, the NFL announced it would investigate the charges). A significant 11% said they thought “less favorably” of him, and 76% said it had no effect. 3% said they felt more favorably towards him.

PETE ROSE AND THE HALL OF FAME

Pete Rose, who will be inducted in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame this year, was the subject of two questions, the first asking whether that was appropriate – to which 47% said yes, 33% no. The second asked if he should be eligible to be elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, to which 56% said yes, 28% no.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PLAYER SUSPENSIONS

A question was also asked whether a player being investigated for domestic violence offenses off the field should be suspended by his sport or allowed to play. 48% said the player should be suspended, and 39% said the player should be allowed to play. Broken down by gender men said allowed to play by 49%-43% over suspended. Among women, it was 52% suspended, 30% allowed to play.

For a fully produced podcast in which Seth Everett interviews Rick Gentile tonight, you may stream the podcast : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/setonhallsportspoll/2016/01/29/january-2016–super-bowl-pete-rose-hall-of-fame

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 January 25-27 among 771 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; or michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu

The results

Do you plan to watch the Super Bowl on Feb. 7?

Yes 68%

No 29

Don’t know 4

(IF NO SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

2. Which of the following best explains why you’ll be watching the Super Bowl?

I’m a fan of one of the teams 19

I’m interested in seeing the commercials 10

I’m a football fan 40

It’s a big event 18

I have a bet on the game 2

Other 9

Don’t know 3

3. In the next two weeks will you pay more attention to news about the upcoming Super Bowl or the presidential contests?

News about Super Bowl 24

Presidential contests 60

Don’t know 16

Which do you think will be most competitive, the Republican presidential race, the Democratic presidential race or the Super Bowl?

Republican race 35

Democratic race 18

Super Bowl 37

Don’t know 10

Of the following presidential candidates which would you like to have coach your favorite team, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders or Ted Cruz?

Trump 32

Clinton 15

Sanders 15

Cruz 15

Other 10

Don’t know 13

Do you tend to watch commercials in the Super Bowl more closely,

less closely or about the same as in other TV shows?

More closely 52

Less closely 9

About the same 39

Would you be more likely to buy a product advertised on the Super Bowl, less likely or does it make no difference?

More likely 7

Less likely 5

No difference 88

Do you participate in any pools or wagering on the Super Bowl?

Yes 13

No 82

Prefer not to say 5

Has the recent news concerning the risk of permanent injury to football players made you more interested, less interested or has it had no affect on your interest in the Super Bowl?

More interested 14

Less interested 9

No affect 73

Don’t know 5

10. A report last month by the news service Al Jazeera claimed that Peyton Manning and other sports stars were sent human growth hormones in 2011 by an anti-aging clinic despite the fact that it was recanted by the source. Did this story make you think more favorably of Manning, less favorably or did it have no effect on your opinion of him?

More favorably 3

Less favorably 11

No effect 76

Don’t know 9

Switching to baseball now, it was announced Pete Rose will be inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and have his number retired by the team. Do you think this is appropriate considering his ban for life by Major League Baseball for betting on games while active?

Yes 47

No 33

Don’t know 20

Do you think Pete Rose should be eligible to be elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown?

Yes 56

No 28

Don’t know 16

The New York Yankees traded for a player who is being investigated by Major League Baseball for a domestic violence incident although he was not charged with a crime by authorities. Do you think players should be allowed to continue to play while being investigated for violent offenses or should they be suspended pending the results of the investigation?

Allowed to play 39

Suspended 48

Don’t know 13

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

Very closely 18

Closely 41

Not closely 27

Not at all 14

Seton Hall Sports Poll Update

Leave a reply

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).

Rick Gentile Interviewed by Seth Everett for Blog Talk Radio on Sports Poll

Leave a reply

Rick Gentile and Seth Everett discuss the latest findings in Seton Hall’s Sports Poll, covering DFS in Advertising and baseball’s World Series vs. NFL in public preference.

Baseball: The Most Excruciating Sport

Leave a reply

If boxing is the cruelest sport (it is), then baseball is, perhaps, the most excruciating. In the middle of July in the midst of a 162 game season it is excruciating in the sense that it seems as though it will never end: the teams trudge through summer in a schedule designed for attrition.

In September and October, with the playoffs at hand, it is excruciating because it will end – or could end – with the very next pitch.

With the drama distilled and rolled up into a little ball – focused and traveling at 97 mph— there is nothing quite like a full count on a batter with the game and maybe the entire season on the line. Nothing quite like a playoff game (never mind a World Series game) when your team is playing, and almost every pitch feels that way. The entirety of a year’s work (pitchers and catchers report in February) resting on and rolled into a series of moments—the next moment.

It waits. And in that waiting, that time before the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd, lies the beauty of baseball: an anticipation, a dread even, that has built to a fine point over a period of a year—or decades, or 107 years if you’re a Cubs fan.

Nearly unbearable at times, playoff baseball is, in short, dramatic.

And this has been, by almost all accounts, the most exciting World Series in years. But relatively few people are watching.

A recent Seton Hall Sports Poll found a strong gain for Major League Baseball’s World Series:

@MJRicciardelli @MLB @FOXSports @WorldSeries ” a regular season NFL game is preferred over a World Series game by a 48%-36% margin.”

— Jason Notte (@Notteham) October 29, 2015

@MJRicciardelli @MLB @FOXSports @WorldSeries ” when Seton Hall asked the question five years ago, the NFL margin was 56%-22%.”

— Jason Notte (@Notteham) October 29, 2015

That’s a shift in differential from 34 to 12% — with an effective upward movement for baseball of 22 points.

That, coupled with a Game One this year that had the highest TV ratings for a World Series game in 5 years, represents a strong gain for Major League Baseball.

But as Jason Notte notes in his article at Marketwatch: “This is the most exciting World Series no one is watching,” viewership for baseball’s biggest games is decidedly lackluster in comparison with its own illustrious history and, contemporaneously, other sports. He also notes that “baseball has problems with demographics and how playoff games are broadcast.”

He is right. As Rich Hoffman, Sports Editor at the Philadelphia Daily News posits:

@ryanlawrence21 @cbranch89 Average age of World Series viewer last year: 54.5. When the average is about my age, you know there's trouble.

— Rich Hofmann (@TheIdleRich) October 19, 2014

But there’s hope. I watched game 4 on Saturday night with my girlfriend’s 17 year old son. He is not a baseball fan. He plays the guitar, works on cars, spends an inordinate amount of time on his phone and watches football and basketball. We rooted for the Mets. As the game progressed and I cheered and cursed in turn, he turned to me and said, a number of times with a big smile on his face: “I can’t believe how exciting this is. It’s soooo tense. I don’t know what to say.”

Nothing to say, really— it’s post season baseball.

But there is a question to be asked: With a product that good, how didn’t he know? What is MLB’s marketing strategy for people who aren’t “about the average age”?

Notte concludes: “Baseball has gone from a national pastime to a niche, and neither it nor its World Series are going to work their way back until they become more accessible.”

I’m not sure niche is quite the right word here. Boxing is niche. I’ve written about boxing for The Guardian, 15Rounds.com, Queensbury Rules (named a Top 25 blog by Time magazine, but you’ve almost certainly never heard of it), the Daily Record and the Asbury Park Press. When I look for boxing news and go to a general sports source such as ESPN.com, BleacherReport or SBNation, my sport is listed under “Other” or “More.”

Baseball still holds a place in the header, but Notte has a point— and MLB should listen, and build upon the tenuous gains it’s made— or risk finding itself relegated in the popular consciousness and sports pages to “Other.”

World Series vs. NFL? Strong Gain for Baseball Shown in Preference

Leave a reply

South Orange, NJ, October 29, 2015 — The World Series, which will go head-to-head against the NFL this Sunday (if a fifth game is necessary), has shown strong growth in such a match-up in the opinion of the American public, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week.

While a regular season NFL game is preferred over a World Series game by a 48%-36% margin, when Seton Hall asked the question five years ago, the NFL margin was 56%-22%. That is a shift from a 34% to 12% differential, and seems to match the ratings for Tuesday night’s Game One of the World Series, which was the highest in five years.

There were no clear differences in the percentages based on whether a baseball or a football game was being played on the day the question was asked.

“This is a strong trend for baseball,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “Despite the absence of household name stars in this year’s Kansas City-New York Mets matchup, the public is finding the games compelling.”

The Poll was conducted this week (October 26-28) among 820 random adults called on landlines and cellphones across the country. There is a margin of error of 3.5%.

Asked which they expected to be more competitive, the World Series or the political debate, 49% said the debate and 41% said the World Series. (The vast majority of respondents answered prior to the airing of the debate on CNBC, which began at 8 pm eastern time on the final day of polling).

In other findings, 45% felt the World Series takes place too late in the year (vs. 37% saying it was fine to end in November). When asked two years ago, 53% said it takes place too late, and 36% said it was okay as is.

59% said it didn’t matter if a baseball player acts out with a demonstrative gesture in a game (such as a bat flip or a pitcher’s gesture after a strikeout). 17% felt that was good for baseball and 15% said it was bad for baseball.

VIEWING HABITS STILL LOCKED INTO ‘OLD MEDIA’
BILLBOARD SPONSORS HAVE VIEWER ATTENTION

Although there are growing varieties of ways to watch sports, 83% still choose television and 7% choose “in person,” leaving only 5% who usually watch streaming video and 5% “other” or “none.” Streaming video was launched back in 2000 when Rick Gentile produced the Paralympic Games from Sydney, Australia for WeMedia, but now, 15 years later, it remains a small piece of the viewership pie.

Good news for billboard sponsors – 44% of respondents said they pay attention to sponsor signs in the stadium. Asked if they are more or less likely to purchase a product they see sponsoring sports events, only 9% said more likely and 85% said “no difference.” (Advertisers would surely dispute this finding). 6% said they would be less likely.

Continue reading →