With NFL and NHL Moving into Vegas, Nearly Half See Likelihood of Players, Refs, Officials Betting on Outcomes

South Orange, NJ, April 13, 2017 — With the NFL and NHL about to move into Las Vegas for the first time, nearly half of the US population foresees the increased likelihood of players, referees or team officials gambling on the outcome of games.

A Seton Hall Sports Poll found that 46% responded yes to the question of increased likelihood for gambling on games, while 42% thought the likelihood would not increase.

The poll, conducted this week asked 687 adults (on both landline and cellphone) whether professional teams should be making their home in Las Vegas, and 47% responded yes, with only 27% no.  26% said they had no opinion.  The poll, sponsored by The Sharkey Institute, has a margin of error of 3.8%.

When asked if the move to Las Vegas will tarnish the league’s reputation, 21% said it would harm the NFL and 19% said it would harm the NHL.

“Those are high negatives,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll.  “It is hard to imagine any other major American city that would provoke such concern.”

On the matter of Las Vegas taxpayers funding the playing facilities, 45% approved of the practice, with 40% expressing disapproval and 15% registering “don’t know.”  The numbers showed a dramatic demographic shift – 52% of those 18-29 approved public financing, while only 37% of those 60+ registered approval.

The NCAA has taken a couple of controversial positions on locating championship games.  It refuses to host a championship in Las Vegas, and 50% approve of that decision with only 32% disapproving.  It has also taken a stance that they will not put championship games in states that have so-called anti-LGBT laws.  45% agree with the NCAA’s position; 37% disapprove, and 18% had no opinion.

One in Four Sees Need for More Women Coaching Women’s Teams

The Poll asked several questions regarding women’s sports and women coaches. The public seems perfectly fine with men coaching women’s teams (82% approve), and with women coaching men’s teams (80% approval).  But one in four people (25%) thought it was a problem that the great majority of women’s sports teams (collegiate and professional) are coached by men.

59% said they felt there was “not enough ” coverage of women’s sports by the media, with 30% saying it was the right amount and only 3% saying it was “too much.”

“While people state there isn’t enough coverage of women’s sports,” said Gentile, “media isn’t incentivized to provide additional coverage because viewership and interest has been minimal. It’s a bit chicken and egg; more interest yields more coverage, or does more coverage garner more interest.”

A podcast on these questions conducted by Seth Everett will be available later today; questions and results below.

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 10-12 among 687 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 Public Relations, AppelPR@gmail.com;
Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall, Michael Ricciardelli
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu

The results:

1. The Oakland Raiders have announced their intention to move to Las Vegas and will play in a stadium largely funded by the public. The National Hockey League has also announced that a new team would be located in Vegas. 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.?

1. Yes 47%
2. No 27
3. Don’t know 26

2. Do you think it will tarnish the reputation of the NFL to have a Las Vegas based franchise?

1. Yes 21
2. No 69
3. Don’t know 10

3. Do you think it will tarnish the reputation of the NHL to have a Las Vegas based franchise?

1. Yes 19
2. No 70
3. Don’t know 11

4. Do you think being Vegas based would increase the likelihood of players, referees or team officials gambling on the outcome of games?

1. Yes 46
2. No 42
3. Don’t know 12

5. It is common for cities, like Las Vegas, to publicly fund a stadium in order to attract a professional team. Do you approve or disapprove of this practice?

1. Approve 45
2. Disapprove 42
3. Don’t know 12

6. Despite two professional franchises soon to be residing in Las Vegas, the NCAA refuses to host a championship there. Do you approve or disapprove of the NCAA’s stance?
7. Approve 50
8. Disapprove 32
9. Don’t know/No opinion 19

7. The NCAA has moved collegiate championships out of states because of what it has referred to as anti-LGBT laws. Do you approve or disapprove of the NCAA’s stance?

1. Approve 45
2. Disapprove 37
3. No opinion/Don’t know 18

8. Do you approve or disapprove of men coaching women’s sports teams?

1. Approve 82
2. Disapprove   9
3. No opinion/Don’t know   9

9. Do you approve or disapprove of women coaching men’s sports teams?

1. Approve 80
2. Disapprove 13
3. No opinion/Don’t know   8

10. Do you think it’s a problem that the great majority of women’s sports teams, both on the collegiate and professional level, are coached by men?

1. Yes 25
2. No 64
3. Don’t know 11

11. Do you think there is too much coverage of women’s sports by the media, not enough coverage or the right amount of coverage?

1. Too much   3
2. Not enough 59
3. Right amount 30
4. Don’t know   9