Category Archives: General News

Seton Hall Mourns the Passing of Thomas J. Sharkey ’54

“They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, generous, ready to share, thus accumulating for themselves as treasure a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed” (1 Tim 6:18-19).

It is with sadness that I announce the death on Sunday, June 7, of Thomas J. Sharkey Sr. ’54, former student-athlete, regent emeritus of the Board of Regents and friend to the University for more than 60 years.

After graduating from Seton Hall, Tom played professional baseball with the Detroit Tigers for several years and served in the United States Army — before starting a career in the insurance industry.

Tom founded Meeker Sharkey, an insurance brokerage firm in Cranford in 1962. He was a Certified Life Underwriter and had his Chartered Financial Consultant designation. He possessed a sharp business acumen and displayed a longstanding commitment to excellence.

He and his wife, Ruth, have been staunch supporters of Seton Hall and the Immaculate Conception Seminary for many years, making contributions to the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund and to schools across the University. Their generosity made possible the Ruth Sharkey Academic Resource Center, the Seton Hall Sports Poll Conducted by the Sharkey Institute and the Distinguished Visiting Scholars program at our School of Diplomacy and International Relations, among many other initiatives.

Tom Sharkey made service to his alma mater an integral part of his life; he served as a member of the Board of Regents nearly continuously from 1986 to 2015, when he was elected as a regent emeritus. During his time on the board, he served as chair of the successful Ever Forward capital campaign.

He was honored as the University’s Many Are One “Most Distinguished Alumnus” in 1994, inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

Please keep Tom, Ruth and the entire Sharkey family in your prayers.

Visitation

Thursday, June 11, 4-8 p.m.
St. Mary’s – Stony Hill Church
Watchung, New Jersey

Funeral Mass

Friday, June 12
10 a.m.
St. Mary’s – Stony Hill Church
Watchung, New Jersey

For more information, visit https://higginsfuneralhome.com/

By Wide Margin, Public Thinks Medical Experts Should Decide Start of NFL Season, Not Trump

South Orange NJ, April 13, 2020 — By 60 percent to 36 percent, the nation thinks President Trump’s call to league commissioners last weekend (reported by ESPN) expressing a belief that the NFL season should open on time was inappropriate.

Only 18 percent think the President or state governors should have the responsibility to resume play, while 61 percent say the responsibility should rest with medical experts.

On the question of responsibility to resume play, only seven percent thought it should be the President; 11 percent state governors.  Nineteen percent said it should be left up to the NFL.

These were the results of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted last week among 762 Americans across the country on both landlines and cellphones.  The Poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percent.

Asked about the federal government’s reaction to the coronavirus, 55 percent felt it was not strong enough, with only 38 percent calling it appropriate, and six percent excessive.  Asked who has better communicated with the public about the virus, only 12 percent cited the federal government, with 38 percent saying state governments, and an additional 37 percent saying both.  Twelve percent said neither.

Among those who identified themselves as sports fans, the numbers were approximately the same.

Should Football Open on Time if Training Season Is Limited

By 46 percent to 36 percent, the public feels the NFL season should not open on time (which would be September 10), and by 77-20 percent, the public feels the seasons for both college and pro football should be delayed if the players have not had enough time to get in shape.

Did NBA Shutdown Help Awaken Government Actions?

Sixty-two percent of the nation thought that the cancellation of sports seasons, which began with the NBA, played a role in getting government officials to start taking the coronavirus more seriously.

“Americans want the health professionals to say when the time is right for sports to return,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business.  “And clearly, they feel that the federal government has not communicated well with the public, with the governors left to deliver mixed messages absent a unified national plan.  The 38 percent who feel President Trump’s reaction to the virus is appropriate is consistent with his base support since he took office.”

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone April 6-8 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

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

The results:

  1. Do you think the federal government’s reaction to the coronavirus has been excessive, appropriate or not strong enough?

 

1 – Excessive                                           6%

2 – Appropriate                          38

3 – Not strong enough              55

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        2

 

  1. Which do you think has done a better job of communicating about Coronavirus, the federal government, your state government or have they both done a good job?

 

1 – Federal government            12

2 – State government                         38

3 – Both                                                37

4 – Neither                                           12

5 – Don’t know/No opinion                 2

  1. Knowing what you know about the coronavirus, do you think the NFL should open the season on time in September of 2020?

1 – Yes                                                  36

2 – No                                       46

3 – Don’t know/No opinion   18

 

  1. ESPN reports that President Trump, in a conference call with professional major league commissioners last Saturday said he believes the NFL season should start on time and he hopes to have fans back in stadiums and arenas by August. Based on current medical guidance on coronavirus do you think it’s appropriate or inappropriate for the President to make such a statement?

1 – Appropriate                        36

2 – Inappropriate                                  60

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                    4

  1. The Governor of California responded to the President’s comment about starting the NFL season on time by saying “I’m not anticipating that happening in this state.” Who do you think should have the responsibility for resuming play in September, the President, state Governors, the NFL or medical experts?

1 – President                                           7

2 – State Governors                  11

3 – NFL                                         19

4 – Medical experts                    61

5 – Don’t know/No opinion         1

 

  1. If college and pro football players have a shorter period to get in shape for the season than they have in the past, should the beginning of the football season be delayed to protect players’ safety?

1 – Yes                                                  77

2 – No                                       20

3 – Don’t know/No opinion     3

  1. The NBA shut down play very early on because of the pandemic. Do you think sports leagues cancelling seasons played a role in government officials beginning to take the coronavirus more seriously?

1 – Yes                                                  62

2 – No                                       30

3 – Don’t know                           8

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

 

1 – Very closely                                    17

2 – Closely                                 37

3 – Not closely                           26

4 – Not at all                               20

 

75% of Those Who Have Sampled the New XFL Find it More Interesting or About the Same As NFL

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South Orange, NJ – February 28, 2020 — As football fans begin to test the new XFL, now three weeks old, 27 percent of those who have watched at least part of a game say they find it more interesting than a typical NFL broadcast, and 48 percent find it just as interesting.  Twenty-four percent say it is less interesting.

While only 26 percent of respondents said they had seen some part of a game during its three weeks on the air, those who saw it liked what they saw.

This was the finding of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week across the country among 693 adults on landlines and cellphones.  The Poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.

“It’s early, but that’s terrific news for the XFL,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “The NFL is a beloved American institution.  That 75 percent of those who have sampled the XFL find it just as interesting or more so has got to bring big smiles to the XFL founders.”

This was the finding of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week across the country among 693 adults on landlines and cellphones.  The Poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.

Extend NFL Season to 17 Games?
The Poll also asked whether people were in favor of extending the NFL season from 16 to 17 games (while reducing the pre-season games to three from four).  Thirty-one percent said they were for the extended schedule because it meant more football, 24 percent were opposed because they were fine with things the way they were, and 28 percent were against it because of the greater risk of injury to the players.

Questions and breakdown below.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 24-26 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

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. The NFL has suggested making some dramatic changes to its regular season schedule. The season would be extended to 17 games, reducing the pre-season games to 3 for each team.  Which of the following do you most agree with:

 

1 – I’m for it because it’s more football                                      31

2 – I’m against it because things were fine the way they were   24

3 – I’m against it because an additional game means

additional risk of injury for players                                           28

4- Don’t Know/No Opinion                                                                   17

 

  1. Have you watched any part of an XFL game during the first 3 weeks of the inaugural season?

 

1 – Yes                                      26

2 – No                                       72

3 – Don’t know               3

 

IF YES TO ABOVE

  1. Do you think the XFL broadcast presentation is more interesting than a typical NFL broadcast, less interesting or about the same?

 

1 – More interesting                  27

2 – Less interesting                    24

3 – About the same                   48

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        1

 

 

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

By 3 to 1 Margin Americans Say Astros Investigation was a Coverup and Players Need to Be Punished; 17% less inclined to follow baseball because of handling of Astros scandal; 63% Have Less Respect for US Government Following Impeachment Proceedings

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17% less inclined to follow baseball because of handling of Astros scandal; 63% Have Less Respect for US Government Following Impeachment Proceedings

South Orange, NJ – February 27, 2020 — By a sizeable margin, a majority of Americans feel that individual players should have been punished by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for their role in the sign stealing scandal surrounding the Houston Astros.

Fifty-four percent, responding to a national Seton Hall Sports Poll this week, said yes to punishing players in what was acknowledged as a player-driven scheme.  Only 17 percent felt they should not be punished.  Twenty-nine percent said they don’t know or had no opinion.

This was consistent with public opinion in the first week of this month when 52 percent said the Astros world championship should have been taken away, and 35 percent said it should not.

The Poll was administered this week to 693 adults across the country on landlines and cellphones.  It has a +/- 3.8 percent margin of error.

Serious Effort or Coverup?
Manfred’s explanation for not punishing the players was his need to grant immunity to get the players to testify.  Only 14 percent felt the investigation was a serious effort, while 49 percent said it was a cover up.  Thirty-six percent didn’t know or had no opinion.

Pete Rose?
Pete Rose weighed in after MLB’s findings to say the lack of punishment of players should clear the way for his being made eligible for Hall of Fame induction.  Fifty-seven percent felt he should be made eligible, with 25 percent saying no.  There was no change from when the same question was asked four years ago (56 percent said yes, 25 percent said no).  However, when asked if the Astros situation should have bearing on Rose’s eligibility, 58 percent said no and 30 percent said yes.

“Rose’s support has been stable over the four years, so at first glance it appears that the Astros situation has had no bearing, noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “However, with 30 percent saying that the Astros make his case stronger, this may be a good argument for Rose to keep making.”

Big Papi Calls Foul on Whistleblower Timing, Fans Agree
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz stated that the pitcher who “blew the whistle” on the scandal (Mike Fiers) did so while with Oakland, after reaping the benefits of the 2017 world championship trophy, ring and winning share.  Ortiz felt he should have said something while still with Houston.  Fifty-five percent agreed with Big Papi, and 24 percent disagreed.  Twenty-one percent had no opinion.

Sports Leagues Fare Better in Public Opinion than the U.S. Government

The Poll asked a series of questions that took a measurement of how the public views league handling of recent sports issues compared with the government’s handling of impeachment.

MLB and Astros
For MLB’s handling of the Astros scandal, 17 percent said they are less inclined to follow the game and only seven percent of the public more inclined. It has no effect on 70 percent of the public.

NFL and Brain Injury
For the NFL’s handling of the risk of permanent brain injury, 20 percent are less inclined to follow the league, 12 percent more inclined and it has no effect on 61 percent.

NBA and Kobe
In the wake of the NBA’s handling of events following the death of Kobe Bryant, seven percent is less inclined to follow the league and 15 percent is more inclined to follow the league. 75 percent say it has no effect.

U.S. Government and Impeachment Proceedings
But when it comes to the U.S. Government following the impeachment proceedings, 63 percent expressed less respect for the government, and only eight percent more respect.  Only 22 percent said it had no effect.

“Our Poll indicated that the Astros situation has taken a toll on the public’s respect for MLB and the NFL has been similarly challenged,” said Gentile.  “But this is a small loss of confidence compared to the results of the impeachment hearings.”

Questions and breakdowns may be found below.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 24-26 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

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. The controversy continues surrounding the punishment of the Houston Astros by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for illegal sign stealing during their 2017 season and World Series Championship. Do you think the Commissioner should have punished the players

in what has been acknowledged as a player-driven scheme?

 

1 – Yes                                      54%

2 – No                                       17

3 – Don’t know/No opinion      29

 

  1. The commissioner’s explanation for not penalizing the players is that they were granted immunity as an incentive to testifying in the investigation of the scheme. Do you think the investigation was a serious effort to punish wrongdoing or a cover up?

 

1 – Serious effort                       14

2 – Cover up                             49

3 – Don’t know/No opinion      36

 

  1. Former Red Sox great David Ortiz has said the pitcher who blew the whistle on the Astros scandal did not act honorably because he should have said something while still on the Astros instead of reaping the benefits of the World Series Championship and then exposing the scandal after he was traded. Do you agree with Ortiz or disagree?

 

1 – Agree                                  55

2 – Disagree                              24

3 – Don’t know/No opinion      21

 

  1. Do you think Pete Rose should be made eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame?

 

1 – Yes                                      57

2 – No                                       25

3 – Don’t know/No opinion      18

 

  1. Pete Rose has suggested that the lack of punishment for Astros’ players for cheating should clear the way for his being considered for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame despite his having confessed to gambling on baseball games while an active Major League manager.

Do you think the Astros situation should have any bearing on Rose’s eligibility for induction?

 

1 – Yes                                      30

2 – No                                       58

3 – Don’t know/No opinion      12

 

  1. Has the way Major League Baseball handled the Astros cheating scandal made you more inclined to follow the game, less inclined to follow the game or has it had no effect on your interest in baseball?

 

1 – More inclined                        7

2 – Less inclined                       17

3 – No effect                             70

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        6

 

  1. Has the way the National Football League handles the risk of permanent brain injury to its players made you more inclined to follow the NFL, less inclined, or has it had no effect on your interest in the NFL?

 

1 – More inclined                      12

2 – Less inclined                       20

3 – No effect                             61

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        7

 

  1. Has the way the National Basketball Association dealt with the tragic death of Kobe Bryant made you more inclined to follow professional basketball, less inclined or has it had no effect on your interest in professional basketball?

 

1 – More inclined                      15

2 – Less inclined                         7

3 – No effect                             75

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        3

 

  1. Has the way Congress handled the impeachment trial of President Trump given you more respect for the U.S. Government, less respect for the Government or has had no effect on your respect for the Government?

 

1 – More respect                         8

2 – Less respect             63

3 – No effect                             22

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        7

 

  1. The NFL has suggested making some dramatic changes to its regular season schedule. The season would be extended to 17 games, reducing the pre-season games to 3 for each team.  Which of the following do you most agree with:

 

1 – I’m for it because it’s more football                                      31

2 – I’m against it because things were fine the way they were   24

3 – I’m against it because an additional game means

additional risk of injury for players                                           28

4- Don’t Know/No Opinion                                                                   17

 

  1. Have you watched any part of an XFL game during the first 3 weeks of the inaugural season?

 

1 – Yes                                      26

2 – No                                       72

3 – Don’t know               3

 

IF YES TO ABOVE

  1. Do you think the XFL broadcast presentation is more interesting than a typical NFL broadcast, less interesting or about the same?

 

1 – More interesting                  27

2 – Less interesting                    24

3 – About the same                   48

4 – Don’t know/No opinion        1

 

  1. How closely would you say you follow football, Very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?

1 – Very closely                        20

2 – Closely                                29

3 – Not closely                          31

4 – Not at all                             20

 

February 6

  1. The Houston Astros were fined, lost draft choices and had the Manager and General Manager suspended for one year (and later fired by the team) by Major League Baseball for illegally stealing signs electronically to possibly help them win the 2017 World Series. Do you think their World Series Championship should also have been taken away?

 

1 – Yes                                                                          52

2 – No                                                                           35

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                          13

 

 

 

Americans Still Watching Super Bowl on Television; 19% Say Halftime Their Favorite, 12% Say Commercials; 37% ‘Bothered’ by Trump and Bloomberg Ads  

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South Orange NJ, February 6, 2020  — Despite the multi-device options available to viewers, Americans still watch their Super Bowl the old fashioned way – on television.  (Of course, adding big screens and HD).

Ninety-two percent of those polled this week in a Seton Hall Sports Poll said they watched the game on television, with only eight percent opting for phones, tablets, computer or multiple screens.  And despite the increased use of those smaller choices over the last few years, the 92 percent for this year is down only six percent – from 98 percent – in 2016.

The Poll was conducted Monday-Wednesday of this week among 662 adult Americans reached on landlines and cellphones across the country.  It has a margin of error of +/- 3.9 percent.

“With all the talk of cord-cutting, third screens, multiple screens and many other technological options, television is still the best way to aggregate eyeballs for advertisers,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “And for advertisers, it means showcasing their products on big screens, which they prefer – and continue to pay millions for.”

Super Bowl Advertising
There was news on the advertising side as well: 17 percent of respondents said they saw at least one commercial that made them want to purchase the product advertised.  This was up from 12 percent in 2016, the last time the question was asked.  Among non-white respondents, 29 percent said they saw something they might want to purchase, compared to 13 percent for whites.

Which Did You Like Best: Game, Halftime Show or the Commercials?

While the game itself was the most enjoyable part of the telecast for 65 percent of viewers, 12 percent named the commercials their favorite, up from seven percent in 2016.  Nineteen percent named the halftime show (Jennifer Lopez, Shakira) as the portion of the Super Bowl they enjoyed most— up from 13 percent in 2016 (Coldplay, Beyonce, Bruno Mars).  The 2016 Poll had the game as the most enjoyable part at 72 percent (Denver-Carolina).

(33 percent of non-whites found the halftime show the most enjoyable part of the telecast, compared to 14 percent of whites).

Jay Z and the NFL: Sincere?
Twenty-six percent of respondents were aware that Jay Z had partnered with the NFL to help promote social justice initiatives.  The reaction?  33 percent of all respondents felt it was a sincere effort by Jay Z, but only 17 percent felt it was a sincere effort by the league.

37% ‘Bothered’ by Political Ads from President Trump and Bloomberg During Super Bowl
There was a rare insertion of political advertising included in the television broadcast of the game – with ads from the Michael Bloomberg and Donald Trump campaigns – and 37 percent were bothered to have them included. Forty-one percent of Democrats said they were bothered while 25 percent of Republicans said the same.  Among Independents, 43 percent of said they were bothered.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 3-5 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

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. Did you watch the Super Bowl game on Sunday?

1 – Yes                                                                                         67

2 – No                                                                                          33

(IF NO SKIP TO QUESTION 11 – TRUMP & BLOOMBERG QUESTION)

  1. What was the primary device you used to watch the game, a TV, phone, tablet or computer or did you watch on multiple screens?

1 – TV                                                                                          92

2 – Phone                                                                                      1

3 – Tablet                                                                                      0

4 – Computer                                                                               4

5 – Multiple Screens                                                                   3

6 – Don’t know

3. What did you enjoy more, the game, the halftime or the commercials?

1 – Game                                                                                    65

2 – Halftime                                                                                19

3 – Commercials                                                                        12

4 – Don’t know/No Opinion                                                      4

 

  1. Did you see any commercials during the broadcast that made you want to purchase the product advertised

 

1 – Yes                                                                                         17

2 – No                                                                                          81

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                       1

 

  1. President Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg both paid for campaign ads to be run during the game. Did it bother you that politics was injected into the broadcast of the Super Bowl?

 

1 – Yes                                                                                         37

2 – No                                                                                          59

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                       4

 

  1. The NFL partnered with pop icon Jay Z at the start of the 2019-20 season in an attempt to amplify the league’s efforts to promote social justice initiatives. Were you aware of this partnership?

1 – Yes                                                                                         26

2 – No                                                                                          72

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                       3

 

  1. Do you think the partnership was a sincere effort by the NFL to promote social justice initiatives or simply a publicity stunt?

1 – Sincere effort                                                                       17

2 – Publicity stunt                                                                      57

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                     27

  1. Do you think the partnership was a sincere effort by Jay Z to promote social justice initiatives or simply a publicity stunt?

1 – Sincere effort                                                                       33

2 – Publicity stunt                                                                      39

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                     28

 

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

1 – Very closely                                                                         17

2 – Closely                                                                                  34

3 – Not closely                                                                           29

4 – Not at all                                                                               20

 

  1. How do you identify yourself politically, as a Democrat, as a Republican, as an Independent or not at all?

1 – Democrat                                                                             32

2 – Republican                                                                           27

3 – Independent                                                                        27

4 – None                                                                                     12

5 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                       4

 

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

 

 

28 Percent of Men Would Rather Their Favorite Team Win the Super Bowl or World Series Than Their Favorite Candidate Win the 2020 Presidential Election; Only 11 Percent of Women Feel the Same

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Twenty-one percent of Americans said they spent more time watching the impeachment hearings than entertainment shows or sports events

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – November 22, 2019 – By 74 to 19 percent, the American public said they would rather their preferred candidate win the 2020 presidential election than their favorite team win the Super Bowl or World Series.

However, 28 percent of males said they would rather see their favorite team win the championship than have their favorite candidate win the 2020 presidential election – while 64 percent said they would prefer their favorite candidate to win. Another 8 percent said they did not know or had no opinion.

Among women, only 11 percent said they would prefer their team to win, with 84% preferring their candidate to win the presidential election. The remaining five percent did not know or had no opinion.

These are the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week of 712 adults on landlines and cellphones across the country.  The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percent.

“In the last two presidential elections voter turnout has been between 58 and 60 percent,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “It shouldn’t be a surprise that that many men care more about the outcome of a baseball or a football season than the political future of the country – but it is alarming.”

Presidential Candidate or Championship, By Education Level

The more education the respondents had, the more strongly they felt about the election results. For those with less than a high school education, 55 percent said they would prefer their favorite “presidential candidate to win,” while 31 percent said they would prefer their team to win (14 percent did not know/had no opinion).

For those who graduated college, 81 percent said they would prefer their favorite “presidential candidate to win,” while only 16 percent of college grads said they would prefer their sports team to win the Super Bowl or the World Series.

Impeachment Hearings, Sporting Events or Entertainment Shows?

The poll asked the public if they had spent more time watching sports events, entertainment shows or the impeachment hearings in the last week. Twenty-one percent of Americans said they spent more time watching the hearings; 28 percent said they watched more sports events, while 40 percent said they watched more entertainment shows. Ten percent said “none,” while 2 percent said they did not know or had no opinion (Total result of rounding).

Questions with breakdown below.

ABOUT THE POLL

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

This poll was conducted by telephone November 18-20 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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. Last week did you spend more time watching sports events, entertainment shows or the impeachment hearings?

1 – Sports events                                                                   28%

2 – Entertainment shows                                                     40

3 – Impeachment hearings                                                  21

4 – None                                                                                  10

5 – Don’t know/No Opinion                                                   2

2. What would you most like to see happen in 2020, your favorite team winning the Super Bowl or World Series or your favorite candidate winning the presidential election?

1 – Team winning                                                                   19

2 – Candidate winning                                                           74

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                    6

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

MLB Perceived as Having Best Officiating Among Major Spectator Sports, Beating NFL by 64-48% Margin

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62 percent said legalized sports betting influences people’s reaction to officiating of NFL games; Democrats and Republicans Can agree on something: the quality of officiating.

 

South Orange NJ, October 29, 2019  — Despite seeing nearly half of all disputed calls reversed by video replay, Americans perceive the officiating of Major League Baseball better than any other major sport.

And what’s truly remarkable in this day and age of polarization, is that Democrats and Republicans are in agreement on whether officiating is good or terrible on a sport-by-sport basis.

“At last, something they can agree on,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business.  “The differences were negligible in almost every case.”

These are the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted last week among 703 adult Americans across the country on both landlines and cellphones.  The Poll has a margin of error of +/-3.8 percent.  (The margin of error for the smaller sample of Democrats and Republicans, 176 of each, is +/- 7.5 percent.)

Major League Baseball scored a 64 percent approval rating for umpiring, with only 3 percent saying it was terrible.  And here we find 65 percent of Democrats saying it is good, and 67 percent of Republicans.

For the NFL, 48 percent rated the officiating as good (57 percent Democrats; 54 percent Republicans), but 27 percent called it terrible. A separate question, the suggestion of using replay on every call, found the public equally divided – 41 percent approving, and 42 percent disapproving, with 17 percent having no opinion.  (While the parties can agree on officiating, they don’t agree on how to improve it. On this there was division by party, with 51 percent of Democrats approving of replay on every play, but only 27 percent of Republicans approving.)

The NBA had a 49 percent rating of “good” for its officiating; the NHL 44 percent; college basketball 48 percent, and college football 53 percent, all very close along party lines (see breakdown by party at the end of this release).

Percent saying that each sport has “good officiating.”

SPORT DEM REP
Major League Baseball 65 67
National Football League 57 54
National Basketball Assoc. 55 57
National Hockey League 43 45
College Basketball 55 60
College Football 65 67

Asked if legalized sports betting influences people’s reaction to officiating of NFL games, 62 percent said yes, 20 percent no and 18 percent don’t know – again, fairly equal along party lines.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone October 21-23 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

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. The NFL has been criticized recently for a series of questionable calls by officials. One suggestion is to have a referee overseeing every call made or not made on video and confirming or overruling the call on the field. Do you approve or disapprove?

Dem      Rep          Ind      Other

1 – Approve                                                                               41          51              27          43

2 – Disapprove                                                                          42          40              56          39

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                                     17            9              17          18

 

I’m going to read you a few sports.  Tell me if you think the officiating is good or terrible:

  1. Major League Baseball

1 – Good                                                                       64          65              67          63

2 – Terrible                                                                      3            2                7            3

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                        33          33              27          33

 

  1. National Football League

1 – Good                                                                       48          57              54          41

2 – Terrible                                                                   27          19              29          31

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                       25          24              17          28

 

  1. National Basketball Association

 

1 – Good                                                                       49          55              57          42

2 – Terrible                                                                   13          19              29          17

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                       38          24              17          41

 

  1. National Hockey League

 

1 – Good                                                                       44          43              45          45

2 – Terrible                                                                     6            6                6            5

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                        51          52              49          50

 

  1. College Basketball

1 – Good                                                                       48          55              60          38

2 – Terrible                                                                     9            8                3          13

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                        44          37              37          49

 

  1. College Football

1 – Good                                                                       53          65              67          41
2 – Terrible                                                                   12            8              13          14
3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                        34          26              20          45

 

  1. Is sports betting, which has been legalized in many states, influencing people’s reaction to officiating of NFL games?

 

1 – Yes                                                                                        62          64              62          60

2 – No                                                                                        20          19              26          18

3 – Don’t know                                                                         18          18              13          22

 

  1. Would you describe yourself as a Democrat, Republican, Independent or something else?

 

1 – Democrat                                                                            25

2 – Republican                                                                          25

3 – Independent                                                                       30

4 – Other                                                                                    15

5 – Don’t know/No Opinion                                                      4

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

NBA and China: 77% of American Public Tell Houston Rockets Owner to Keep and Defend his Tweeting GM

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Only 9% think GM should be fired; by 46-36% public supports Adam Silver’s handling; but 69% expressed concern that China has so much influence over an American professional League

South Orange NJ, October 25, 2019  — The American public strongly supports the Houston Rockets general manager’s tweet regarding Hong Kong and China’s rights conflict.   (Daryl Morey, the GM, tweeted support for the Hong Kong protesters seeking freedom from Chinese oversight.  The Chinese reacted with disdain and business with the NBA was threatened).

Only 9 percent of the public thought the Rockets GM, Daryl Morey, should be fired, with 77 percent saying the Rockets should keep him and defend his freedom of speech.  14 percent said they did not know or had no opinion.

In addition, 54 percent of the nation feels Daryl Morey should be applauded for taking a stand supporting the Hong Kong protesters, with only 19 percent saying he should not have sent the tweet because it risked valuable relationships over a foreign domestic issue.  27 percent did not know or had no opinion.

These are the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted this week among 703 adult Americans across the country on both landlines and cellphones.  The Poll has a margin of error of +/-3.8 percent.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver first apologized for the tweet but later backtracked and showed support for freedom of speech.  46 percent of the public felt he handled it well, and 36 percent say he did not, with 18 percent saying they did not know or had no opinion.
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Nat’l Poll: 80% of Americans Support Legalized Sports Betting

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80% of Americans Support Legalized Sports Betting
And Disagree with Loophole Excluding “Home State” College Teams

South Orange, NJ, October 10, 2019 — Americans have embraced legalized betting on sports, bolstered by a Supreme Court ruling that okayed a state-by-state determination.

Fifty-five percent of the public supports the state-by-state process, with an additional 25 percent saying it should be legal in all states. The breakdown by age was dramatic for those saying it should be legal in all states, with 37 percent of ages 18-29 saying yes, but only 14 percent of those 60 and over agreeing.

The 55 percent approval of state-by-state marks a significant leap in less than a year, when a November 2018 Seton Hall Sports Poll found that only 40 percent of the nation felt it should be left to the individual states.

The combined “state-by-state” and the “legal in all states” adds up to an 80% approval for legalized sports betting.  Only 16 percent say it should not be legal.  In February 2017, only 46 percent of respondents said that betting on sports should be allowed (without including a differentiation between state-by-state and national).

The findings appear in a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted last week among 714 adult Americans on both landlines and mobile phones.  The poll has a +/-3.8 percent margin of error.
Continue reading →

American Public Supports College Athletes Receiving Endorsement Money for ‘Image and Likeness,’ as Approved in California this Week

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American Public Supports College Athletes Receiving ‘Image and Likeness’ Endorsement Money, as Approved in California this Week

But Feels NCAA, not States, Should Oversee the Process 

South Orange NJ, October 3, 2019  — The American public, by an almost 2-1 margin, believes that student athletes should be allowed to profit from the use of their name, likeness or image such as in the endorsement of a product.

Such was the finding of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, where 60% endorsed the idea with 32% rejecting it.  Eight percent said they did not know, or had no opinion.

The Poll was conducted among 714 adult Americans across the country, either on landline or cellphone.  The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.

The timing of the Poll coincided with California Governor Gavin Newsom signing a bill that allows college athletes to hire agents and earn endorsement money.
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Poll: Equal Pay for Women’s Soccer; Women’s Tennis has More Followers than Men’s Tennis; More Men Follow Women’s Golf than Women.

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In a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted nationally last week, 83 percent of Americans said the women’s national soccer team should receive pay equal to the men’s team.

As has been reported, the U.S. women’s soccer team (winners of three World Cups and four Olympic Gold Medals) has sued the U.S. Soccer Federation over equal pay and comparable working conditions with the U.S. men’s team, who have not won any World Cups or Gold Medals. After being made aware of this, and then asked to choose a statement that comes closest to their view, 70 percent of the respondents said women should get equal pay to men in professional sports; 13 percent said women should get equal pay in soccer because of their greater success and seven percent said women should not get equal pay to men in professional sports. Ten percent had no opinion.
Continue reading →

Nearly 40 Percent of NCAA Tournament Viewers Will Watch Online; Twenty-two Percent of Those Who Watch Will Do so at Work

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South Orange NJ, March 21, 2019 – As Americans increasingly turn to online devices to follow news and sports, a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week reveals that 38 percent of those who will be watching the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament will do so either entirely or partially online.

The poll was asked of 606 adult Americans on both landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 4.1%.

Of the men’s tournament, 38 percent of all Americans said they would be watching at least part of the coverage. Split by gender, 49 percent of men said they would be watching the tournament, and 29 percent of women said they would be watching.

Twenty-two percent of all respondents who will be watching also said they will watch the tournament while at work; among males that number rises to 29 percent.
Continue reading →

Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

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Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Despite NFL Settlement, Nation Evenly Divided on Kaepernick Impact

But by 3-to-1, public thinks his chance of a new contract in the NFL has decreased

South Orange NJ, February 28, 2019 — The confidential settlement of Colin Kaepernick’s lawsuit against the NFL finds the nation evenly divided on its impact on his protests.

In a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, by a margin of 44-42%, the public says the settlement has not diminished the impact of his protest.

By 45-40%, the public believes the settlement is an admission by the NFL that collusion by NFL teams against him took place.

When the question of approval for Kaepernick was asked in September 2017, his support was only 32%, with disapproval at 44%.

While white respondents are evenly divided on whether the settlement diminished the impact of the protests, by 2 to 1 African-Americans believe that it does. Whites are also evenly divided on whether it the settlement is an admission of collusion by the NFL, but African-Americans believe it is by 3 to 1.

794 adult Americans were polled on both landlines and cellphones, a margin of +/- 3.5%.

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In Wake of NFL Post-Season Controversies Public Wants Rule Changes for Pass Interference and OT

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In Wake of NFL Post-Season Controversies Public Wants Rule Changes
for Pass Interference and OT
Nation also ‘tired’ of seeing Patriots in Super Bowl; thinks legalized gambling can lead to scandal

South Orange NJ, February 2, 2019 – By an overwhelming margin, the public wants instant replay for judgment calls such as pass interference, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week.

Asked if replay review should be allowed for judgment calls like pass interference, 82% said yes, with only 10% saying no and the rest having no opinion or saying they did not know.
Among those who said they followed the sport closely, even more, 89%, said yes, while only 7% said no.

Even among the respondents who said they follow the NFL very closely, 85% said yes, they “think instant replay review should be allowed for judgment calls like pass interference.” Among that group of very close followers, however, 13% said “no.”

Regarding overtime possession rules, a majority of respondents polled said that each team should get at least one possession in overtime: 58% said that both teams should have the ball, with only 33% saying the rule (a touchdown on first possession ends the game), should be left alone.

The poll received 985 adult responses across the country, using both landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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31% of Fans Find NFL Less Enjoyable with New Safety Rules This Year

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South Orange, NJ, November 2, 2018– With the NFL having instituted a number of new safety rules this season, the football-loving public has weighed in, with 31% saying the game is less enjoyable, and only 11% saying it is more enjoyable.  54% say it has no effect.

Among men, 35% say it is less enjoyable, and among women, the number is 15%.

“It is noteworthy that men prefer the more violent game, as articulated by President Trump,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute.

Responses are based on the number of people (469) who have said that they have watched NFL games this season.

The poll was conducted October 29-31 among 839 adults across the country, on landlines and cellphones.  Of the group that has watched the NFL this year, the sampling has a margin of error of +/- 4.6%. Continue reading →

Only 11% Like Way DH Rule Employed in World Series, 35% of Americans Watched

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South Orange, NJ, November 1, 2018 — The just concluded World Series was the 45th since the designated hitter rule was adopted in 1973 – but the American public is still not happy with the way it is employed.

Only 11% of people surveyed in this week’s Seton Hall Sports Poll opted to keep it as it is — employed only when games are played in American League parks.  47% were divided almost equally on whether they prefer the DH in all games (25%) or in no games (22%).  41% saidthey did not know or had no opinion.

The poll was conduced October 29-31 among 839 adults across the country on landline and cellphone, with a margin of error of +/- 3.4%.

The poll also asked the 65% who said they did not watch the World Series why they did not watch, and while 46% said they had no interest in baseball, only 11% cited no interest in the Boston Red Sox or Los Angeles Dodgers in particular.  (The margin of error for this group was +/- 4.3%).

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Even in ‘Year of Women Running for Office,’ Americans Say Women Athletes Preferable to Politicians

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South Orange, NJ, November 1, 2018 — Even in a year filled with stories of women running for elected office more than ever before, Americans prefer women athletes as role models over women politicians by substantial margins, according to a poll conducted this week by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.

Asked who would make a preferable role model, the poll found that by more than a 2-1 margin, (54-24%) people said a professional or collegiate woman athlete over a female politician, and to the question, “if you had a daughter, would you prefer a career in politics or athletics,” 45% said athletics to 29% politics.  The responses were generally consistent among men and women, with men saying “athlete” by 44-31% and women saying athlete by 45-27%.

Still, the importance of women seeking elected office was not overlooked.  Asked if they would be more likely to watch a women’s athletic event or vote for a woman for Congress – 32% said vote for a woman, 7% said watch an athletic event, and 49% said equally likely.

The poll was conducted October 29-31 among 839 adults across the country, on landline and cellphone, with a margin of error of +/- 3.4%.

“Despite the media coverage of the number of women running, untarnished by years in office, the very idea of politicians as role models or politics as a career is not viewed favorably compared to athletics,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute.   “And given a choice of ‘neither’, only 14% opted for that, a surprisingly low number, given that the two fields are relatively new career paths.”

The poll also asked which women’s sports people were likely to watch, with tennis (33%), basketball (26%) and soccer (16%) leading the way.

Asked if they thought women have an equal opportunity to receive a college scholarship for athletics as men, respondents say yes by a slim 46-43% margin, but asked if women SHOULD have an equal opportunity, an overwhelming 95% said yes.

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone October 29-31 among 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 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; Rick Gentile (917) 881-9489
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

  1. Are you more likely to watch a professional women’s athletic event or vote for a women for congress or are they equally likely?

1 – Watch an athletic event: 7%
2 – Vote for a woman for congress: 32%
3 – Equally likely: 49%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 11%

  1. How often do you watch women’s sporting events, frequently, occasionally, rarely or never?

1 – Frequently: 8%
2 – Occasionally: 33%
3 – Rarely: 33%
4 – Never: 26%
5 – Don’t know: 1%
(SKIP IF NEVER)

  1. Which women’s sporting event are you more likely to watch: Tennis, golf, basketball, soccer or ice hockey?

(ONLY READ FOUR CHOICES BUT RECORD IF OTHER OR NONE)

1 – Tennis: 33%
2 – Golf: 8%
3 – Basketball: 26%
4 – Soccer: 16%
5 – Ice Hockey: 6%
6 – Other: 9%
7 – None: 1%
8 – Don’t know/No opinion: 1%

  1. Whom do you think makes a better role model, a professional female athlete, a collegiate female athlete or a female politician?

1 – Professional athlete: 28%
2 – Collegiate athlete: 24%
3 – Politician: 26%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 22%

  1. If you had a daughter would you prefer she pursues a career in politics or athletics?

1 – Politics: 29%
2 – Athletics: 45%
3 – Neither: 14%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 12%

  1. Do you think women have an equal opportunity to receive a college scholarship for athletics as men?

1 – Yes: 46%
2 – No: 43%
3 – Don’t know/No opinion   11%

  1. Do you think women SHOULD have an equal opportunity to receive a college scholarship for athletics as men?

1 – Yes: 95%
2 – No: 3%
3 – Don’t know/No opinion: 2%

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

1 – Very closely: 17%
2 – Closely: 29%
3 – Not closely: 37%
4 – Not at all: 16%

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

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

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

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

Effects of Nike Commercial with Kaepernick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

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

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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

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

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

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

The results:

 

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

1-Issue a rule                                     39

2-Leave things alone                          56

3-Don’t know/No opinion                  6

 

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

1-Unite people                                   21

2-Divide people                                 56

3-Had no effect                                  10

4-Don’t know/No opinion                 14

 

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

1-More inclined                                 16

2-Less inclined                                   26

3-No effect                                         52

4-Don’t know/No opinion                  6

 

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

1-Yes                                                  70

2-No                                                   16

3-Don’t know/No opinion                 15

 

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

1-More inclined                                  9

2-Less inclined                                   8

3-Wouldn’t matter                             81

4-Don’t know/No opinion                  3

 

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

1-More severe                                    34

2-Less severe                                      9

3-Appropriate                                    32

4-Don’t know/No opinion                 25

 

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

1-Yes                                                  56

2-No                                                   27

3-Don’t know/No opinion                 17

 

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

1-Yes                                                  25

2-No                                                   58

3-Don’t know                                     17

 

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

1-Very closely                                   20

2-Closely                                           37

3-Not closely                                     32

4-Not at all                                         11