Category Archives: General News

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

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.

Women’s Tournament

As for the Women’s Tournament, 24 percent of Americans said they would watch at least part of the coverage, with 29 percent of males saying they would, and 21 percent of females saying they would.

Pay

On a question of whether the players are paid for participation (they are not), only 5% said that would make the tournament more interesting, 17 percent said it would be less interesting, and 76 percent said it would make no difference.

“Even with lawsuits emerging and the subject being more frequently addressed, there is surprisingly little difference in this result than when we asked the question four years ago,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. (In 2015, 7 percent said more interested, 14 percent said less, and 79 percent said no difference).

College Grads More Interested in Tournament?

On a question of whether college graduates have more interest in the men’s tournament than those who did not graduate college, 50 percent of graduates said they would be watching the tournament, with 35 percent of those who did not graduate college saying they would be watching it. For the women’s tournament, 27 percent of college graduates and 23 percent of non-graduates said they would be watching.

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 March 18-20 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
The results:

Do you plan to watch any part of the upcoming coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament?

Total Male Female

1 – Yes 38 49 29

2 – No 61 51 70

IF NO SKIP NEXT TWO QUESTIONS

Will you be watching tournament coverage just on TV, just online, or sometimes on TV and sometimes online (OF THOSE WATCHING)

1 – Just TV 61 52 76

2 – Just online 5 7 2

3 – Sometimes TV and sometimes online33 41 21

Will you watch any portion of the games while you are at work?

1 – Yes 22 29 13

2 – No 77 71 88

Are you participating in any pools involving money for this year’s NCAA Tournament?

1 – Yes 9 14 4

2 – No 90 85 96

If college players competing in the NCAA Tournament were paid a salary instead of receiving a scholarship would you be more interested in the event, less interested or would it make no difference?

1 – More interested 5 7 3

2 – Less interested 17 17 17

3 – No difference 76 73 78

Do you plan to watch any part of the upcoming coverage of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament?

1 – Yes 24 29 21

2 – No 73 70 76

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

1 – Very closely 15 21 9

2 – Closely 28 29 28

3 – Not closely 33 31 36

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.

Results consistent with 2017 findings

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

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

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

New Job for Kaepernick in the NFL?

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

Impact of Settlement on Protests

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

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

Disapproval of University of Mississippi Basketball Protesters

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

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

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

ABOUT THE POLL

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

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

RESULTS

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

1 – Approve 29%

2 – Disapprove 42

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 29

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

1 – Yes 42

2 – No 44

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 15

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

1 – Yes 45

2 – No 40

3 – Don’t know 15

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

1 – Increased 13

2 – Decreased 41

3 – Had no effect 46

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

1 – Very closely 20

2 – Closely 35

3 – Not closely 29

4 – Not at all 15

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

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%.

Despite a fairly close overall division on whether or not the settlement was an admission on the part of the NFL, by more than a 3-1 margin (41-13%), respondents believed that Kaepernick’s chance of being signed to a new NFL contract has decreased because of the settlement.

“People remain divided regarding the message of his kneeling during the national anthem,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute in the Stillman School of Business. “But there certainly seems to be a feeling that doors are not going to open for the renewal of his career.”

Disapproval of U. of Mississippi Basketball Protesters

In a related matter, by a 42-29% margin, people disapproved of the University of Mississippi basketball players kneeling last weekend to protest an on campus rally honoring Confederate soldiers. That margin draws a close comparison to the September 2017 Kaepernick findings. However, 12 out of 13 African-Americans offered support of the protest.

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.

Results breakdown below; this release may be found online at http://blogs.shu.edu/sportspoll/2019/02/28/despite-nfl-settlement-nation-evenly-divided-on-kaepernick-impact/

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

ABOUT THE POLL

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

The results:

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

1 – Approve 29%

2 – Disapprove 42

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 29

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

1 – Yes 42

2 – No 44

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 15

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

1 – Yes 45

2 – No 40

3 – Don’t know 15

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

1 – Increased 13

2 – Decreased 41

3 – Had no effect 46

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

1 – Very closely 20

2 – Closely 35

3 – Not closely 29

4 – Not at all 15

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%.

“In the NFL’s championship games, referee calls and non-calls made a very big difference,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute of the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall. “And in some ways, Kansas City’s offense never getting a chance to take the field in overtime was anticlimactic – never a good thing in the entertainment business, and something the NFL may want to pay attention to along with the overwhelming support for instant replay review for judgment calls such as pass interference.”

Nation ‘Tired’ of Patriots

Perhaps the overtime rules wouldn’t have seemed so unfair if the Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t been playing the New England Patriots, who have made their way to the Super Bowl four out of the past five years.

Nearly half of Americans say they are tired of seeing the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

46% said they were tired of seeing them, with only 25% saying their appearance would make the game more interesting.

Among those who follow the NFL closely or very closely, the number rose to 62% who are tired of seeing them against only 27% who thought their appearance would make the game more interesting.

Tom Brady
The numbers are not very good for New England quarterback Tom Brady either, whose favorable rating has fallen to only 29% after a high of 61% in February 2015, when the Poll first asked about him. That was before the penalty for “Deflategate” was instituted, and his favorable rating fell to 34% by that October.

Brady’s favorable rating was only 24% among women and 35% among men. While the overall rating is 29% favorable to 23% unfavorable, among those that follow the NFL closely it is even.

Bill Belichick

Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick had only a 20% favorable rating in this poll, about even with his standing in October of 2015 in the wake of “Deflategate.”

“Despite his brilliance on the field, it appears the effects of ‘Deflategate’ and the suggestion that Brady was a cheater may linger for the remainder of his career,” noted Director Gentile, “As for ‘Patriots Fatigue’ it will be interesting to see how it effects the ratings.”

Legal Sports Betting

Meanwhile, as legalized sports betting begins a growth period on a state-by-state basis, Americans had a strong feeling that it will inevitably lead to scandal. Asked if they believe legal betting can lead to cheating or fixing of games by players, 81% said yes, and 79% said it can lead to cheating or fixing of games by referees or umpires.

What is music to a network ear however, is that 71% say they would be more likely to watch a broadcast of a game on which they bet. Even better news is by more than 5 to 1, people 18-29 are more inclined to watch a game they bet on. This is similar with Seton Hall Sports Poll’s finding when the question was first asked last fall.

This release may be found online at http://blogs.shu.edu/sportspoll/

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

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone January 28-30 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:

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

1 – Approve 38%

2 – Disapprove 16

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 46

Former member of congress and ex-NBA player Tom McMillen said last week that as a result of legalized sports betting “There is a 100% chance that there will be a major gambling scandal at an institution of higher education in the United States.” Do you agree or disagree

with his statement?

1 – Agree 51

2 – Disagree 33

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 16

Do you believe legal betting on sports events can lead to cheating or fixing games by players?

1 – Yes 81

2 – No 15

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 4

Do you believe legal betting on sports events can lead to cheating or fixing games by referees or umpires?

1 – Yes 79

2 – No 18

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 3

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

1 – Yes 11

2 – No 88

3 – Don’t know 0

(If No skip to Question 7)

Would you watch the game if you weren’t betting on it or participating in a pool?

1 – Yes 79

2 – No 20

3 – Don’t know 2

Have you ever participated in any pools or wagered on the Super Bowl?

1 – Yes 31

3 – No 68

4 – Don’t know 1

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

1 – Yes 29

2 – No 68

3 – Don’t know 3

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

1 – Yes 71

2 – No 27

3 – Don’t know 2

Is your opinion of Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady favorable, unfavorable or do you have no opinion?

1 – Favorable 29

2 – Unfavorable 23

3 – No opinion 48

How about Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick, is your opinion favorable, unfavorable or do you have no opinion?

1 – Favorable 20

2 – Unfavorable 21

3 – No opinion 59

This will be the 4th time in the last 5 years that the New England Patriots will appear in the Super Bowl. Does that make them more interesting to see play again or are you tired of seeing

them in the Super Bowl?

1 – More interesting 25

2 – Tired of seeing them 46

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 29

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

1 – Very closely 13

2 – Closely 27

3 – Not closely 30

4 – Not at all 30

5 – Don’t know 0

There was controversy regarding the NFC and AFC Championship Games last week because of calls, or non-calls by the referees. Do you think replay review should be allowed for judgment calls like pass interference?

1 – Yes 82

2 – No 10

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 9

In the NFL if the team that wins the coin toss for the overtime period elects to receive the ball and then scores a touchdown on the first drive, the game is over. This just happened in the AFC Championship game between the Patriots and Chiefs. Do you think both teams should have a chance to possess the ball at least once in the overtime period or should the rule remain as is?

1 – Both teams should possess the ball 58

2 – Leave rule as is 33

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 9

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the poll:

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

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

The results:

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

1 – Approve 40%

2 – Disapprove 16

3 – Don’t know/No opinion 44

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(SKIP NEXT QUESTION IF YES)

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

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

Have you ever placed a bet on a sporting event?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

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%.

The poll also asked the “watch NFL group” questions about officiating, and it found that 24% believe officiating has gotten worse, with only 11% saying it has improved. 54% said it remained the same.

Meanwhile, the NFL took the unusual step of firing an official after five games, the first time a ref was fired in mid-season in 50 years. 40% of fans (from the full sample) called that a positive move, with 28% calling it a PR stunt.

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone 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:

Have you watched any NFL games this season?

1 – Yes: 56%
2 – No: 43%
3 – Don’t know: 1%

(IF NO SKIP NEXT 2 QUESTIONS)

The NFL has adopted several new rules designed to increase player safety, including leading with the helmet in making a tackle. Have the new rules made the game more enjoyable to watch, less enjoyable or have had no effect?

1 – More enjoyable: 11%
2 – Less enjoyable: 31%
3 – No effect: 54%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 4%

Do you think officiating in the NFL this season has generally improved, gotten worse or remained the same?

1 – Improved: 11%
2 – Gotten worse: 24%
3 – Remained the same: 54%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 11%

An NFL referee was fired after 5 games this season for bad performance – the first time a ref was fired in mid-season in 50 years. Do you think this is a positive move by the league or a PR stunt to answer criticism of general bad officiating?

1 – Positive move: 40%
2 – PR stunt: 28%
3 – Both: 5%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 27%

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%

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%).

“That response is a good one for MLB, noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “It says that the teams involved don’t really caused diminished interest.”

During the World Series, a player on the Dodgers was accused of sign stealing by the Red Sox. Only 31% of fans said the sign stealer should be punished, while 42% called it “no big deal.”

On the other hand, when it comes to recruiting violations in collegiate sports, 76%said that the school should be punished and 15% said it was “no big deal.”

“Sign stealing on the pro level is considered business as usual,” said Gentile. “It gets a shrug. But when it regards the future of our high school athletes moving into college, cheating is a big deal. And that’s a good thing.”

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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:

Did you watch this year’s World Series?

1 – Yes: 35%
2 – No: 65%
(ASK IF NO – ONLY READ FIRST 4 CHOICES BUT RECORD IF OTHER IS SELECTED)

What is the main reason you didn’t watch?

1 – Games take too long: 1%
2 – No interest in baseball: 46%
3 – No interest in the Red Sox or Dodgers: 11%
4 – Too busy: 25%
5 – Other: 12%
6 – Don’t know: 4%

Do you think the Designated Hitter rule should be in effect for all World Series games, just games in American League ballparks or not in effect for any World Series games?

1 – DH in all games: 25%
2 – DH just in AL parks: 11%
3 – No DH in any games: 22%
4 – Don’t know/No opinion: 41%

The Red Sox accused a Dodger player of cheating by stealing the catcher’s signs to the pitcher. Do you think this is a violation that should be punished or it’s no big deal because it happens all the time?

1 – Should be punished: 31%
2 – No big deal: 42%
3 – Don’t know/No opinion: 27%

Do you think violating rules in recruiting student athletes to participate in collegiate sports is punishable or no big deal?

1 – Should be punished 76%
2 – No big deal: 15%
3 – Don’t know/no opinion: 9%

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: 15%

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

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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:

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%

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)

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%

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%

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%

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%

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%

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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

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

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

The results of Seton Hall’s April poll:

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

Yes 55%

No 35

Don’t know/No opinion 10

(IF NO TO ABOVE SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

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

Just professional 36

Both professional and collegiate 49

Don’t know/No opinion 15

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

Yes 48

No 42

Don’t know/No opinion 10

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

State control 62

Federal control 27

Don’t know/No opinion 12

Attitudes Toward NFL Cheerleaders and Restrictive Team Policies

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Public Widely Disagrees With Team Policies Banning Personal Religious Social Media Posts or Fraternization with Players

South Orange, NJ, May 3, 2018 — A huge majority of Americans disagree with the policies of a number of NFL teams who ban their cheerleaders from using social media for posts of a religious nature. And a similar majority opposes team policies on fraternizing with players.

By 73%-20% respondents disagreed with the ban on religious posts on the cheerleaders’ personal social media accounts, equally divided among men and women.

And by 72%-20%, respondents disagreed with the banning of fraternization with players at restaurants, bars and clubs. Again, the response was equal between men and women.

The poll was conducted last week, among 736 Americans on land lines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 3.7%. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Stillman School of Business and its Sharkey Institute. Rick Gentile is the director.

Men and women disagreed on questions of provocative costumes and posing for provocative photos.

On the question of cheerleader costumes, by 56% to 31%, Americans disagreed that they were too provocative. But on this question, women were equally divided (44%-43% saying too provocative, while men disagreed that they were too provocative by a 69%-19% divide).

On the question of a ban on cheerleaders posing provocatively on their own social media accounts, the public disagreed with the ban by 50%-40%, but it was again much different broken down by gender. Women approved of the ban by 53%-41%, while men disapproved of the ban by 59%-35%.

The poll also asked how people felt about the Los Angeles Rams adding male cheerleaders, and on this there was approval by 66%-20%, with men and women largely approving, women even more so. (Women 71%-16% approval, men 60%-23% approval).

On the matter of male cheerleaders for the Rams, 79% of those ages 18-29 approved, and the number declined to 59% for those 60+.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone April 23-25 among 736 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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:

Do you think the outfits worn by NFL cheerleaders are too provocative?

Yes 31 (m-19%, w-43%)

No 56 (m-69%, w-44%)

Don’t know/No opinion 13 (m-12%, w-14%)

NFL teams have rules that limit their cheerleaders behavior. After each rule tell me if you approve or disapprove: Cheerleaders cannot post religious views or content on their own social media accounts.

Approve 20 (m-20%, w-20%)

Disapprove 73 (m-74%, w-72%)

Don’t know/No opinion 7 (m- 5%, w- 8%)

Cheerleaders cannot post provocative or suggestive pictures of themselves on their own social media accounts.

Approve 44 (m-35%, w-53%)

Disapprove 50 (m-59%, w-41%)

Don’t know/No Opinion 6 (m- 6%, w- 6%)

Cheerleaders cannot fraternize with the team’s players, banning them from being in the same restaurant, bar or club as the players.

Approve 20 (m-20%, w-19%)

Disapprove 72 (m-72%, w-73%)

Don’t know/No opinion 8 (m- 8%, w- 8%)

The LA Rams have hired men to perform the same dance routines along with the women cheerleaders during games. Do you approve or disapprove?

Approve 66 (m-60%, w-71%)

Disapprove 20 (m-23%, w-16%)

Don’t know/No opinion 15 (m-17%, w-13%)

Americans Favor Legalized Sports Betting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only 47% of women favored legalized betting.

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

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

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

The results:

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

Yes 55%

No 35

Don’t know/No opinion 10

(IF NO TO ABOVE SKIP TO QUESTION 3)

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

Just professional 36

Both professional and collegiate 49

Don’t know/No opinion 15

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

Yes 48

No 42

Don’t know/No opinion 10

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

State control 62

Federal control 27

Don’t know/No opinion 12

Olympics, Two-Thirds of US to VP Pence: Not Appropriate to Stay Seated During Opening Ceremonies

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Viewing of Games on Streaming Devices Makes a ‘Breakthrough’ Impact; Americans Strongly Disapprove of Ingraham’s ‘Shut Up and Dribble’; Absence of Matt Lauer and Bob Costas gauged; Ban on tackle football until freshman year in high school?

South Orange, NJ, February 22, 2018 — Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to remain seated as the combined North and South Korean teams entered the stadium during Olympic Opening Ceremonies received a harsh rebuke from the American public – by 3-to-1, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week.

A strong 66% said the gesture was not appropriate, with only 18% supporting the decision. People in the 18-44 age bracket disapproved by 72%-14%, while older people, by 60% to 22% – were somewhat more supportive — but still strongly opposed.

“It’s a departure from the reaction to most actions taken by the current administration during this era of polarization,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute. “Eighteen percent is less than half of the usual approval found from polling on other administration actions.”

The poll was conducted this week with random calls to 775 adults on landlines and cellphones across the country, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.6%.

Olympic Games: Streaming Garners ‘Breakthrough’ Numbers; General Interest Levels Gauged; Impact of Absence of Bob Costas and Matt Lauer; Subsidies for U.S. Olympic Athletes Favored

As for the Olympic Games themselves, 17% named “streaming” as the manner in which they mostly watched the Games, and while 54% named NBC’s primetime coverage, the 17% is significant for the communications industry as a breakthrough number. (12% named “other TV networks” as their most preferred option).

“It’s eye-popping,” said Gentile. “It marks yet another breakthrough in the so-called ‘cord-cutting’ era. That little more than half of the audience primarily watches on NBC primetime would have been considered remarkable just four years ago. And as a sign of things to come, 44% of those 18-29 chose streaming, about the same as chose NBC prime time.”

Meanwhile, as far as general interest in the Winter Olympics, only 9% say their interest in greater, while 18% say it is less than previously. But among those 18-29, coveted by advertisers, interest was greater among 20%, with only single digits in older age groups (7% in the 30-44 category, 6% among 45-59 and 7% among 60+).

“This could be due to the X-Games influence and the increased snow-boarding coverage,” added Gentile.

66% said it didn’t matter whether they were viewing an event live or delayed. And 66% also said that NBC has done a good job of generating interest in the Games.

This is the first Olympics in many years without Matt Lauer’s presence in the morning, and Bob Costas serving as host in prime time. 16% said the evening coverage was “not as good” without Costas, and 11% said morning coverage was “not as good” without Lauer.

Asked whether the US Olympic Committee should subsidize American athletes who cannot earn a living participating in sports like luge, cross-country skiing, and other sports, 59% said they should offer subsidies with only 22% saying no.

Athletes Voicing Opinions on Social Positions Supported; A Rebuff to Fox’s Ingraham

The Poll asked whether professional athletes should use their fame to comment on social issues. 47% said yes, and 42% said no, with 11% having no opinion. But asked about Fox News’ host Laura Ingraham’s comment that the players (notably LeBron James and Kevin Durant) should “shut up and dribble,” only 25% approved while 46% disapproved. (30% had no opinion). Among those who identified themselves as African-American, only 12% expressed approval of her comment, with 69% disapproving.

Ban on Tackle Football until Freshman Year in High School?

Finally, the Poll asked for opinions on the bill in the California State Legislature to ban organized tackle football until freshman year in high school in response to the danger of brain injury to younger players. The bill received support from 46% (nationally), with 24% disapproval. 30% had no opinion or did not know.

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 19-21 among 775 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; Rick Gentile (917) 881-9489
Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall
michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

1. Which ongoing sports event or season are you most interested in, the Winter Olympics,

college basketball, the NBA, the NHL or the opening of baseball’s spring training camps?

1. Winter Olympics 31%

2. College basketball 10

3. NBA 17

4. NHL 6

5. Spring training 12

6. Don’t know/No opinion 24

2. Would you say your interest in the Winter Olympics currently taking place in South Korea is greater than, less than or about the same as interest in previous Olympics?

1. Greater than 9

2. Less than 18

3. About the same 52

4. Not interested at all 15

5. Don’t know 5

(If “Not interested at all” skip to question 7)

3. Where have you watched more Olympic coverage, NBC’s prime time, daily coverage on other TV networks or streaming coverage on handheld devices?

1. NBC Prime Time 54

2. Other TV networks 12

3. Streaming 17

4. Don’t know 17

4. Are you more likely to watch an Olympic event if it’s presented live or does it not matter if the presentation is delayed?

1. Live 30

2. Doesn’t matter 66

3. Don’t know/No opinion 5

5. For many years Matt Lauer hosted NBC’s morning Olympic coverage and Bob Costas hosted the evening presentation. Do you think the morning Olympic coverage on the Today show is as good without Matt Lauer, not as good or about the same?

1. As good 16

2. Not as good 11

3. About the same 32

4. Don’t know/No opinion 42

6. How about the evening coverage without Bob Costas, as good, not as good or about the same?

1. As good 12

2. Not as good 16

3. About the same 40

4. Don’t know/No opinion 32

7. Do you think NBC, the presenting network in the U.S., has done a good job of generating interest in the Games?

1. Yes 66

2. No 17

3. Don’t know/No opinion 17

8. Should the US Olympic Committee subsidize American athletes who cannot earn a living participating in their sports like luge, cross country skiing, etc.?

1. Yes 59

2. No 22

3. Don’t know/No opinion 19

9. Vice President Mike Pence attended the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony in South Korea and was seated in the VIP box with various foreign dignitaries and heads of state. He remained seated when the combined North and South Korean team entered the arena during the parade of nations. Do you think it was appropriate for him to remain seated while all others stood?

1. Yes 18

2. No 66

3. Don’t know/No opinion 16

10. Do you think professional athletes should use their fame as a platform to make comments about social issues?

1. Yes 47

2. No 42

3. Don’t know/No opinion 11

11. Two weeks ago the California State Legislature introduced a bill to ban organized tackle football until freshman year in high school in response to the danger of brain injury to younger players. Do you approve of this bill, disapprove or have no opinion?

1. Approve 46

2. Disapprove 24

3. No opinion 23

4. Don’t know 7

12. Fox News host Laura Ingraham, in response to comments by LeBron James and Kevin Durant criticizing President Trump, said the players should “shut up and dribble”. Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, strongly disapprove or have no opinion regarding Laura Ingraham’s statement?

1. Strongly approve 16

2. Somewhat approve 9

3. Somewhat disapprove 11

4. Strongly disapprove 35

5. Don’t know/No Opinion 30

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

1. Very closely 15

2. Closely 37

3. Not closely 30

4. Not at all 18

84% Support NFL Players’ Right to Protest, But Vary on How to Carry that Out; Only 16% Say Protesters Should Be Dropped from Teams

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84% Support NFL Players’ Right to Protest, But Vary on How to Carry that Out;
Only 16% Say Protesters Should Be Dropped from Team. Wide Discrepancy Between African-Americans and Whites

South Orange, NJ, September 28, 2017 — A poll conducted this week by the Seton Hall Sports Poll has found that 84% of American support the NFL players’ right to protest, with only 16% saying the players should be ordered to stand for the anthem or be dropped from the team if they refuse.

Of the 84% supporting the players’ right to protest, 49% felt they should find a different way to express their political opinions, and 35% felt that not standing for the anthem is an acceptable way to protest. There was a wide racial gap in those saying it was an acceptable form of protest.with 70% of African-American choosing that option only 28% of whites doing so.

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

An identical question was asked a year ago about just Kaepernick. At that time, 80% supported the right to protest and 20% believed they should be dropped from the team if they refused an order to stand.

Asked specifically this week about players not standing during the playing of the anthem, 44% of all respondents disapproved, 32% approved, and 25% had no opinion or did not know. The responses to the same question about just Kaepernick a year ago were 47% disapproval and 27% approval.

“These attitudes are remarkably stable given all that has happened in this past year and the recent spike in attention being paid to the subject. , noted Rick Gentile, Director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute.

Respondents were asked whether they agreed more with President Trump who called on NFL owners to fire any players who refuse to stand or with Commissioner Roger Goodell and several NFL owners who called the president’s comments divisive

Trump received the support of 28% and Goodell received 50%. Among African-Americans Trump received 6% vs 78% for Goodell, and whites were 32% to 47%.

Asked about Kaepernick’s lack of a contract by an NFL team, 47% felt it was because of his protests and 19% because he wasn’t good enough. 81% of African-Americans felt it was because of his protest with only 7% saying it was because he was not good enough, while among whites the ratio was 41% (protest) and 22% (ability).

“This is an emotional issue for many people with obvious differences between whites and African-Americans,” said Gentile. “The overall support for the players’ right to protest – in some form – is heartening especially considering some of the divisive rhetoric we’ve heard revolving around this issue.”

The protests can be very damaging to the NFL’s popularity. 29% of respondents said they were watching fewer games this season, and of that group, 47% cited the player protests during the national anthem.

In an identical question asked in November 2016, 25% said they were watching fewer games because of the anthem protest.

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.

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:

This season, do you find yourself watching more NFL games, fewer NFL games or about the same amount of NFL games?
More 5%
Fewer 29
About the same 50
Don’t know 16

(IF “FEWER” ASK QUESTION 2. IF “MORE”, “SAME”, OR “DON’T KNOW” SKIP

QUESTION 2

Why have you watched fewer NFL games? Please pick your main reason from the following:

The games aren’t as good as in past years 3
Too many games on TV 2
Too many commercial interruptions 4
The players’ protests during the national anthem 47
Boycotting in support of player protests 6
Bothered by danger of head injuries 1
Other 21
Don’t know 15

Colin Kaepernick waged a protest last season by kneeling during the national anthem. This year other players have continued the protest by not standing during the playing of the anthem. Do you approve, disapprove or have no opinion about the gesture?
1. Approve 32
2. Disapprove 44
3. No opinion 22
4. Don’t know 3

Which of the following statements do you agree with most:
I don’t support the players’ right to protest and believe they should be ordered to stand for the anthem or be dropped from the team if they refuse 16
I support the players’ right to protest but believe they should stand for the anthem, finding a different way to express their political opinions 49
I support the players’ right to protest and I think not standing for the anthem is an acceptable way to protest 35

Colin Kaepernick has not been signed by an NFL team and some say it is because of last year’s protest. Do you think he would be signed today if he had not protested or has he not been signed because he’s not a good enough player?
1. Protested 47
2. Not good enough 19
3. Don’t know/No opinion 34

President Trump has called on NFL owners to fire any player who refuses to stand for the national anthem. Commissioner Roger Goodell and several NFL owners have responded that the president’s comments were divisive. Whom do you most agree with?
1. President Trump 28
2. Commissioner Goodell and the owners 50
3. Neither (DON’T READ) 7
4. Both (DON’T READ) 2
5. Don’t know/No opinion 13

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
1. Very closely 24
2. Closely 33
3. Not closely 30
4. Not at all 13

(IF “VERY CLOSELY”, “CLOSELY”, OR “NOT CLOSELY” ASK QUESTION . IF “NOT AT ALL” SKIP QUESTION )

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

Very closely 20
Closely 31
Not closely 28
Not at all 22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 20-22 among 626 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone February 6-8 among 661 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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

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

The results:

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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

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

Seton Hall Sports Poll Reveals Nation Sides with Obama’s Caution on Sons Playing Football vs. Trump’s Feeling that ‘Head on Tackles are Incredible to Watch’

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Fans Who Say they Watch Less Football Cite National Anthem Protest as Principal Reason

South Orange, NJ, November 17, 2016 — This week’s Seton Hall Sports Poll, asked Americans how they felt about the concussion/head injury issue in football.

People were asked if they most agreed with President Obama’s feelings about having to think twice about letting a son play football, or President-elect Trump’s statement that head-on-tackles in the NFL are incredible to watch and the league has gone too soft on the issue of head injuries. 59% agreed with the Obama position while only 23% agreed with the Trump statement.

By gender, women agreed with Obama over Trump by 66%-17%, and men agreed with Obama by 52%-29%.

“That is a decisive margin, and belies the embrace the nation’s voters show for Trump’s generally tough stances,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

The results came from the poll conducted this week among 913 landline and cellphone adult users across the US. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3%.

Meanwhile, the poll asked respondents if they were watching less football, and if so, asked for reasons. 25% cited the protests during the national anthem, 10% said the match-ups aren’t as good, 10% cited too many commercial interruptions, 8% said “too many games on TV,” and 3% said “more interested in election.” 44% indicated either another choice (unnamed) or no opinion.

As for Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco quarterback who triggered the national anthem protests, 50% expressed disapproval over his deciding not to vote in the presidential election, with only 14% showing approval. Only 30% of African-Americans disapproved compared to 58% of white respondents.

By a 2-1 margin (61% to 30%), respondents citied the Trump election victory as more surprising than the Chicago Cubs world championship. The Cubs, of course, had not won in 108 years – but no American president had ever gained the presidency from a business and non-political (or wartime) background.

The poll also asked who would be a better role model, 29% said college athletes, 21% said pro athletes, and 9% said politicians. It is worth noting that 42% said “none” or “don’t know” without those selections being offered by pollsters.

GOOD NEWS FOR MLB – SERIES MADE ONE IN FIVE AMERICANS

INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING BASEBALL MORE AVIDLY

There was good news for Major League Baseball amongst the findings – 19% the country said that the Cubs victory made them more interested in following baseball.

“For any sports league to have a single event that might turn that many people into more avid fans is a remarkable achievement,” said Gentile. “At first glance, one might say, ‘well, it’s only 19%’, but in raw numbers – a fifth of the population is a tremendous number for MLB.”

Rick Gentile will be interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings.

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@shu.edu
Office Phone: 973-378-9845

Cell Phone: 862-520-9639

The results

Whom do you think make better role models, politicians, professional athletes or collegiate athletes?
Politicians 9%
Pro athletes 21
College athletes 29
None 35
Don’t know 7

Which event would you say surprised you the most, the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series or Donald Trump winning the presidential election?
Cubs 30
Trump 61
Neither 5
Don’t know 3

Has the Cubs’ victory in the World Series made you more interested in following baseball?
Yes 19
No 77
Don’t know 4

President Obama has said if he had a son he would have to think twice about letting him play football because of potential head injuries. President-elect Trump has said head-on tackles in the NFL are incredible to watch and the league has gone too soft on the issue of head injuries. Which position do you most agree with?
Obama 59
Trump 23
Neither 10
Don’t know 8

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

Sports Poll Cited by Media Across the Country

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

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

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