WHEN SUPER BOWL INTERSECTS POLITICAL SEASON, WHAT’S THE MOST COMPETITIVE CONTEST OUT THERE?
And Which Candidate Would You Want Coaching Your Team?
South Orange, NJ, January 28, 2016 — With the Super Bowl coming right as the presidential primary season “kicks off,” Americans said they were following the presidential contests by more than a 2-to-1 margin over football, with 60% choosing the political contests, and 24% the Super Bowl. 53% say the political races will be the most competitive, compared to 37% naming the Super Bowl. (By party, 35% name the Republican race, 18% the Democratic race).
The responses came in the latest Seton Hall Sports Poll, which polled 771 Americans (by landline and cellphone across the nation) this week. The margin of error is 3.6%.
Blending sports and politics, Donald Trump was the choice of 32% when the Poll asked “which candidate would you like to have coach your favorite team?” Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders each received 15%. (Interestingly, among African-American respondents, a third named Clinton, about double any other candidate on the list).
The reasons for watching the Super Bowl are of course, varied. 40% said it was best explained because they were football fans, with 19% saying they were a fan of one of the participating teams, 18% saying it was a “big event,” and 10% interested in the commercials. Only 2% said it was primarily because they had a bet on the game, although in another question, 13% said they participated in wagering on the game.
SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS AND THEIR IMPACT
Regarding commercials, 52% acknowledge that they watch Super Bowl commercials more closely than in other TV shows, with 39% saying “about the same.” 88% said seeing a product advertised in the Super Bowl would make no difference in their buying habits, and the remainder is split.
“This news reinforces the prices charged for Super Bowl ads,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “88% may say it doesn’t influence them, but when 52% say they pay more attention to ads during the game than in other TV shows– that’s a powerful number for advertisers to focus on.”
THE MANNING/ AL JAZEERA REPORT
Peyton Manning, whose name emerged recently as having been sent human growth hormones (the report was on Al Jazeera and was recanted by the source), was the subject of a question on whether that report changed opinions about him. (During the polling period, the NFL announced it would investigate the charges). A significant 11% said they thought “less favorably” of him, and 76% said it had no effect. 3% said they felt more favorably towards him.
PETE ROSE AND THE HALL OF FAME
Pete Rose, who will be inducted in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame this year, was the subject of two questions, the first asking whether that was appropriate – to which 47% said yes, 33% no. The second asked if he should be eligible to be elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, to which 56% said yes, 28% no.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PLAYER SUSPENSIONS
A question was also asked whether a player being investigated for domestic violence offenses off the field should be suspended by his sport or allowed to play. 48% said the player should be suspended, and 39% said the player should be allowed to play. Broken down by gender men said allowed to play by 49%-43% over suspended. Among women, it was 52% suspended, 30% allowed to play.
For a fully produced podcast in which Seth Everett interviews Rick Gentile tonight, you may stream the podcast : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/setonhallsportspoll/2016/01/29/january-2016–super-bowl-pete-rose-hall-of-fame
To download : https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467?mt=2
ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
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 January 25-27 among 771 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.
Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.
Media: Media: Marty Appel Public Relations, AppelPR@gmail.com; or michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu
The results
- Do you plan to watch the Super Bowl on Feb. 7?
Yes 68%
No 29
Don’t know 4
(IF NO SKIP TO QUESTION 3)
2. Which of the following best explains why you’ll be watching the Super Bowl?
I’m a fan of one of the teams 19
I’m interested in seeing the commercials 10
I’m a football fan 40
It’s a big event 18
I have a bet on the game 2
Other 9
Don’t know 3
3. In the next two weeks will you pay more attention to news about the upcoming Super Bowl or the presidential contests?
News about Super Bowl 24
Presidential contests 60
Don’t know 16
- Which do you think will be most competitive, the Republican presidential race, the Democratic presidential race or the Super Bowl?
Republican race 35
Democratic race 18
Super Bowl 37
Don’t know 10
- Of the following presidential candidates which would you like to have coach your favorite team, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders or Ted Cruz?
Trump 32
Clinton 15
Sanders 15
Cruz 15
Other 10
Don’t know 13
- Do you tend to watch commercials in the Super Bowl more closely,
less closely or about the same as in other TV shows?
More closely 52
Less closely 9
About the same 39
- Would you be more likely to buy a product advertised on the Super Bowl, less likely or does it make no difference?
More likely 7
Less likely 5
No difference 88
- Do you participate in any pools or wagering on the Super Bowl?
Yes 13
No 82
Prefer not to say 5
- Has the recent news concerning the risk of permanent injury to football players made you more interested, less interested or has it had no affect on your interest in the Super Bowl?
More interested 14
Less interested 9
No affect 73
Don’t know 5
10. A report last month by the news service Al Jazeera claimed that Peyton Manning and other sports stars were sent human growth hormones in 2011 by an anti-aging clinic despite the fact that it was recanted by the source. Did this story make you think more favorably of Manning, less favorably or did it have no effect on your opinion of him?
More favorably 3
Less favorably 11
No effect 76
Don’t know 9
- Switching to baseball now, it was announced Pete Rose will be inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and have his number retired by the team. Do you think this is appropriate considering his ban for life by Major League Baseball for betting on games while active?
Yes 47
No 33
Don’t know 20
- Do you think Pete Rose should be eligible to be elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown?
Yes 56
No 28
Don’t know 16
- The New York Yankees traded for a player who is being investigated by Major League Baseball for a domestic violence incident although he was not charged with a crime by authorities. Do you think players should be allowed to continue to play while being investigated for violent offenses or should they be suspended pending the results of the investigation?
Allowed to play 39
Suspended 48
Don’t know 13
- How closely do you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
Very closely 18
Closely 41
Not closely 27
Not at all 14
