Tag Archives: Sponsorship

60 Percent of Sports Fans ‘Rooting’ for Tiger Woods Return to Competitive Golf, 38 Percent Say They Would Purchase a Product He Endorses

South Orange, NJ, March 30, 2021 – As Tiger Woods recovers from his serious auto accident last month, 43 percent of Americans say they are rooting for his return to competitive golf, with the number rising to 60 percent among sports fans and 69 percent of those who consider themselves “avid fans.”

Just 19 percent of the general public said they were not rooting for his return (17 percent of sports fans, 15 percent of avid fans) with 36 percent venturing no opinion among the general public, while 23 percent of sports fans and 16 percent of avid fans likewise said “don’t know/no opinion.”

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business on March 13-15 geographically spread across the United States. The Poll had 1,538 adult respondents with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.
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Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

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Many Think Settlement with Kaepernick is Admission of Collusion by NFL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kaepernick became a free agent in early 2017 and was not hired by any NFL team. He brought suit against the NFL for collusion in keeping him out of the league. He was not hired for the 2018 season either.
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Did Zion’s Sneaker Explosion Hurt the Nike Brand? Nearly One in Five Say ‘Yes’

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Did Zion’s Sneaker Explosion Hurt the Nike Brand? Nearly One in Five Say ‘Yes’

Majority feels student athletes should be compensated by sneaker companies for wearing their brands; less support for them receiving pay for playing revenue producing sports

South Orange NJ, March 1, 2019 — It was the sneaker explosion heard round the world, when Duke’s Zion Williamson’s Nike went poof last week in a game against North Carolina. Did all the publicity hurt the Nike brand?

According to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, nearly 1-in-5 respondents said it was the indicator of the quality of the brand. More than two thirds, 67%, felt it was a one-time fluke.

“That’s a good percentage favoring the one-time mishap,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. “But 18% (those who felt it represented the brand’s quality), is not a small number. Nike has some rebuilding work ahead – of its image, not just its sneakers.”

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week, with questions asked of 794 adult Americans on landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

Compensation for Student Athletes

Meanwhile, a majority of Americans believe that student athletes should be compensated by sneaker companies for the use of their brands in collegiate athletics if they are required to wear the brand, and that students in revenue producing sports – like football and basketball – should receive compensation on top of scholarships and cost of attendance stipends.

On the question of financial compensation for student athletes from sneaker companies – like Nike and Adidas – , the public says “yes” by a margin of 57-36%.

On the question of compensation for participation in revenue generating sports, the margin was closer, with 49% saying “yes” and 46% saying “no.” And while white respondents are in favor of “sneaker compensation” by a 54-41% margin, African-Americans are in favor by 3-1.
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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

Nearly Three-Quarters Say Pres. Trump Should Stay Out of NFL Anthem Controversy; Nearly Two Thirds Say Keeping Players in Locker Room Not an Effective Strategy

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Orange, NJ, November 30, 2017 — A Seton Hall Sports Poll has found that 71% of Americans would like President Trump to stay out of the NFL controversy surrounding the protest actions of players during the national anthem. 23% say he should continue to comment.

Just a month ago, 37% felt it was appropriate for the President to get involved in the issue, when the question was posed regarding his call for a petition to support standing for the anthem.

“That represents a rather dramatic decline in just 30 days regarding the President’s personal involvement,” said Poll Director Rick Gentile. “The 37% support last month was in line with his general support on most issues. It could certainly indicate that the public wants to say ‘enough!’”

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

The poll asked if keeping players in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem next season would be an effective way for the NFL to deal with the controversy. 63% said no, and 27% said yes.

The Poll also asked whether people intended to purchase any NFL merchandise this holiday season, with 20% saying yes and 74% saying no. Of those saying yes a fifth said they were affected by the current controversies, and of those saying no, a third were affected by the controversies.

As for the rehiring of Roger Goodell as NFL commissioner, only 19% felt his contract should be extended, while double that — 39% — said the NFL should look for a new commissioner. 42% didn’t know or had no opinion. As for the rehiring of Roger Goodell as NFL commissioner, only 19% felt his contract should be extended, while double that – 39% – said the NFL should look for a new commissioner. 42% didn’t know or had no opinion. Among those saying they were African-American, 43% were in favor of his contract being extended, while only 15% of whites were so inclined.

The Poll also asked whether the current method for determining the college football championship is fair to all qualifying NCAA schools. 34% said yes, 23% no, with 43% indicating “don’t know” or not having an opinion.

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

Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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

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

The results:

1. Several NFL owners have proposed a rule stating all players remain in the locker room during the playing of the National Anthem next season to avoid on field protests and the reactions to them. Do you think this would be an effective way for the NFL to deal with the controversy?

Yes 27%

No 63

Don’t know/No opinion 9

2. President Trump originally said all NFL players protesting during the playing of the anthem should be fired and now he is criticizing this new owners’ proposal. Do you think the President should continue to comment on this subject or stay out of the controversy?

Continue to comment 23

Stay out of it 71

Don’t know/No opinion 6

3. The NFL is currently negotiating a very lucrative contract extension for Commissioner Roger Goodell. Do you think Goodell deserves to have his contract extended or should the owners be looking for a new commissioner?

Extend contract 19

Look for replacement 39

Don’t know/No opinion 42

4. Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones has positioned himself as a direct adversary to Commissioner Goodall in opposing the contract extension. Do you think his stance is good for the NFL, bad for the NFL or makes no difference?

Good for the NFL 17

Bad for the NFL 13

Makes no difference 44

Don’t know/No opinion 26

5. Do you intend to purchase any NFL merchandise this holiday season?

Yes 20

No 74

Don’t know 6

6. Is the ongoing controversy over players kneeling during the anthem affecting your decision regarding purchasing NFL merchandise?

Yes 27

No 69

Don’t know/No opinion 4

7. Do you think the current method for determining the college football championship is fair to all qualifying NCAA schools?

Yes 34

No 23

Don’t know/No opinion 43

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

Very closely 22

Closely 35

Not closely 29

Not at all 14

National Anthem Protest a ‘Turn Off’ for NFL Fans; Nearly 20% Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

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National Anthem Protest is a ‘Turn Off’ for NFL Fans, Cited as the Leading Cause for Viewership Falloff

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Nearly 20% Occasionally Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

South Orange, NJ, November 21, 2016 – In a year of declining television viewership for NFL games, 23% of Americans say they are watching fewer games, and a quarter of them attribute it to the protests during the playing of the national anthem.

These were the findings of the latest Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted last week among 913 randomly called adult Americans, on both landlines and cellphones. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3%.

Of those watching fewer games, the fall off was attributed to:

Protests during the national anthem 25%

Too many commercial interruptions 10%

Match-ups aren’t as good 10%

Too many games on TV 8%

More interest in the election 3%

Other (or don’t know) 44%

“The anthem protest still seems to resonate most loudly but there clearly are a number of issues negatively affecting viewership,” said Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “We saw last week that the best remedy is great match ups and great games”

As for San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the protests, 50% disapprove of his not choosing to vote in this month’s election, with only 14% approving. Among African-Americans, only 30% voiced disapproval, compared to 58% of white respondents.

Nearly 20% Occasionally Watch Games on Mobile Devices or Computers

watch-live-sports-shsp The poll also tracked viewing habits of fans – of all sports – and found that 22% watched less live sports on TV than in the past; 13% are watching more, and 60% about the same.

Specifically, 17% said they sometimes watched on a computer; 19% said they sometimes watched on a mobile device (like a phone or a tablet), and 83% said they watched on a traditional television set.

As an area of growth, viewing on a mobile device has the greatest increase. Of those watching on a mobile device, 28% are watching more, 15% less, and 55% about the same. Of those watching on a computer, 25% are watching more, 23% less, and 50% about the same. Of those responding “yes” to television sets, 16% are watching more, 20% less, and 63% about the same.

“Television remains by far the biggest aggregator for sports fans,” said Gentile. “But nearly 20% of fans do some of their viewing in other ways. We will regularly be tracking these trends.”

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone November 14-16 among 913 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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;
Office Phone: 973-378-9845
Cell Phone: 862-520-9639

The results:

Do you find yourself watching more NFL games, fewer NFL games or about the same amount of NFL games?
More 10
Fewer 23
About the same 58
Don’t know 9

(IF “FEWER” ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTION. IF MORE OR SAME SKIP NEXT

QUESTION)

Why have you watched fewer NFL games? Please pick your main reason from the following.
Match-ups aren’t as good 10
Too many games on TV 8
More interested in the election 3
Too many commercial interruptions 10
The protests during the national anthem 25
Other 37
Don’t know 7

Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player who sparked the national anthem protests, refused to vote in the recent Presidential Election, also in protest. Do you approve, disapprove or have no opinion about this decision?
Approve 14
Disapprove 50
No Opinion 36

Do you watch more live sports on TV than in the past, less live sports on TV or about the same amount as in the past?
More 13
Less 22
About the same 60
Don’t know 5

How do you watch live sports? On television?
Yes 83
No 17

On a mobile device (tablet or phone)?
Yes 19
No 81

On a computer?
Yes 17
No 83

How closely would you say you follow sports, very closely, closely, not closely or not at all?
Very closely 18
Closely 30
Not closely 35
Not at all 18

NFL TV Ratings Down; Fans Cite a Host of Factors, Led by National Anthem Protests

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Seven Possible Reasons for Flagging NFL Ratings Resonate with the Public

South Orange, NJ, October 27, 2016 — Viewership for NFL games is down approximately 12% this season, sending league and club officials in search of reasons. A Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week asked people to identify factors accounting for the drop.

Each question was asked separately, allowing for a yes, no or don’t know response. Thus, respondents could weigh in on each of the seven possibilities as a contributing factor without identifying one single factor.

The leading factor – the one receiving the most “yesses” – was players not standing for the national anthem. However, the seven factors all evoked a large number of yes responses, so that even the least chosen, at 33%, represents a lot of fans.

56% of respondents cited players not standing for the anthem, with 50% citing the distraction of the presidential campaign and 47% the controversy over the handling of domestic violence cases involving players.

On the question of domestic violence, men and women responded equally; 47% of men cited that as a possible reason, 46% of women said yes to that possibility.

Other factors included games on too many days, over-saturating the market (44%), increased interest in post-season baseball (39%), the ongoing controversy over head injuries (33%) and a decline in quality of play on the field (33%).

A total of 841 adults across the US (on landlines and cellphones) participated in the poll, which has a margin of error of +/- 3.4%. The poll was conducted October 24-26.

“Only a third cited quality of play and head injuries,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “Perhaps the league can take some solace in that, although a third is still a lot of people. But it is somewhat remarkable that the impact of the national anthem protest seems to hold, given that the action occurs pre-game and isn’t even televised.”

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

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone October 24-26 among 841 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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

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

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

Lebron Is Still King When Endorsement Matters, According to Seton Hall Sports Poll

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LEBRON IS STILL KING WHEN ENDORSEMENT MATTERS, ACCORDING TO SETON HALL SPORTS POLL

James Has Edge Over Curry Among Consumers

Retired Manning, Somewhat Deflated Brady Top Football Endorsers

South Orange, NJ, September 27, 2016 — LeBron James is more likely than Steph Curry to influence a purchasing decision by American consumers according to a national poll conducted last week by the Seton Hall Sports Poll.

The poll was conducted this week among 875 adults on both landlines and cellphones across the nation. (There is a margin of error of +/- 3.4%).

When asked which player is more likely “to sway your purchase decision on something he endorses”, 26% selected James and 19% selected Curry, with 40% choosing neither, and 16% declaring “don’t know.”

“Curry got enormous attention last year, but James did win the championship, and he’s been on the scene a lot longer” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “We will be watching to see if this turns over the next season.”

When confronted with marquee names from the NFL, and asked if their endorsement would sway a purchase decision, the retired Peyton Manning scored highest among those listed, with 31% saying “yes” to his name. Tom Brady, currently serving a four-game suspension for “Deflategate,” ranked second with 21%. Others listed were Aaron Rodgers (17%), Cam Newton (16%), JJ Watt (15%) and Odell Beckham Jr. (13%).

Manning was the only player where women rated him as high as men; they were much less impressed by the others. Manning in fact had 32% “yes” among women, 31% among men. Brady was 19% yes among women, 23% among men. Rogers received only 9% “yes” from women, 25% “yes” from men.

Advertisers will likely note that younger people are more likely to be swayed by an endorsement. It was most apparent among those giving the answer “neither,” with 26% of 18-29 years old saying “neither” while 40% of those 30-44, 43% of those 45-60 and 46% of those over 60 did.

Rick Gentile was interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467?mt=2#episodeGuid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogtalkradio.com%2Fsetonhallsportspoll%2F2016%2F09%2F23%2Fseason-2-september-2016-colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-controvery

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone September 19-21 among 875 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:

1. Which basketball player is more likely to sway your purchase decision on something he endorses, Steph Curry or LeBron James?

Curry 19
James 26
Neither 40
Don’t know 16

2. I am going to read you the names of some current and former NFL players. Tell me if their endorsement would sway your purchase decision:

Cam Newton
Yes 16
No 64
Don’t know 20

Peyton Manning
Yes 31
No 56
Don’t know 13

Tom Brady
Yes 21
No 65
Don’t know 15

Aaron Rodgers
Yes 17
No 61
Don’t know 22

JJ Watt
Yes 15
No 62
Don’t know 23

Odell Beckham, Jr.
Yes 13
No 65
Don’t know 22

New Poll: By over 2 to 1, USA Believes NFL not Honest in Recent Years on Subject of Head Injuries

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BY OVER 2 TO 1, USA BELIEVES NFL HAS NOT BEEN HONEST IN RECENT YEARS ON THE SUBJECT OF HEAD INJURIES

29% VIEW LEAGUE LESS FAVORABLY

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Both men and women agree –

73% Say Women’s soccer team pay should equal men’s

South Orange, NJ, April 15, 2016 — By more than a 2 to 1 margin, the nation believes theNational Football League has not been honest in recent years on the subject of head injuries, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week. While 26% believe the league has been honest, 58% feels it has not been. 16% said they did not know.

The poll was conducted among 730 adults on both landlines and cellphones across the nation. (There is a margin of error of +/- 3.7%).

29% – nearly a third – now view the NFL less favorably, with 56% saying the matter has had no effect on their feelings about the league. (7% see it more favorably).

“Even though an overwhelming margin feels the league has been less than honest on this issue, the NFL continues to enjoy great popularity, with a majority of the respondents still saying it has no effect on how they view the league,” said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. “But the 29% who view the league less favorably is a substantial number.”

51% feel the NFL is not doing enough to protect its players from concussions and head injuries (vs. 35% who feel they do), and 54% feel they do not do enough for retired players who suffer from brain injuries (vs. 22% who feel they do). These “not doing enough” numbers are up 10% for both active and retired players since the question was last asked, in October 2014, by the Poll.

49% feel the sudden retirement of the New York Jets lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson will raise awareness of the subject of head injuries. And a whopping 80% feel that greater precautions should be taken by high school and college programs to limit concussions.

When asked “If your son wanted to play football…..” only 21% said they would enthusiastically encourage it, 56% said they would cautiously allow it, and 18% said they would absolutely forbid it. Among men, it was 30% (encourage), 49% (allow), 18% (forbid), while among women, it was 13% (encourage), 62% (allow), and 19% (forbid).

MEN SUPPORT EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS
ALMOST AS MUCH AS WOMEN DO, AND BOTH OVERWHELMINGLY SO

While a national dialogue on the matter of equal pay for women plays out on the Presidential campaign trail, on the matter of members of the US Women’s Soccer team (World Cup champions), receiving comparable pay to members of the Men’s team, 73% indicated they should receive the same pay, with an additional 11% saying they should receive more. Only 8% said they should receive less, as they currently do. Men strongly support equal pay, with 69% of them approving, while 76% of women concur.

NBA WANTS TO RAISE MINIMUM AGE FROM 19 TO 20 – MAJORITY AGREES

With the NBA Commissioner saying he would like to raise the minimum age to draft players from 19 to 20, this effectively meant college players would have to complete two years, not one. 55% of respondents agreed with the two years of college plan, with only 13% supporting one year. The Poll asked this question in March, 2014, at which time 54% supported two years, and 19% supported one and done.

SALARIES FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES? 24% SAY THEY WOULD LOSE INTEREST

The Poll asked if interest would change if college athletes were compensated, and 64% said their interest would remain the same, with 24% saying it would decrease and only 11% saying it would increase.

COLLEGE HOCKEY GROWTH? 44% EXPRESS INTEREST

Asked if they would be be interested in seeing a further growth of hockey on the college level, 44% indicated they would be either somewhat interested (28%) or very interested (16%), with 51% saying they were not interested in that.

ENDORSEMENTS BY PGA GOLFERS AN INFLUENCE?

Asked how likely they would be to buy a product endorsed by some leading PGA professionals, Phil Mickelson’s 24% “likely” rated highest among the five players listed, with Tiger Woods receiving 21%, Rory McIlroy 19%, Jordan Spieth 17% and Master’s winner Danny Willett 9%. The “not likely” tally came in at 62% for Woods, 61% for Willett, 56% for Spieth, 55% for Mickelson and 54% for McIlroy. Mickelson also scored highest (46%) among those identifying themselves as fans or players of golf (38.5% of all polled).

Buying Products Endorsed by Golf Stars

Results Likely Unlikely Golf Fans Likely Golf Fans Unlikely

Mickelson 24% 55 46 40

Woods 21 62 35 52

McIlroy 19 54 38 44

Spieth 17 55 35 47

Willett 9 61 17 58
Rick Gentile will be interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings. Links will follow upon completion.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone April 11-13 among 730 adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute.

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

The results

An NFL Executive Vice President has suggested that there is a link between football and severe brain injury. Do you think the league has been honest about this link in dealing with the subject of head injuries for the past few years?

Yes 26

No 58

Don’t know 16

Has the league’s handling of the controversy concerning brain injuries made you feel more favorable to the NFL, less favorable to the NFL or has it not affected your view of the league?

More favorable 7

Less favorable 29

No effect 56

Don’t know 8

Do you think the NFL is doing enough to protect its players from concussions and head injuries?

Yes 35

No 51

Don’t know 15

Do you think the NFL has done enough for retired players who suffer from brain injuries after sustaining concussions during their playing days?

Yes 22

No 54

Don’t know 24

NY Jets offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson just announced his retirement after never missing a game for his entire 10-year career. He had stated that he was troubled by the NFL’s downplaying the long-term effects of concussions.

Do you think his retirement will raise awareness of the subject of head injuries or not have any effect on awareness?

Raise awareness 49

Have no effect 36

Don’t know 15

Do you think greater precautions should be taken by high school and college football organizations to limit the number of concussions by student/athletes, or is enough being done?

Greater precautions 80

Enough being done 13

Don’t know 8

If your son wanted to play football would you enthusiastically encourage it, cautiously allow it or absolutely forbid it?

Enthusiastically encourage 21

Cautiously allow 56

Absolutely forbid 18

Don’t know 6

The Commissioner of the NBA has said he wants to raise the minimum age for eligibility to the NBA draft from 19 to 20. In effect, this means players would have to finish two years of college before becoming eligible instead of one year as it is now. Do you think they should leave the rule as it is now at one year, change to two years, or have no limits for when a player can be drafted?

One year 13

Two years 55

No limits 19

Don’t know 11

If collegiate athletes begin to receive salaries would your interest in following college athletics increase, decrease or remain the same?

Increase 11

Decrease 24

Remain the same 64

Collegiate hockey has seen more participation recently. How interested would you be in seeing further growth of hockey on the collegiate level, very interested, somewhat interested or not at all interested?

Very interested 16

Somewhat interested 28

Not interested 51

Don’t know 6

Members of the US Women’s Soccer team have filed suit against USA Soccer because despite winning the Women’s World Cup they received about one quarter of what the men, who finished 15^th, received. Do you think the women should receive more than the men, the same as the men or less than the men?

More 11

Same 73

Less 8

Don’t know 9

Do you either play golf, follow golf or watch golf broadcasts?

Yes 39

No 57

Don’t know 4

How likely would you be to buy a product endorsed by the following players:

Jordan Spieth

Likely 17

Not likely 56

Don’t know 27

Rory McIlroy

Likely 19

Not likely 54

Don’t know 28

Phil Mickelson

Likely 24

Not likely 55

Don’t know 22

Danny Willett

Likely 9

Not likely 61

Don’t know 30

Tiger Woods

Likely 21

Not likely 62

Don’t know 17

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

Very closely 19

Closely 41

Not closely 28

Not at all 13

Nearly A Quarter of U.S. Says They Are More Likely To Buy A Product Endorsed By An Athlete Involved in Prominent Sporting Events

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South Orange, NJ, March 28, 2016 — Nearly a quarter of the US population is more likely to buy a product endorsed by an athlete involved in a prominent sporting event, according to the latest Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted last week.

“People don’t consciously respond to what influences them by advertising, so this is a large number,” said Rick Gentile, director of the poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute.

22% of the 681 adults responding (by both landline and cellphone, across all states), acknowledged that the athlete endorsement matters, and while 71% said “no,” advertisers have long known that many people say no and mean yes. Indeed, the use of celebrity athletes as endorsers goes back to the 19^th century, when Cap Anson, Al Spalding, Mike “King” Kelly and John L. Sullivan had their images appear on advertising. (The poll’s margin of error is +/- 3.8%).

TRUMP IS PREFERRED ‘COACH’ OF A COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM

The poll playfully asked who among the Presidential contenders would have the best chance of leading a basketball team to a Final Four berth, and for this, Donald Trump’s 27% led the field, with Bernie Sanders garnering 17%, and Hillary Clinton 16%. Trump had a wide advantage among male respondents (33%, with Clinton getting 11%) but among women they were virtually the same (he: 21%, she: 20%). The Trump support was consistent among all age groups, and there was little difference between people who closely follow sports or who don’t at all.

“Some of Trump’s campaign themes fit into the competitiveness of sports,” said Gentile, noting his fondness for declaring winners and losers.

The Final Four is the sports event most anticipated by the public at this time, with 39% citing it, with 29% citing baseball’s Opening Day, and 14% the Masters golf tournament.

And when asked which they are following more closely, only 20% cited the NCAA tournament, while 68% named either the Republican (44%) or Democratic (24%) primaries as most closely followed.

And despite all the talk of “filling out a bracket,” only 9% of the public says they are participating in polls involving money for this year’s NCAA tournament.

STATES SHOULD DECIDE WHETHER SPORTS BETTING SHOULD BE LEGAL

On questions of legalized sports gambling, the public overwhelming felt it should be decided at the state level (68% vs. 21% federally regulated), and 63% felt that betting on sports should be legal (vs. 29% opposed).

Rick Gentile was interviewed by Seth Everett for a podcast on the poll’s findings. To stream : http://tobtr.com/8578675

To download : https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/seton-hall-sports-poll/id1053266467?mt=2#episodeGuid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogtalkradio.com%2Fsetonhallsportspoll%2F2016%2F03%2F27%2Fmarch-2016–sports-betting-presidential-candidates-march-madness

To Embed on a site or blog: http://percolate.blogtalkradio.com/offsiteplayer?hostId=929705&episodeId=8578675

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone March 21-23 among 681 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.

The results

1. Which would you say you are following more closely, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Republican Presidential primaries or the Democratic Presidential primaries?

1. NCAA Tournament 20%

2. Republican primaries 44

3. Democratic primaries 24

4. Don’t know 12

2. Whom do you think make better role models, the student/athletes competing in the tournament, the coaches of the tournament or the politicians running for president?

1. Student/athletes 37

2. Coaches 29

3. Politicians 21

4. Don’t know 13

3. Which Presidential contender do you think would have the best chance of leading a basketball team to the Final Four, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz or John Kasich?

1. Clinton 16

2. Trump 27

3. Sanders 17

4. Cruz 11

5. Kasich 14

6. None 16

4. Which coach of a number one seed in this year’s tournament do you think would make the best President, Kansas’ Bill Self, North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Virginia’s Tony Bennett or Oregon’s Dana Altman?

1. Bill Self 9

2. Roy Williams 19

3. Tony Bennett 14

4. Dana Altman 11

5. Don’t know 47

5. Are you participating in pools involving money for this year’s tournament?

1. Yes 9

2. No 91

6. Do you think the publishing of point spreads encourages gambling in the tournament?

1. Yes 49

2. No 32

3. Don’t know 20

7. Do you think states should be free to decide whether to legalize betting on sporting events or should sports betting be regulated by the federal government?

1. States decide 68

2. Federally regulated 21

3. Don’t know 11

8. Do you think sports betting should be legal?

1. Yes 63

2. No 29

3. Don’t know 8

9. Which upcoming sporting event are you most looking forward to, baseball’s opening day, college basketball’s Final Four or golf’s Masters Tournament?

1. Opening Day 29

2. Final Four 39

3. The Masters 14

4. Don’t Know 18

10. Collegiate athletes are not allowed to endorse products. Do you think this is fair?

1. Yes 50

2. No 42

3. Don’t know 9

11. Are you more likely to buy a product if it is endorsed by an athlete involved in a prominent sporting event?

1. Yes 22

2. No 71

3. Don’t know 7

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

1. Very closely 18

2. Closely 35

3. Not closely 34

4. Not at all 14

Poll Results Featured in NY Daily News, NJ.com, The Record, Legal Sports Report and USC/USA Today Sports, ‘Fields of Green’

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The Seton Hall Sports Poll’s results were featured in the NY Daily News, NJ.com, The Record, Legal Sports Report and Fields of Green, an online partnership between USA TODAY Sports Media Group and the USC Sports Business Institute

A discussion about the poll results can be heard on Seth Everett’s “Sports with Friends.”

The Daily News and NJ.com focused on the finding that following the Paris attacks that included terrorist activity outside the Stade de France during a major soccer match, 73% of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned about attending a sporting event in a large venue.

Daily News, “Seton Hall Sports Poll: Paris terror has raised concerns about stadium safety in U.S.“

NJ.com: “Paris attacks have Americans fearing safety at sporting events, poll says”

The Record and Legal Sports Report wrote about the findings regarding Daily Fantasy Sports.

The Record: “U.S. public seeing DFS as gambling moreso than game of skill, per Seton Hall poll”

Legal Sports Report: “Poll: Half Think Daily Fantasy Sports Should Be Legal; Half Also Think DFS Is Gambling“

Fields of Green focused on the public perception of stadium sponsorship included in the Poll’s last results.

Fields of Green: “Fans say they aren’t affected by team sponsorship deals“

You can hear Seth Everett and Rick Gentile discuss these and other findings on the podcast, here.

The Impact of Corporate Sports Sponsorship

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A recent Seton Hall Sports poll found, as Darren Rovell of ESPN noted, that

85% of people say that a sports sponsorship doesn't affect their decision to buy that brand (Seton Hall Sports Poll). Too low for $ spent.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 2, 2015

Some of the responses to this finding were interesting, to say the least; a couple wondered if this news would “finally” lead to less corporate spending for sponsorships — a decluttering of stadiums.

I believe Rovell’s take is closer to the truth — that the number saying sports sponsorship did have an impact was too low for the money spent by sponsors.

And, importantly, it should be noted that the poll gauged what people said, not what they do.

44% pay attention to sponsor signs in a stadium, only 9% more likely to buy, 85% “no difference.” https://t.co/T5AlRgtTW7 #advertising

— SetonHall SportsPoll (@HallSportsPoll) October 29, 2015

Among marketing people, that 44% admitted that they paid attention was cause for major celebration; and perhaps, that 85% believe themselves to be unaffected by the ads was cause for even greater celebration– as advertising works best that way, just under the radar.

But what do sponsors get from these placements and affiliations?

I’ll leave that analysis to the able hands of Seton Hall, Stillman School of Business, Professor Kurt W. Rotthoff, a co-author of “Influences on Sponsorship Deals in NASCAR: Indirect Evidence from Time on Camera,” which was published in Applied Economics and looks at sponsorship value and influence. This passage below deals with sponsorship and stock price, as good a place to start as any.

Rotthoff writes:

Although the measurement of sponsorship effectiveness if notoriously difficult (for a description of the difficulty see Breuer and Rumpf 2012), the marketing literature, as well as the economics and finance literature, have all attempted to measure the overall benefit and effectiveness of corporate sponsorship dollars. In the finance literature, event studies have found a positive relation between athletic sponsorship and stock prices. Cornwell, Pruitt, and Clark (2005) find that sponsorship in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) all increased the stock prices of the sponsoring firms. Pruitt, Cornwell, and Clark (2004) also find that announcement of sponsorship of a NASCAR team increases the sponsoring company’s stock price. Mahar, Paul, and Stone (2005) find that NASCAR sponsors that sell directly to end consumers have a positive relationship between winning and sponsors stock price; however, this does not hold for firms that market to businesses. Durr, Eaton, and Broker (2009) find that a portfolio of corporations that sponsor NASCAR teams consistently outperforms the risk-adjusted returns of the S&P 500.

They claim that NASCAR sponsorship sends a signal of a firm’s financial health. Other event studies have also found a relationship between athlete image and stock prices. For instance during the Tiger Woods scandal in 2009, his sports-related sponsors’ stock value decreased by over four percent and the stock prices of his top five sponsors fell by two to three percent (Knittel and Stango 2010).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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