{"id":805,"date":"2021-12-20T14:04:50","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T19:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportspoll\/?p=805"},"modified":"2021-12-20T14:08:18","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T19:08:18","slug":"omicron-concerns-poll-finds-sports-fans-more-cautious-about-attendance-at-games-first-downward-trend-since-question-first-asked-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportspoll\/2021\/12\/20\/omicron-concerns-poll-finds-sports-fans-more-cautious-about-attendance-at-games-first-downward-trend-since-question-first-asked-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Omicron Concerns?\u00a0Poll Finds Sports Fans More Cautious About Attendance at Games – First Downward Trend Since Question First Asked in 2020 \u00a0 \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"South Orange, NJ, Dec. 20 – For the first time since the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine a year ago, the number of people saying they would attend a live sporting event has decreased.<\/p>\n

The Seton Hall Sport Poll has regularly asked the public about their concerns over COVID-19 and live attendance at games since April, 2020, soon after the virus took hold in America.<\/p>\n

In April of 2020, without distinguishing between indoor and outdoor events and six months prior to the advent of the vaccine, the Poll found that 72 percent of the general public and 61 percent of sports fans said they would not attend. Since that time, and after the introduction of vaccines, the number who said they would attend live sporting events has steadily trended upward \u2013 until this month.<\/p>\n

Indoor Events<\/strong>
\nThe introduction of the Omicron variant after Thanksgiving and the attendant publicity over increased hospitalizations and deaths has seemingly contributed to the increased reluctance to attend sporting events. In May 2021, 59 percent of sports fans said they would attend an indoor live sporting event; today, even with the added incentive of free tickets, that number has fallen to 55 percent. Among the general population in May 2021, the number who would attend a live indoor sporting event was 43 percent, today it is 38 percent.<\/p>\n

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted December 8-13 across the United States using a national representative sample weighted according to gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. The Poll had 1,570 adult respondents with a margin of error of +\/- 3.2 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data is clear, and it\u2019s disturbing,\u201d said Seton Hall Marketing Professor and Poll Methodologist Daniel Ladik. \u201cThe question remains if this is a blip or the beginning of a downward trend and a return to more challenging times for sports and the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

General Population Indoor Events, Nov. 2020 \u2013 Dec. 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Dec 2021<\/td>\nMay 2021<\/td>\nApril 2021<\/td>\nMar 2021<\/td>\nJan<\/p>\n

2021<\/td>\n

Nov 2020<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yes, I would attend<\/strong><\/td>\n38%<\/td>\n43%<\/td>\n42%<\/td>\n35%<\/td>\n32%<\/td>\n21%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No, I would not attend<\/strong><\/td>\n45%<\/td>\n43%<\/td>\n38%<\/td>\n47%<\/td>\n44%<\/td>\n67%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Don\u2019t know\/No opinion<\/strong><\/td>\n17%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n20%<\/td>\n18%<\/td>\n19%<\/td>\n12%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sports Fans Indoor Events, Nov. 2020 \u2013 Dec. 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Dec 2021<\/td>\nMay 2021<\/td>\nApril 2021<\/td>\nMar 2021<\/td>\nJan<\/p>\n

2021<\/td>\n

Nov 2020<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yes, I would attend<\/strong><\/td>\n55%<\/td>\n59%<\/td>\n56%<\/td>\n49%<\/td>\n46%<\/td>\n29%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No, I would not attend<\/strong><\/td>\n32%<\/td>\n31%<\/td>\n29%<\/td>\n37%<\/td>\n38%<\/td>\n60%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Don\u2019t know\/No opinion<\/strong><\/td>\n13%<\/td>\n10%<\/td>\n15%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n16%<\/td>\n11%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Outdoor Events<\/strong>
\nAs for outdoor sporting events given the same parameters, in May 2021, 69 percent of sports fans said they would attend an outdoor event with personal protective equipment, social distancing measures and restricted attendance. Today, that number, even with those free tickets, has dropped to 61 percent. Among the general public, 41 percent said they would attend an outdoor event; in May 2021 the number was 51 percent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

General Population Outdoor Events<\/strong> Nov. 2020 \u2013 Dec. 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Dec 2021<\/td>\nMay 2021<\/td>\nApril 2021<\/td>\nMar 2021<\/td>\nJan<\/p>\n

2021<\/td>\n

Nov 2020<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yes, I would attend<\/strong><\/td>\n41%<\/td>\n51%<\/td>\n50%<\/td>\n43%<\/td>\n40%<\/td>\n28%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No, I would not attend<\/strong><\/td>\n42%<\/td>\n35%<\/td>\n32%<\/td>\n40%<\/td>\n41%<\/td>\n58%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Don\u2019t know\/No opinion<\/strong><\/td>\n17%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n18%<\/td>\n17%<\/td>\n19%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sports Fans Outdoor Events Nov.2020 \u2013 Dec. 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Dec 2021<\/td>\nMay 2021<\/td>\nApril 2021<\/td>\nMar 2021<\/td>\nJan<\/p>\n

2021<\/td>\n

Nov 2020<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yes, I would attend<\/strong><\/td>\n61%<\/td>\n69%<\/td>\n62%<\/td>\n61%<\/td>\n57%<\/td>\n39%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No, I would not attend<\/strong><\/td>\n27%<\/td>\n22%<\/td>\n24%<\/td>\n27%<\/td>\n29%<\/td>\n50%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Don\u2019t know\/No opinion<\/strong><\/td>\n12%<\/td>\n9%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n12%<\/td>\n14%<\/td>\n11%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Vaccine Requirement to Attend?<\/strong>
\nPerhaps surprisingly, whether or not teams required those in attendance to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test had little (if any) impact on whether or not the general public or fans would attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring these unprecedented times, our sports leagues are challenged to strike that delicate balance between health and public safety, and a business model that is sustainable,\u201d said Professor Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sport Management within Seton Hall\u2019s Stillman School of Business, which sponsors the Poll.<\/p>\n

The Poll further asked whether people agreed with a requirement that players be vaccinated in order to participate, (as is the case in New York, San Francisco and Boston) and 61 percent of sports fans (and 55 percent of the general public) agreed, with 24 percent and 27 percent disagreeing, respectively.<\/p>\n

#\u00a0\u00a0 #\u00a0\u00a0 #<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Questions and charted breakdowns below; an online version of this release may be found at https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportspoll\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ABOUT THE POLL<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted regularly since 2006, is performed by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. This poll was conducted online by YouGov Plc. using a national representative sample weighted according to gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography, based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. Respondents were selected from YouGov\u2019s opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S residents.\u00a0This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell\u2019s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to CNBC, NPR, Yahoo Finance, Fox News and many points in between.<\/p>\n

Media:<\/em>\u00a0 Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall University
\nmichael.ricciardelli@shu.edu<\/a>,\u00a0908-447-3034; Marty Appel,\u00a0AppelPR@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

December 2021 Seton Hall Sports Poll<\/strong><\/p>\n

This SHSP was conducted December 8th<\/sup> through December 13th<\/sup> and includes responses from 1,570 US adults with a margin of error of 3.2%. The sample mirrors the US Census percentages on age, gender, income, education, ethnicity, and region. <\/em><\/p>\n

Q1.<\/strong> Which, if any, of the following statements best describes you?<\/p>\n