{"id":822,"date":"2022-02-10T09:21:40","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T14:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportspoll\/?p=822"},"modified":"2022-02-10T10:16:45","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T15:16:45","slug":"with-omicron-declining-super-bowl-viewers-return-to-gatherings-but-more-cutting-cord-nearly-half-of-americans-favor-sports-gambling-22-percent-will-bet-on-super-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/sportspoll\/2022\/02\/10\/with-omicron-declining-super-bowl-viewers-return-to-gatherings-but-more-cutting-cord-nearly-half-of-americans-favor-sports-gambling-22-percent-will-bet-on-super-bowl\/","title":{"rendered":"With Omicron Declining, Super Bowl Viewers Return to Gatherings, But More \u2018Cutting Cord\u2019; Nearly Half of Americans Favor Sports Gambling, 22 Percent Will Bet on Super Bowl \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"South Orange, NJ, February 10, 2022 \u2013 For this year\u2019s Super Bowl, 36 percent of those watching say they will do so with people that include individuals outside of their immediate families. Apparently, Super Bowl parties are back. The number of those who say they will gather with others is up 11 points from 25 percent just a year ago. This significant increase in those who say they will gather with others to watch the Big Game is good news for bars, caterers and other related services, and perhaps reflects news in recent days of a loosening of COVID-19 rules and restrictions throughout the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe impact of COVID-19 on the economy has been unprecedented and the multi-billion dollar sports industry and its ancillary business have not been immune,\u201d said Seton Hall Marketing Professor and Poll Methodologist Daniel Ladik. \u201cEveryone from parking attendants at the games to the local deli preparing cheese platters and six foot sandwiches for a Super Bowl party has been impacted. Perhaps these numbers are a harbinger of a step toward normalcy.\u201d<\/p>\n

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted February 4-7 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 featured 1,520 adult respondents with a margin of error of +\/- 3.2 percent. Super Bowl viewing questions were asked only of those (N=959) who said they would be watching the game.<\/p>\n

How Will They Watch? A Further Shift to Cord Cutting <\/strong><\/p>\n

Asked about viewing habits for the Super Bowl, 72 percent of the general population will be watching on TV only, while 14 percent will be watching on a \u201cNon-TV device\u201d (laptop, smartphone, tablet). At the same time, 14 percent indicated that they will be \u201csecond screen\u201d viewing, using both TV and a Non-TV device.<\/p>\n

A year ago, TV only viewing was 79 percent for the general population and Non-TV device was just 7 percent. The number who will be using both, however, remained constant at 14 percent.<\/p>\n

Among sports fans, the migration numbers were even more glaring with 70 percent saying they would watch on TV only (versus 80 percent last year). Among self-described \u201cavid fans,\u201d just 56 percent said only TV this year (versus 70 percent last year).<\/p>\n

Following the same trend, this year the number of sports fans who said they would be watching on a Non-TV device rose to 13 percent (8 percent last year) while avid fans registered at 20 percent (11 percent last year).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe migration from traditional television viewing is continuing,\u201d said Professor Ladik. \u201cAlthough broadcasters need to take heed, I would suggest this shift represents a tremendous opportunity for advertisers who may not have the financial resources to underwrite a traditional Super Bowl commercial. The numbers say there will be a lot of eyeballs online and on social media during the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

As for engagement with social media during the game, 34 percent of the general population said they would take part (52 percent said no) while 39 percent of sports fans said they would engage (vs. 47 percent saying no), and 54 percent of avid fans said they would interact with social media during the game (33 percent said they will not).<\/p>\n

What Part of the Super Bowl Are You Most Looking Forward To?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asked which facet of the Super Bowl presentation they most looked forward to, only 47 percent of the general population who said they would be watching said the game itself. Halftime show came in second with 24 percent and commercials followed with 23 percent.\u00a0 Among sports fans the number was 53-22-20 percent (game, halftime, commercials) and among avid fans, 60-22-14 percent.<\/p>\n

Commercials<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 70 percent of all respondents said they pay more attention to Super Bowl commercials, i.e., 71 percent of the general population, 73 percent of sports fans and 75 percent of avid fans. Asked if they were likely to buy a product advertised or watch a program promoted during the game, 27 percent of the general population said yes, while 30 percent of sports fans and 41 percent of avid fans agreed. Nearly half of the viewers said they are likely to discuss the best and worst commercials on social media, i.e., 44 percent of the general population, 48 percent of sports fans and 51 percent of avid fans.<\/p>\n

Sports Betting Going Mainstream? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Respondents were also asked whether they will be placing a bet or a wager on the Super Bowl.\u00a0 Forty-seven percent of avid fans, 22 percent of sports fans and 22 percent of the general population who will be watching the game said yes (44 percent of sports fans, 62 percent of sports fans and 67 percent of the general population said no).<\/p>\n

Office Pool?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asked if they plan to participate in a friend\/family member\u2019s informal Super Bowl betting pool (i.e., boxes or squares), 47 percent of avid fans said yes (43 percent no), 33 percent of sports fans said yes (57 percent no) and 28 percent of the general population said yes (with 61 percent saying no).<\/p>\n

Should Sports Betting Be Legal? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Asked if sports betting should be legal, 47 percent of the general population (the full sample, N=1520, not just Super Bowl viewers) said yes, with 27 percent saying no. Among sports fans, that number increased to 59 percent in favor (25 percent no), while among avid sports fans the number rose to 72 percent in favor with just 19 percent opposed.<\/p>\n

When asked by the Seton Hall Sports Poll in October 2019 whether sports gambling should be legal in all states, only 25 percent of the general population said yes, with 16 percent saying it should not be legalized, and 55 percent saying it should be on a state-by-state basis.<\/p>\n

In November 2018, 40 percent of the general population approved of the Supreme Court ruling that sports betting could be declared legal on a state-by-state basis; 16 percent disapproved.<\/p>\n

Sports Betting Leads to Game Fixing?<\/strong>
\nAsked if legalized betting leads to cheating or fixing of games, 38 percent of the general population, 41 percent of sports fans and 41 percent of avid fans said yes (with 29 percent, 35 percent and 36 percent respectively, saying no).<\/p>\n

\u201cFactor out those who don\u2019t know or hold no opinion and the majority of Americans \u2013 and an even greater number of sports fans believe that sports betting will lead to cheating and fixed games,\u201d said Charles Grantham, Director of the Center for Sport Management within Seton Hall\u2019s Stillman School of Business, which sponsors the Poll. \u201cThe leagues and team owners, who are benefiting financially from these sports betting arrangements, have a duty to ensure the integrity of the games. Even the suspicion of game fixing or cheating undercuts that integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Better Odds on Casino Games?
\n<\/strong>Respondents were asked if they thought they had a better chance at winning in sports betting than at a casino game. Only twenty-nine percent of the general population said yes (34 percent no), 39 percent of sports fans said yes (36 percent no) and 54 percent of avid fans said yes (29 percent no).<\/p>\n

Compulsive Gambling?<\/strong>
\nIs legalized sports betting creating a compulsive gambling problem in this country? Forty-one percent of the general population agreed (18 percent disagreed, 41 percent neither agreed nor disagreed); 45 percent of sports fans agreed (vs. 19 percent disagreeing and 35 percent neither agreeing nor disagreeing) and 52 percent of avid sports fans agreed (with 19 percent disagreeing and 29 percent neither agreeing nor disagreeing).<\/p>\n

More Likely to Gamble with Legal Sports Betting?<\/strong>
\nAsked if they were more likely to gamble now that sports betting is legal, 23 percent of the general population, 35 percent of sports fans and 49 percent of avid fans agreed (vs. 48-38-24 percent disagreeing, and 29-26-8 percent neither agreeing nor disagreeing).<\/p>\n

Gamble on Individual Plays?<\/strong>
\nAsked about the possibility of wagering being extended to the outcome of individual plays (e.g., field goals in the NFL, at bats in MLB or foul shots in the NBA), 26 percent of the general population agreed with the notion vs. 50 percent who disagreed. Among sports fans, however, the number who agreed with betting on the outcome of individual plays rose to 37 percent (vs. 39 percent who disagreed) with an even greater number for avid fans in favor: 55 percent (vs. 31 percent who disagreed).<\/p>\n

Have You Ever Placed a Bet on a Sporting Event?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twenty-eight percent of the general population say they have bet on a sporting event with 41 percent of sports fans and 56 percent of avid fans also indicating that they have done so. Those who say they have not done so comprise 65 percent of the general population and 54 and 40 percent of sports fans and avid sports fans respectively.<\/p>\n

Would Placing a Bet Make You Watch?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Placing a bet would make it more likely that one would watch a televised broadcast of the event, according to 49 percent of the general population, 60 percent of sports fans and 66 percent of avid fans (35-29-26 percent said not more likely).<\/p>\n

How Do You Bet?<\/strong>
\nOf those who said they have placed a bet in the past on a sporting event, 31 percent of the general population did it online or with an App 42 percent in person, and 13 percent said both.<\/p>\n

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

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

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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

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Feb 2022 Super Bowl SHSP Questions and Charted Responses
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\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

This SHSP was conducted February 4th<\/sup> through February 7th<\/sup> and includes responses from 1,520 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><\/strong><\/p>\n

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

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

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