This Washington Post-UMass Lowell poll was conducted August 14-21, 2017, among a
random national sample of 1,000 adults reached on cellular and landline phones. The
margin of sampling error for overall results is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
Sampling, data collection and tabulation was conducted by Princeton Survey Research
Associates International (PSRAI) of Princeton, NJ.
(Full methodological details appended at the end.)
FANS= Sports fans (Avid, Regular or Casual)
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. Taken all together, how would you say things are these days– would you say that you
are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 FANS

Very
happy
28
29

Pretty
happy
53
54

Not too
happy
17
15

No
opinion
2
2

2. Generally, would you say you have a lot of free time to do the things you want to
do, some free time, not too much free time, or no free time at all?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 FANS

A lot
20
20

Some
41
42

Not too
much
28
29

None
at all
10
9

No
opinion
1
*

3. What is your favorite sport to watch? (Football), (Baseball), (Basketball),
(Soccer), (Auto racing), (Ice hockey), (Tennis), (Golf), or something else?
8/20/17
All
Football
37
Basketball
11
Baseball
10
Soccer
8
Auto racing
4
Ice hockey
4
Tennis
2
Golf
2
Gymnastics (vol.)
2
UFC/MMA (vol.)
1
Boxing (vol.)
1
Swimming (vol.)
1
Volleyball (vol.)
*
Horse racing (vol.)
*
Something else
4
None/Don’t watch sports (vol.) 12
No opinion
2
*Washington Post only

8/20/17
FANS
43
12
11
8
4
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
*
*
3
3
1

8/26/12*
All
35
9
12
9
6
3
2
1
2
1
1
0
2
0
8
3
6

 2
4. In general, would you describe yourself as an avid sports fan, a regular fan, a
casual fan, or not a fan at all?
-------- Sports fan --------NET
Avid
Regular
Casual
8/20/17
81
20
26
35
1/20/13*
76
20
21
35
1/6/13
76
20
19
37
10/16/11
75
19
19
37
*2013 and prior Washington Post

Not a fan
at all
19
23
24
25

No
opinion
*
*
*
*

5. Do you consider yourself to be a fan of [INSERT ITEM], or not?*
8/20/17 – Summary among all adults*
Yes
No
No opinion
Not a sports fan
a. Professional football
60
39
1
NA
b. Professional baseball
45
54
1
NA
c. Professional basketball
39
61
*
NA
d. Professional ice hockey
22
58
1
19
e. Professional soccer
24
57
*
19
f. Professional auto racing
24
56
*
19
g. Mixed martial arts
25
55
1
19
h. Professional boxing
28
53
*
19
j. Wrestling, such as the WWE
14
67
1
19
k. College football
45
36
1
19
l. College basketball
35
46
*
19
*Items a-c asked of all adults. Items d-l asked of avid/regular/casual sports fans.
Professional football asked first; other items asked in random order. Professional
football fans asked follow up: Are you a big fan, or not so big?
Item i. held for release.
8/20/17 – Summary Table among sports fans
Yes
No
No opinion
a. Professional football
73
27
1
b. Professional baseball
53
46
1
c. Professional basketball
46
54
*
d. Professional ice hockey
27
72
1
e. Professional soccer
30
70
*
f. Professional auto racing
30
69
1
g. Mixed martial arts
31
67
1
h. Professional boxing
34
66
*
j. Wrestling, such as the WWE
17
82
1
k. College football
55
44
1
l. College basketball
43
56
*
*Football asked first; other items asked in random order.
Trend:
a. Professional football

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 FANS
8/26/12*
6/3/12
1/29/08
7/11/04
1/19/98

---------Fan---------NET
Big
Not so big
60
31
29
73
38
35
60
33
27
44
28
15
50
30
20
57
NA
NA
66
41
25

Not a fan
39
27
40
56
50
43
34

No opinion
1
1
*
1
0
0
0

 3
6/26/94
69
6/23/94**
51
*”Fan of football”
**ABC News only

46
NA

23
NA

31
48

0
*

Compare to:
Gallup “Are you a fan of professional football, or not?”

12/22/12
12/18/11
1/28/09
12/16/07
12/11/05
12/8/04
1/25/03
3/28/01
3/11/01
1/16/01
8/27/00
3/7/99
1/24/99
1/18/98
1/26/94

Fan
63
48
43
54
50
58
50
54
48
44
42
47
51
45
50

Somewhat
fan (vol)
4
6
5
6
9
6
9
9
14
14
12
9
10
11
NA

Not a fan
32
46
51
40
41
36
41
37
38
42
46
44
39
43
50

No opinion
*
0
1
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
0
1
1
0

b. Professional baseball
8/20/17
8/20/17
7/11/04

All
FANS
All

Yes
45
53
44

No
54
46
56

No opinion
1
1
0

c. Professional basketball
8/20/17
8/20/17
7/11/04

All
FANS
All

Yes
39
46
35

No
61
54
65

No opinion
*
*
*

d. Professional ice hockey
Yes
No
8/20/17
FANS
27
72
7/11/04* All
21
79
*2004 “professional hockey”

No opinion
1
0

e. Professional soccer

8/20/17
6/1/14
7/14/94
6/26/94

FANS
All
All
All

-------- Fan --------NET
Big
Not so big
30
NA
NA
28
10
18
23
9
14
31
9
23

Not a fan
70
71
75
68

No trend f-g.
h. Professional boxing
8/20/17

Yes
28

No
53

No opinion
*

Not a sports fan
19

No
opinion
*
1
2
*

 4
Compare to:
Gallup: Do you happen to be a fan of professional boxing, or not?
9/15/91

Yes
32

No
68

No opinion
*

Washington Post: Do you follow boxing or prize fighting?
3/29/81

Yes
26

No
73

No opinion
*

No trend i-l
6. (AMONG PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL FANS) In the past few years, would you say your
interest in professional football has increased, decreased, or stayed about the same?
Stayed about
No
Increased
Decreased
the same
opinion
8/20/17
23
19
58
*
6/3/12*
26
13
61
0
1/19/98
33
15
52
0
*6/3/12 and earlier: “Would you say your interest in professional football has
increased, decreased or stayed about the same over the past five or so years?
7. (AMONG THOSE WHOSE INTEREST IN FOOTBALL DECREASED) What’s the biggest reason you
have become less interested in professional football? (Open-ended)
8/20/17
NET Politics getting involved
Player protesting national
anthem/Colin Kaepernick
Too much politics/political issues
Too many penalties/Delays in game
Not as interested in sports
Don’t have time/too busy
Too violent/Too many injuries
Low quality of play
Games are boring
Cheating by teams/athletes
Dislike players
Likes other sports more
Too much advertising
Too expensive to watch games
Other
No opinion

24
17
7
10
9
8
7
5
5
4
2
1
1
2
19
3

8. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) When sports you enjoy were in season over the past 12 months,
did you [ITEM], or not?
8/20/17 – Summary Table among sports fans
a. Watch games or highlights
on your cell phone
b. Check game scores online
or on your cell phone
c. Follow athletes on social media
such as Facebook or Twitter
d. Watch games or highlights
on television

Yes

No

No opinion

35

65

*

51

49

0

28

72

*

86

14

0

 5
e. Attend a professional
sporting event

43

57

*

Trend:
a. No trend.
b. Check game scores online or on your cell phone
Yes
51

8/20/17 Fans

No
49

No opinion
0

9. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) Overall, do you think professional football, basketball, or
baseball players [ITEM]?
8/20/17 – Summary Table among sports fans
(Vol.)
None
of these

No
op.

20

7

5

8

13

19

18

20

8

17

12

19

21

12

21

10

24

12

10

10

28

18

25

9

Football
players

Basketball
players

Baseball
players

39

21

8

26

16

24

a. Have the most
athletic ability
b. Have the most
interesting
personal lives
c. Are the most in tune
with popular culture
d. Are easiest to relate
to personally
e. Are the best role
models for children

(Vol.)
All
equally

10. At what age do you think it is appropriate to introduce tackling into football?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Under
age 10
12
13

Between
10-13
30
31

Between
14-17
30
32

Age 18
or older
12
11

Never
8
6

(Vol.)
Any age
2
2

No
opinion
6
5

Compare to:
UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel: At what age do you think it is
appropriate to introduce tackling into football?

6/6/16

At all
ages
9

10 years
and up
13

14 and
up
35

18 and
up
23

Never
20

11. (AMONG PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL FANS) Is [ITEM] a major reason, minor reason or not a
reason you watch professional football?
8/20/17 – Summary Table among professional football fans

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Taking a break from everyday life
Enjoying time with friends
To keep up with fantasy football
The action of the game
Rooting for your favorite team
The tradition
Hard hits and tackles

------Reason------NET
Major
Minor
64
31
33
80
53
27
24
12
11
87
68
19
88
71
17
70
43
27
55
26
29

Not a
reason
34
20
74
12
11
29
43

No
opinion
2
*
2
1
1
2
2

 6
h. Rooting for your favorite players

76

51

25

23

2

12. (AMONG PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL FANS WHO NAMED MORE THAN ONE MAJOR REASON) Which of
these is the biggest reason who watch professional football?
Rooting for your favorite team
Enjoying time with friends
The action of the game
The tradition
Taking a break from everyday life
Hard hits and tackles
Rooting for your favorite players
To keep up with fantasy football
No opinion

8/20/17
30
23
20
10
5
4
3
2
2

13. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) How big of a problem, if at all, is each of the following in
the National Football League or NFL? [INSERT ITEM], is this a major problem, a minor
problem, or not a problem?
8/20/17 – Summary Table among sports fans
------Problem-----NET
Major
Minor
a. Injuries caused by
hits and tackling
b. Head injuries causing long-term
health problems for players
c. Players speaking out on political
issues such as Colin Kaepernick’s
national anthem protest
d. The number of TV commercials during
games
e. Low quality of play
f. Violent crime committed by
players
g. Domestic violence committed
by players
h. The number of penalties referees
call during games
i. Players being paid
too much
Items a, c-i asked of half sample.

Not a
problem

No
opinion

83

59

24

12

5

90

76

14

6

4

64

36

28

27

9

63
59

31
22

32
36

33
30

4
11

83

60

23

9

8

84

61

23

9

7

58

20

37

33

9

65

40

25

31

4

14. For the following statements, please indicate, to the best of your own knowledge
whether they are certainly true, probably true, probably false or certainly false.
8/20/17 – Summary Table among adults overall

a. There is a settled science that
playing football causes brain injuries
b. Heading the ball in soccer is safe
for children before they reach
high school
c. Repeated brain trauma that results
in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or
CTE, is a serious public health issue
d. Tackle football is a safe activity

------True------NET
Cert
Prob

------False-----NET
Prob
Cert

No
op.

83

45

37

11

7

3

6

44

18

27

44

24

20

12

80

52

28

10

7

3

10

 7
for children before they reach
high school
e. Tackle football is a safe activity
for children during high school

41

16

26

53

23

30

6

57

22

35

37

21

16

6

Trend:
a. There is a settled science that playing football causes brain injuries
----------True---------------------False----------NET
Certainly
Probably
NET
Probably
Certainly
8/20/17 All
83
45
37
11
7
3
8/20/17 FANS
84
45
39
11
8
3
6/6/16* All
83
32
51
17
15
2
*UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel

No
op.
6
6
NA

b. Heading the ball in soccer is safe for children before they reach high school
----------True---------------------False----------NET
Certainly
Probably
NET
Probably
Certainly
8/20/17 All
44
18
27
44
24
20
8/20/17 FANS
46
19
27
43
24
19
6/6/16* All
40
6
34
60
46
14
*UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel

No
op.
12
11
NA

c. Repeated brain trauma that results in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, is
a serious public health issue
----------True---------------------False----------NET
Certainly
Probably
NET
Probably
Certainly
8/20/17 All
80
52
28
10
7
3
8/20/17 FANS
81
53
28
10
7
3
6/6/16* All
87
36
51
13
10
3
*UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel

No
op.
10
9
NA

d. Tackle football is a safe activity for children before they reach high school
----------True---------------------False----------NET
Certainly
Probably
NET
Probably
Certainly
8/20/17 All
41
16
26
53
23
30
8/20/17 Fans
44
17
27
51
23
28
6/6/16* All
37
6
31
63
40
23
*UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel

No
op.
6
5
NA

e. Tackle football is a safe activity for children during high school
----------True---------------------False----------NET
Certainly
Probably
NET
Probably
Certainly
8/20/17 All
57
22
35
37
21
16
8/20/17 Fans
61
23
37
35
20
14
6/6/16* All
52
7
45
48
32
16
*UMass Lowell conducted with YouGov online panel

No
op.
6
5
NA

15. Have you or someone in your immediate family ever experienced a concussion as a
result of playing any sports, or not? (IF YES) Was that you, someone else in your
family, or both?

8/20/17 All

-----------Yes-----------Family
NET
Self
member
Both
35
13
15
6

No
64

No
opinion
1

 8

16. Do you think the National Football League, or NFL, is doing (too little), (too
much), or is doing about the right amount to prevent concussions and head injuries
among NFL players?
Too
Too
About the
little
much right amount
8/20/17 All
45
5
40
8/20/17 FANS
45
4
42
1/11*
All
34
7
57
*Associated Press/Knowledge Networks

No
opinion
11
8
2

On another subject…
17. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) In the past five years, have you bet on a professional sports
event such as baseball, basketball or football or not?
Yes
21

8/20/17 Fans

No
79

No opinion
1

18. (IF BET ON SPORTS IN PAST FIVE YEARS) Did better on a sports game make it (more
interesting) to watch, (less interesting), or did it not make a difference?

8/20/17

More
interesting
73

Less
interesting
1

No
opinion
26

19. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of making betting on professional sporting
events legal?
Approve
Disapprove
No opinion
8/20/17 All
55
33
12
8/20/17 Fans
57
30
13
9/15/93* All
41
56
3
*Gallup/CNN/USA Today: “(Do you approve or disapprove of making it legal to do each of
the following types of gambling?)... Betting on professional sports events”
20. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) In the past five years, have you participated in a fantasy
sports league, or not?
8/20/17 Fans

Yes
16

No
83

No opinion
2

21. (AMONG THOSE WHO PLAYED IN FANTASY LEAGUE) In what sport did you play a fantasy
league?)
NFL
NBA
Major League
NHL
Football
Basketball
Baseball
Hockey
Other
No opinion
8/20/17*
80
12
9
6
9
0
*Multiple responses accepted; results add to greater than 100 percent
No question 22.
23. (AMONG THOSE WHO PLAYED IN FANTASY LEAGUE) And in the past five years, have you
played in daily fantasy leagues, such as Draft Kings or Fan Duel, or not?
Yes

No

No opinion

 9
8/20/17

23

77

1

20/23 Net table:

8/20/17 Fans

--------------Yes, play fantasy---------------NET
Yes, Draft Kings/
No Draft Kings/
No
Fan Duel
Fan Duel
op.
16
4
12
*

No, don’t
play
83

No
opinion
2

24. (AMONG THOSE WHO PLAYED IN FANTASY LEAGUE) Did you watch more games in a specific
sport when you were in a fantasy league for that sport, watch fewer games, or did you
watch about the same number of games regardless of whether you were in a fantasy
league?

8/20/17

More
games
51

Fewer
games
3

About
same
44

No
opinion
2

25. (AMONG SPORTS FANS) How often do you find yourself yelling at the television when
you are watching your favorite sport or team?
--Most the time or more-Hardly ever or lessAll
Most
Only
Hardly
NET
the time
the time
sometimes
NET
ever
Never
8/20/17 Fans
35
19
16
25
40
21
19
1/31/16* Fans
29
18
11
34
38
19
19
*CBS News; sports fans defined using different question.

No
opinion
1
*

26. Do you think that college football and basketball players deserve to be paid in
addition to receiving scholarships based on how much money they generate for
universities, or do you think scholarships are adequate compensation?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Compensate based on
revenue generated
38
41

Scholarships are
adequate compensation
52
50

No
opinion
10
8

Questions 27A-Q27C each asked of random 1/3 of sample:
27A. (Third of sample) Do you think college athletes should or should not be paid when
their name or image is used in video games or to sell merchandise?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Should
be paid
66
69

Should not
be paid
24
22

No
opinion
10
9

27B. (Third of sample) Do you think college athletes who are on full-ride academic
scholarships should or should not be paid when their name or image is used in video
games or to sell merchandise?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Should
be paid
66
67

Should not
be paid
29
28

No
opinion
5
5

 10
27C. (Third of sample) Do you think college athletes who are on full-ride sports
scholarships should or should not be paid when their name or image is used in video
games or to sell merchandise?

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Should
be paid
66
67

Should not
be paid
25
25

No
opinion
9
8

Should not
be paid
26
25

No
opinion
8
7

Q27A-C Combined table:

8/20/17 All
8/20/17 Fans

Should
be paid
66
68

Questions 28-43 held for release.
*** END ***
METHODOLOGICAL DETAILS
This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post and the University
of Massachusetts Lowell. The phone poll is a random sample of adults in the United
States, with interviews in English and Spanish.
This questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as
they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was
asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question
identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions
indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents.
For the telephone sample, a dual frame landline and cell phone telephone sample was
generated using Random Digit Dialing procedures by Survey Sampling International
(SSI). Interviewers called landlines and cellular phone numbers, first requesting to
speak with the youngest adult male or female at home, on random rotation. The final
sample included 344 interviews completed on landlines and 656 interviews completed via
cellular phones, including 258 interviews with adults in cell phone-only households.
This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for deviations in the
survey sample from known population characteristics, which helps correct for
differential survey participation and random variation in samples. The overall adult
sample is weighted to correct for differential probabilities of selection among
individuals who are landline-only/cell phone-only/dual users, as well as the number of
adults in households with landline phones. Results are also weighted match the
demographic makeup of the population by sex, region, age, education, and
race/ethnicity according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey
data. Results were weighted to county population density according to the 2010
Decennial Census.
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which
is 1.39 for this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s
deviation from a simple random sample, and takes into account decreases in precision
due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a
design effect overstate their precision.
Group
All adults
Football fans
Sports fans

Unweighted
sample size
1,000
598
813

Error margin
+/- 3.5 points
4.7
4.1

 11
Sports fans half samples

403-410

5.7-5.8

The Washington Post is a charter member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which
recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they
produce.
Contact polls@washpost.com for further information about how The Washington Post
conducts polls.