3/26: Many Fans Think College Sports Programs Break NCAA Rules…Education Should be a Priority, Say Most

March Madness is in full swing, and with all eyes on the road to the Final Four, sports fans nationwide are weighing in on the nature of college sports.

Click Here for Complete March 26, 2013 USA Poll Release and Tables

More than two-thirds of sports fans nationally — 67% — think it is common practice for college sports programs to break NCAA rules when recruiting and training college athletes.  26% believe the rules are not broken often, and 7% are unsure.

This Marist Poll has been done in conjunction with The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

There has been an increase in the proportion of sports fans nationally who say college athletic programs cross the line in their recruiting and training programs.  When Marist last reported this question in March of 2012, 55% said it is common for college sports officials to break the NCAA rules.  35% disagreed, and 10% were unsure.

Should the business of college sports trump education?  Overwhelmingly, most sports fans say, “no.”  95% of fans believe college athletes should be required to attend class and focus on their studies while just 5% of fans say college sports has become a business, and student athletes should focus on training and not be required to go to class.

“Most sports fans still enjoy the notion of amateurism in college athletics,” says Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  “They largely don’t want college athletes paid beyond a scholarship, and they overwhelmingly want them to attend classes like other students.”

Table: College Sports’ Programs Recruiting Practices

Table: The Business of College Sports

Show Them the Money?

What is the appropriate compensation for top college athletes?  More than seven in ten sports fans — 72% — think these athletes should only receive a scholarship.  21% believe they deserve a scholarship and a salary while 6% say they should neither receive a scholarship nor a salary.

In last year’s survey, 68% of sports fans reported a scholarship sufficed.  27% said a scholarship plus a salary was the appropriate compensation while 5% thought these athletes should neither receive a scholarship nor a salary.

What about the salaries for college coaches in top sports programs?  A slim majority of sports fans — 51% — say they should be paid less than coaches in professional sports programs.  45% say college coaches should be paid about the same amount as professional coaches while 3% think they should be paid more.

There is increasing support for top college coaches to receive the same pay as their professional counterparts.  In March of 2012, nearly six in ten sports fans — 57% — thought college coaches should be paid less.  39% said they should receive about the same salary as professional coaches, and 4% believed they should be paid more than professional coaches.

Table: Compensation for Top College Athletes

Table: Salaries for Coaches of Top College Sports’ Programs

T-R-O-U-B-L-E…Playing the Blame Game

When college athletes get into trouble, who should be held most responsible?  Seven in ten sports fans nationally — 70% — think the athletes should take the blame.  16% say their coaches should be held accountable, and 12% say college presidents and the school’s administration should take the heat.  Three percent are unsure.

Just how many Americans are sports fans?  62% of adults are while 38% are not.  Little has changed on this question since Marist last reported it in December.  At that time, 60% of residents considered themselves to be a sports fan while 40% said they were not.

Table: Who’s Responsible When College Athletes Get into Trouble?

Table: Sports Fans Nationally

Nothing But Net…Number of NCAA Men’s Teams on the Mark, Say More Than Three in Four

77% of college basketball fans think the number of teams in the NCAA men’s tournament is about right.  One in five — 20% — say the 68 teams are too many while just 3% say the number is too few.

Similar proportions of college basketball fans held these views last March when 78% said the number of teams was appropriate.  18% believed there were too many, and 4% believed there were too few.

Nearly half of adults nationally — 48% — follow college basketball, at least, some of the time.  Included here are 30% who check out the sport a little, 10% who watch a good amount of it, and 8% who follow a great deal of it.  51% do not watch college basketball at all.

There has been a slight bump in the proportion of college basketball fans.  In March of 2012, 43% reported following the sport, at least, a little bit.  56%, at that time, said they did not watch college basketball at all.

Table: Number of Teams in NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Table: College Basketball Fans Nationally

How the Survey was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

 About Keith Strudler, Ph.D.

Keith Strudler, Ph.D., is the director for the Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  Dr. Strudler founded Marist’s popular concentration in sports communication in 2002, now one of the nation’s largest in the discipline.  He studies and teaches in the areas of sports media, sports and society, and sports reporting and information.  Dr. Strudler also writes weekly sports commentary for WAMC, an NPR radio station in Albany, NY.

12/27: Phelps’ Olympic Medal Record Biggest Accomplishment in Sports This Year

Months removed from the London Olympics, stories from the games top the list of 2012’s biggest accomplishments in sports.  Among sports fans nationally, 28% consider Michael Phelps breaking the Olympic medal record to be the single best sports accomplishment of the year.  The gold medal win by the U.S. women’s gymnastics team tumbled into the hearts of 23% of U.S. sports fans.  13% believe Notre Dame’s football team played like champions during their undefeated regular season while the third consecutive gold medal for the U.S. women’s soccer team is deemed the biggest sports accomplishment by 12%.  However, 11% think Drew Brees’ record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass trumped sports while 10% of U.S. sports fans say the Triple Crown win by the Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera was a home run this year.  Three percent are unsure.

This Marist Poll has been done in conjunction with The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

Click Here for Complete December 27, 2012 Poll Release and Tables

“The results remind us that Olympic accomplishments carry enormous weight with the American public,”says Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  “They also highlight Michael Phelps’ place among the hierarchy of American sports greats.”

Men and women differ on this question.  While 31% of men think Phelps breaking the Olympic medal record deserves the title of single best sports accomplishment of 2012, 33% of women say the gold medal win by the U.S. women’s gymnastics team takes the crown.

Table: Single Best Sports Accomplishment of 2012

Touchdown! Big Blue’s Super Bowl Win Scores as Best Sports Championship

When it comes to the best sports championship of 2012, the Super Bowl victory by the New York Giants is tops.  36% of U.S. sports fans have this view.  17%, however, believe the World Series win by the San Francisco Giants deserves the honor.  13% report the college football national title win by the Alabama Crimson Tide is the best championship of the year while an additional 13% say the NBA Championship victory by the Miami Heat tops their list.  The NHL season may be on ice due to the current lockout, but the 2012 Stanley Cup win by the Los Angeles Kings is tops in the minds of 8% of sports fans.  Seven percent, though, report the NCAA men’s basketball championship victory by the Kentucky Wildcats deserves the title.  Six percent are unsure.

Regionally, the Super Bowl victory by the New York Giants is thought to be the top sports championship by 45% in the Northeast, 43% in the Midwest, and 29% in the South.  However, in the West, the World Series triumph by the San Francisco Giants — 35% — edges the New York football Giants’ victory — 30%.

While 44% of sports fans age 30 to 44, 42% of those 45 to 59, and 32% of fans 60 and older give top honors to the New York Giants Super Bowl win, there is less agreement among younger fans.  27% of fans under 30 say the Miami Heat’s NBA championship was the best sports championship of 2012.  This compares with 24% who say the same about the New York Giants taking home the Lombardi trophy.

Table: Best Sports Championship of 2012

Sandusky Scandal Sends Shockwaves

The Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal not only stunned the Penn State community, but it had a large impact on the sports world.  In fact, nearly half of sports fans nationally — 48% — believe this story had the biggest impact on sports in 2012.  The Lance Armstrong doping scandal comes in a distant second with 18% followed by 13% who mention the replacement referees in the NFL, and 10% who pick the NHL lockout as having the greatest impact on sports in 2012.  Six percent believe the NFL bounty scandal hardest hit sports this year.  Four percent are unsure.

Regardless of region, income, age, ethnicity, and gender, the Sandusky scandal is thought to be the story with the largest impact on sports in 2012.

Table: Story with the Biggest Impact on Sports in 2012

Peyton Manning Most Influential on His Sport

When it comes to the player with the biggest impact on their sport in 2012, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning, takes the top spot.  35% of U.S. sports fans have this view of him.  The Miami Heat’s LeBron James comes in second with 24% who say he has had the biggest impact on basketball.  Swimming phenomenon Missy Franklin is thought to have had the largest effect on her sport by 10%.  The same proportion — 10% — says the PGA’s Rory McIlroy was the most influential in golf while an additional 10% believe Serena Williams had the largest impact on tennis.  Five percent think Major League Baseball’s Mike Trout had the biggest impact on the diamond, and 6% are unsure.

Table: Player with the Biggest Impact on Their Sport in 2012

Don’t Believe the Hype

Which athlete do sports fans think is the most overhyped?  A plurality — 46% — says Tim Tebow of the New York Jets deserves this dubious distinction.  Third baseman for the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez, is believed by 18% to be the most overrated athlete this year.  NASCAR’s Danica Patrick is perceived by 12% to be the most overvalued athlete.  Linsanity fizzled out for the 8% of sports fans nationally who believe the NBA’s Jeremy Lin is the most overhyped athlete.  Six percent say Olympic track star Lolo Jones is the most overrated, and 10% are unsure.

Just how many adults nationally are sports fans?  Six in ten — 60% — are while 40% are not.

Table: Most Overhyped Athlete of 2012

Table: Sports Fans Nationally

How the Survey was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

About Keith Strudler, Ph.D.

Keith Strudler, Ph.D., is the director for the Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  Dr. Strudler founded Marist’s popular concentration in sports communication in 2002, now one of the nation’s largest in the discipline.  He studies and teaches in the areas of sports media, sport and society, and sports reporting and information.  Dr. Strudler also writes weekly sports commentary for WAMC, an NPR radio station in Albany, NY.

7/23: London Olympic Games Spur Sense of Pride in Many Americans

Attention will be “across the pond” on Friday for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.  80% of adults nationally say they will follow, at least, some of the Olympic Games.  This includes 19% who plan to check out a great deal of them, 23% who think they will follow a good amount of the events, and 38% who believe they will follow them a little bit.  One in five — 20% — does not plan to check out any of the events.

Click Here for Complete July 23, 2012 USA Poll Release and Tables

Looking at age, those under 30 — 74% — are the least likely to watch, at least, a portion of the Olympics.  This compares with 81% of Americans 30 to 44, 80% of residents 45 to 59, and 84% of those 60 and older.

And, half of Americans are feeling a sense of healthy competition and pride.  50% of adults nationally say it’s more interesting to see if U.S. athletes win the most medals.  43%, however, think it’s more interesting to witness records being set regardless of which country the athlete represents.  Seven percent are unsure.

Half of Americans under 30 years of age — 50% — are more interested in having records set while 50% of those 30 to 44, 53% of residents 45 to 59, and 54% of those 60 and older are more engaged in the number of medals the nation collects.

Looking at gender, a majority of women — 52% — are interested in the number of medals the U.S. wins, and 41% want to see new records achieved.  Men divide.  49% are rooting for the U.S.A. to bring home the gold, but 45% are more focused on the records set.

This Marist Poll has been done in conjunction with The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

“When it comes to nationalism versus records, nationalism still wins,” says Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  “But, records are still important to many Olympic viewers.  That’s why both are stressed during Olympic coverage by U.S. media, and you’ll see select superstar athletes from other countries on top of the normal American fare.”

When it comes to the nation’s most fierce competitor, 41% of adults nationally believe China will be America’s strongest challenger.  15% think Russia will be while 8% say Canada will be the country’s toughest rival.  Great Britain and Australia each receive 7%.  21% are unsure.

Table: Watch the 2012 Summer Olympics

Table: U.S. Medals or New Olympic Records

Table: America’s Strongest Competitor for the 2012 Summer Olympics

Gymnastics Takes Gold in Popularity

Three in ten watchers of the Olympics — 30% — say they are most looking forward to checking out the gymnastics events.  23% are pumped up about swimming while 18% are marking their calendars for the track and field events.  Basketball is the most anticipated event for 11% of watchers while soccer receives the attention of 10%.  Four percent of enthusiasts are psyched about diving while the same proportion — 4% — is looking forward to another event entirely.

There is a gender gap.  A plurality of women who plan to watch the Olympics — 44% — are anticipating the gymnastics competition.  However, there is little consensus among men.  28% are most looking forward to the track and field competition while 24% are getting ready for the swimming events.

Table: Summer Olympic Event Most Looking Forward to Watching

Phelps and Williams Expected to be High Profile Athletes

Half of Americans planning to watch the Olympics — 50% — say swimming sensation Michael Phelps will make the biggest male splash in London.  17% believe basketball phenom LeBron James will be the biggest male star of the competition while 8% say Jamaican track star Usain Bolt deserves that title.  Five percent think swimmer Ryan Lochte will be the male talk of the Olympics while South African Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee runner, is expected by 1% to receive the most attention.  Nearly one in five — 19% — is unsure.

When it comes to the star female athlete of the 2012 Olympic Games, 43% believe tennis great Serena Williams will achieve that status.  Soccer’s Hope Solo comes in a distant second with 11% followed by track athlete Lolo Jones with 9%.  Seven percent expect gymnast Jordyn Wieber to be in the spotlight while 5% say the same about track’s Allyson Felix.  26% are unsure.

Table: Male Star of 2012 Summer Olympics

Table: Female Star of 2012 Summer Olympics

Tube Time or Online?  How Enthusiasts are Following the Games

How will those who plan to watch the Olympics get their fix?  61% expect to tune in via television only.  31% think they will add a little online viewing to their TV watching while just 5% say they will follow the Olympics mostly online with a little TV sprinkled into the mix.  Three percent will watch only online.

Not surprisingly, 79% of adults planning to watch the Olympic Games over the age of 60 say they will only view the events on TV.  60% of those 45 to 59 say the same.  49% of Olympics enthusiasts age 30 to 44, and the same proportion of those under 30 years old — 49% — report they will watch the events on TV only.  A notable 14% of Americans younger than 30 say they will solely follow the games online, and an additional 13% of this age group plan to view the games mostly online.

Table: How Americans Are Watching 2012 Summer Olympics

How the Survey Was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

About Keith Strudler, Ph.D.

Strudler, Ph.D., is the director of the Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  Dr. Strudler founded Marist’s popular concentration in sports communication in 2002, now one of the nation’s largest in the discipline.  He studies and teaches in the areas of sports media, sport and society, and sports reporting and information.  Dr. Strudler also writes weekly sports commentary for WAMC, an NPR radio station in Albany, NY.

3/29: Majority Thinks Colleges Break NCAA Rules…Most Say Only Scholarships for Athletes

All eyes will be on the NCAA Final Four this weekend.  But, when it comes to recruiting and training practices, do college sports’ programs break NCAA rules?  A majority of sports fans nationally — 55% — think it is common practice to act outside of the regulations while 35% believe it is not common practice.  10% are unsure.

This Marist Poll has been done in conjunction with The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

Click Here for Complete March 29, 2012 USA Poll Release and Tables

There’s been a lot of debate about the type of compensation top college athletes should receive, and now, sports fans are weighing in.  Nearly seven in ten sports fans nationally — 68% — believe athletes should only receive scholarships.  27% think these athletes should be given both a scholarship and a salary while only 5% report college athletes should be given neither a scholarship nor monetary compensation.

What about college coaches?  Nearly six in ten sports fans — 57% — believe coaches of top college sports’ programs should be paid less than coaches in professional sports.  39% think they should receive about the same pay as coaches of professional sports teams while only 4% say they should be paid more.

“While paying college athletes isn’t largely supported, it seems that a majority also feel that college coaches shouldn’t be compensated as highly either,” says Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

Nearly six in ten adults nationally — 58% — are sports fans while 42% say they are not.  This is little changed from when Marist last reported this question in December.  At that time, 61% of residents said they were sports fans.

Table: College Sports’ Programs Recruiting Practices

Table: Compensation for Top College Athletes

Table: Salaries for Coaches of Top College Sports’ Programs

Table: Sports Fans Nationally

Number of NCAA Men’s Basketball Teams on Target, Say Fans

The NCAA basketball tournament may be heading into the Final Four, but the men’s tournament starts out with 68 teams, and according to 78% of college basketball fans, that number hits the mark.  18%, however, think there are too many teams while 4% believe there are too few.

Just how many adults nationally are college basketball fans?  43% follow the sport, at least, to some extent.  This includes 9% who watch a great deal of the sport, 9% who follow it a good amount, and 25% who tune in a little.  However, a majority — 56% — does not follow college basketball at all.

Table: Number of Teams in NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Table: College Basketball Fans Nationally

From the Court to the Field: College Football Fans Want a Playoff System

Could college football’s Bowl Championship Series become a thing of the past?  More than two-thirds of college football fans nationally — 68% — believe it’s a good idea to replace the current system with a playoff system.  One in five — 20% — says changing the system is a bad idea, and 12% are unsure.

46% of adults nationally, however, are not college football fans while 54% call themselves fans.  Included here are 15% who watch college football a great deal, 11% who follow the sport a good amount, and 28% who catch a little of it.

Table: Idea to Change College Football Bowl Championship Series to Playoff System

Table: College Football Fans Nationally

How the Survey was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

About Keith Strudler, Ph.D.

Strudler, Ph.D., is the director of the Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  Dr. Strudler founded Marist’s popular concentration in sports communication in 2002, now one of the nation’s largest in the discipline.  He studies and teaches in the areas of sports media, sport and society, and sports reporting and information.  Dr. Strudler also writes weekly sports commentary for WAMC, an NPR radio station in Albany, NY.

12/15: Goal! USA Women’s Soccer Victory Best Sports Accomplishment of 2011

2011 has been a big year for sports!  And, of all the great moments, the win by USA women’s soccer over Brazil in the World Cup takes the top spot as the best single sports accomplishment of the year.  Nearly one-third of sports fans nationally — 32% — have this view.  The sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers by the Dallas Mavericks comes in a distant second with 18% while Derek Jeter getting his 3,000th hit is perceived to be the most significant sports accomplishment of 2011 by 15%.  13% believe Butler’s second trip to the NCAA Championship rates most significant while 11% say the Rose Bowl win by Texas Christian University deserves that description.  Five percent think another sports moment is the best, and 6% are unsure.

This Marist Poll has been done in conjunction with The Marist College Center for Sports Communication.

Click Here for Complete December 15, 2011 Poll Release and Tables

“These results speak to the public’s greater respect for women’s sports as well as our clear thirst for nationalism through sport,” says Dr. Keith Strudler, Director of The Marist College Center for Sports Communication. “We should always consider that while we live in an increasingly global society, sport remains one of the few places to reclaim national identity and superiority.  That may be particularly true as the United States faces economic uncertainty amidst the rise of new emerging superpowers.”

While those 30 years of age and older — 31% of those 30 to 44, 39% of those 45 to 59, and 32% of those 60 and older — rank the World Cup win as the best single sports accomplishment of the year, 30% of those under 30 say the Mavericks’ victory deserves the title.

More women — 37% — than men — 29% — report USA besting Brazil in the World Cup takes the number one slot.

Table: Single Best Sports Accomplishment of 2011

Packers Split the Uprights … Super Bowl Win Called Best Sports Championship of 2011

The Lombardi Trophy isn’t the only award the Green Bay Packers have received in 2011.  The team’s Super Bowl victory is considered to be the best sports championship of the year by 36% of sports fans.  Three in ten — 30% — say the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series was the home run of sports this year while 15% think the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA Championship win was a slam dunk.  The Boston Bruins’ Stanley Cup win and Rory McIlroy’s US Open victory are perceived by 8% and 5%, respectively, as the best sports championship of 2011.  Three percent select another championship, and 3% are unsure.

There are age and gender differences on this question.  While more than four in ten sports fans under 30 — 41% — and 38% of those 60 and older rate the Packers’ Super Bowl victory as the greatest championship of the year, there is less of a consensus among fans in other age groups.  33% of those 30 to 44 choose the Super Bowl win while 29% select the Cardinals’ World Series victory.  Among fans 45 to 59, 32% select the Packers’ victory while the same proportion — 32% — rate the Cardinals’ World Series victory as the top championship of 2011.

Table: Best Sports Championship of 2011

Lockouts Have Biggest Impact on Sports in 2011 … Aaron Rodgers Most Influential Player

A plurality of sports fans — 41% — say, when it comes to the biggest impact on sports this year, the NBA and NFL lockouts and labor disputes have left the largest mark.  Nearly three in ten — 28% — think the scandals in college athletics have had the greatest impact while 15% report investigations and trials for performance enhancing drugs have topped the list.  12% believe college conference realignment has had the most impact, and 4% are unsure.

While 43% of fans in the West, 42% of those in the Midwest, and 42% of fans in the South believe the lockouts had the biggest impact, 41% of Northeast fans say the same about the scandals in college athletics.

Which player has had the biggest mark on his sport in 2011?  32% of fans say NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been the most influential.  Nearly one in five — 19% — report NBA player LeBron James had the biggest impact on basketball while 15% say NFL quarterback Tim Tebow had the biggest effect on football.  Golfer Rory McIlroy is deemed by 13% to be the player with the largest impact on his sport while 12% report NBA player Dirk Nowitski greatly impacted basketball.  Nine percent are unsure.

While older sports fans — 42% of those between 30 and 44 years of age, 31% of those 45 to 59, and 31% of those 60 and older — say Rodgers had the biggest impact in 2011, younger fans — 34% of those under the age of 30 — think LeBron James has.

There is a gender difference.  39% of men say Aaron Rodgers deserves the title of most influential sports player.  However, there is less of a consensus among women.  Here, 23% select Rodgers while 22% choose LeBron James.

Just how many adults nationally are sports fans?  More than six in ten — 61% — say they are while 39% report they are not.

Table: Story with the Biggest Impact on Sports in 2011

Table: Player with the Biggest Impact on Their Sport in 2011

Table: Sports Fans Nationally

Marist Poll Methodology

About Keith Strudler, Ph.D.

Keith Strudler, Ph.D., is the director for the Marist College Center for Sports Communication.  Dr. Strudler founded Marist’s popular concentration in sports communication in 2002, now one of the nation’s largest in the discipline.  He studies and teaches in the areas of sports media, sport and society, and sports reporting and information.  Dr. Strudler also writes weekly sports commentary for WAMC, an NPR radio station in Albany, NY.

7/7: No Goal for World Cup in United States

Even with the hype surrounding the World Cup, the tournament hasn’t been able to gain a large foothold in the United States.  When this poll was conducted, while the United States was still in the tournament, 63% of residents nationally were not watching any of the matches while 37% caught some or all of the World Cup.  Included here are 27% who were watching some and 10% who were checking out most of it.

Interest in watching grows when looking at residents who played soccer as a child.  Among this group, 58% tuned in for at least a portion of the tournament.  This includes nearly one-quarter — 24% — who report they were watching most of the World Cup at the time, and 34% who were tuning in to some of it.

Residents in the Northeast (48%), those in the West (38%) and in the South (36%) were more likely to watch, at least, some of the tournament than those in the Midwest (27%).

There were also income, ethnic, age, and gender differences in World Cup viewing habits.  Americans with higher annual incomes (47%), non-whites (46%), those younger than 45 (44%), and men (44%) were more likely to watch, at least, some of the event.

Table: Watching the World Cup

Soccer More Popular Among Younger Americans

Most U.S. residents — 74% — report they did not play soccer as a child.  26%, however, did.  Younger Americans are more likely to have played the sport in their youth.  42% of those 18 to 29 and 36% of residents 30 to 44 took the “pitch” as a kid.  This compares with 22% of those 45 to 59 and 11% of residents 60 and older.  By a two-to-one margin, men played soccer more than women.  34% of men took up the sport when they were young while 17% of women report doing the same.

Table: Soccer as Childhood Sport

Baseball Tops List of Favorite Childhood Sports

Among residents who played sports as a child, America’s pastime takes the crown as their favorite childhood sport.  27% enjoyed playing baseball or softball the most as a child.  Basketball comes in a close second with 23%, and football rounds out the top three with 19%.  One-tenth of Americans say they enjoyed soccer the most.  9% chose tennis.  4% preferred hockey while 8% liked playing something else entirely.

Baseball, however, is not cross-generational.  The lower one goes on the age spectrum, the less likely residents who played sports as a child are to say baseball was their preferred sport.  16% of those 18 to 29 say baseball was their sport of choice.  Instead, 25% rate football the highest while 24% in this age group claim basketball as their favorite.  Looking at those 30 to 44, 24% give the top spot to basketball while 23% enjoyed baseball the most.  31% of Americans 45 to 59 say baseball topped their list as a kid.  37% of those 60 and older report the same.

Table: Favorite Childhood Sport

Marist Poll Methodology

2/11: Let the Games Begin! 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

Tomorrow night, the eyes and ears of the world will be focused on Vancouver, British Columbia for the Opening Ceremonies of the XXI Olympic Winter Games.

While Canadian pride is sure to glow during the games, how engaged will Americans be?  76% of U.S. residents report they will follow at least a little of the games.  This includes 37% who plan to tune in a little, 22% who say they will watch a good deal of them, and 17% who are die-hards and report they will watch a great deal of the games.  24% will not check out the Winter Olympics at all.

Although there is little difference between the sexes on this question, there is an age gap.  Older Americans are more likely to watch at least some of the Olympics than are their younger counterparts.

Table: Watch the 2010 Winter Olympics
Skating Glides In To Top Spot Among Americans

U.S. residents have definite preferences when it comes to their favorite Olympic sport.  32% enjoy skating the most.  29% pick skiing as their favorite, and rounding out the top five are snowboarding, ice hockey, and bobsledding, each receiving 6%.  11% report they do not have a favorite Olympic sport.

When Marist asked this question prior to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, skating topped Americans’ list with 50%.  26% reported skiing was their preferred sport.  Hockey and snowboarding each received 6%, and luge followed closely behind with 5%.

Americans may have their preferred sport, but most do not have a favorite athlete participating in the games.  89% of residents do not have a specific competitor who appeals to them, and the remaining 11% do have an athlete on their radar screens.

More men than women have a favorite athlete competing in Vancouver.  14% of men compared with 8% of women have a specific athlete who they will follow.

Table: Favorite Olympic Sport
Table: Favorite Olympic Sport (2006)
Table: Favorite Olympic Athlete

Athletes Good Role Models … Steroids Not the Norm

Most Americans – 88% — believe Olympic athletes teach children mostly good things while only 6% think they set bad examples.

On the question of steroid use, seven in ten Americans believe steroids are not commonly used by Olympians.  23%, on the other hand, think their use is common practice by many of the athletes.  7% are unsure.

Younger Americans are more cynical here.  31% of those age 18 to 29 and 27% of those 30 to 44 believe many Olympic athletes use steroids.  This compares with 19% of those between the ages of 45 and 59 and 18% of those 60 and older.

Table: Olympic Athletes as Role Models
Table: Steroid Use Among Olympic Athletes

The Road Most Travelled?

Just how many Americans dreamt of standing atop the Olympic podium?  Not as many as you might think.  Just 13% aspired to become an Olympic athlete as a child while 87% did not.

More younger Americans than older ones dreamt of becoming an Olympian as a child.  21% of those 18 to 29 wanted to be an Olympic competitor compared with 13% of Americans 30 to 44, 14% of residents 45 to 59, and 9% of those 60 and older.

Table: Olympic Aspirations

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Story:

2/11: The Winter Games: An Interview

2/11: The Winter Games: An Interview

The Winter Olympics come around once every four years, but how popular are the games today?  Verne Lundquist is CBS Sports Play-By-Play Broadcaster who has covered the 1992, 1994, and 1998 games.  And, in a candid interview with The Marist Poll’s John Sparks, he discusses this year’s competition, addresses the issue of steroid use, and shares some of his own memories covering the games.

John Sparks
Verne, you worked through Winter Olympics in ’92/’94/’98, I believe, for the network and of course you followed the Winter and Summer games for years. Do you think that folks follow the Olympic events as much as they have in years past?

Listen to the Interview, Part 1:

Verne Lundquist
I get a sense that they don’t follow them quite as much, and I think particularly that’s true of Vancouver that’s coming up. I don’t … I just sense a general lack of a buzz about the games. And I live in a ski resort and we’ve got 17 athletes who either live in Steamboat Springs or train in Steamboat Springs and even there where you would expect to have a lot of conversation about what’s going to happen in Vancouver, I don’t get that the sense that it’s that prominent on anybody’s radar.

John Sparks
What do you think is the reason for that?

Verne Lundquist
I don’t know. I really don’t know. There just seems to be a real lack of awareness that the Olympics are going to take place.

John Sparks
You know when I think of your covering the Olympics, I immediately think of figure skating, of course. Is figure skating the event that you like the most?

Verne Lundquist
Yeah, absolute. Yes, absolutely it was. I just accidently fell into that. I can vividly remember when we were awarded the Olympic Games at CBS in the late ’80s and our first one was going to be in 1992. And as I just mentioned, I live in a ski resort, so I naturally assumed that I would get the chance to do the Alpine events, the downhill slalom, giant slalom. Billy Kidd was then our CBS analyst. He’s the director of skiing at Steamboat and a good friend, so I thought well that’s – - it’s just so natural. And then I got the call from New York and they said, “You’re doing figure skating.” And my initial reaction was not really positive, and the dirty little secret that I’ve managed to keep now, for what, almost 20 years, 18 for sure, since the ’92 Olympic games in Albertville, I didn’t know one jump from the other, and that’s where my dear friend Scott Hamilton saved my professional reputation because every time a jump was about to come up, he would reach over and just tap me on the forearm as if to say, “Shut up now, and I’ll take it.” And we’ve remained dear friends, and I’ve grown to love the sport.

John Sparks
Are there other events that you especially enjoy from the winter games?

Verne Lundquist
Yes, there are. There’s one particularly, and I think it would surprise folks, but again it goes back to where I live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Over the course of the last half century, maybe even more than that, our little community has sent now more than 80 athletes to the Winter games, 80. It’s astounding, and the most prominent of those who have represented our country from Steamboat are the Nordic Combined guys. And Todd Lodwick is kind of the leader of that group. He grew up in Steamboat, and I’ve known Todd for better than 20 years. Johnny Spillane is another Steamboat native who’s a part of the group, and a young man named Bill Demong, D-E-M-O-N-G, is from upstate New York, but he’s lived in Steamboat for a decade, and those three kids, not kids, I mean Todd’s in his 30′s now, and this will be his fifth, fifth, Olympic Games. That’s (unintelligible). But they might medal in Vancouver. They’ve gotten that good. So our whole community is going to be watching that event, the Nordic Combined. It’s a combination of ski jumping and cross-country racing and it’s really not on anybody’s radar in our country. It’s enormously popular in Scandinavia, as you can imagine.

John Sparks
Is there one particular event, one particular performance that stood out above all others in your memory at a Winter Olympics?

Listen to the Interview, Part 2:

Verne Lundquist
Oh yeah. Yeah, John, 1994, we were involved in the cartoon that is known as Tonya and Nancy, right. And Scott and I were right in the middle of it, the whole unbelievable build up to that event. I just got a word from CBS, one of my friends who’s a vice president at the office in New York just sent me word that our Super Bowl coverage had an overnight rating of 46, a 46 share, which — or 46 rating rather, and that is the highest since 1987 for a Super Bowl, so we’re going to set a record number of viewers. In 1994 for Tonya and Nancy on the ice in Lillehammer, we had 48.5, and it’s the all-time highest rated Olympic show, and I don’t think anybody’s going to top that now on a fractured universe. So just to be a part of that is very, very memorable.

John Sparks
I can imagine. As a follow-up, do you have a favorite Olympic athlete who will be competing this month in Vancouver?

Verne Lundquist
Yes, I do, and I already mentioned him, Todd Lodwick. He’s … his grandparents lived in Steamboat Springs. His mom and dad served as the grand marshals of our winter carnival last weekend. The 97th winter carnival in Steamboat history, and it is — for a small community, it’s a huge event, and I’ve known Todd not since … well, since he was a teenager, a young teenager, and I first saw him compete in the Olympics in Lillehammer in ’94, and he’s been a part of everyone since, and they finished fourth, the team did, in Salt Lake City. They had a breakdown at the last minute, so I know how much it would mean to him if he could lead the Nordic Combined team to any kind of a podium finish in Vancouver.

John Sparks
Verne, there’s always been this issue about athletes being role models, and it’s difficult, as you know, to make a broad general assessment, but I’m going to ask you anyway. Do you think that the actions of the Olympic athletes teach our kids mostly good things or bad things?

Listen to the Interview, Part 3:

Verne Lundquist
I think mostly good. I’m an optimist in some ways about what the lessons are that emanate from the athletes down to — into the young people’s world. I think the whole Olympic concept, I know it’s over-commercialized. We all understand and accept that, and I know that in the summer, I mean, the shoe companies just dictate so much and it — that tends to make one very cynical. But here again, I keep going back to these — the two sports in the Winter Olympics that I know best — figure skating and Nordic Combined. I really do know the kind of sacrifice that skaters, male and female, go through to earn a spot on their respected Olympic teams and the effort that’s put in, the dedication that’s required, and I know the same about the much less popular sport of Nordic Combined. And I think, I really believe, that on the whole, the lessons learned from these people who compete at that high level are beneficial to our youngsters.

John Sparks
Now Verne, no matter what the sport may be, whether we’re talking amateur or professional, the issue of drugs comes up, specifically these days performance enhancing drugs. And I’m just curious how common you think the use of steroids is among our Olympic athletes?

Verne Lundquist
Well I was optimistic about the previous question. I’m a little pessimistic and somewhat cynical about this one. It’s there, and it’s a constant race between those who find ways to mask the use of steroids or other performance enhancing drugs and those who try and catch them. We’ve seen what happened in baseball. I’m not foolish enough to think it doesn’t happen in the winter sports and the summer sports as well. I mean what track and field has gone through and may still be going through is alarming, and we’ve all heard about blood doping and other — anything it seems to me that by a certain group of people that can help you go become stronger, faster and jump higher, their level of cynicism seems to be a dominant facet of their lives. I’m going on and on here, but it bothers me. As pure as I’d like to think they are, I’m realistic enough to know that not all of them are.

John Sparks
Verne, anything else you might want to comment on concerning the Olympics which we haven’t talked about, and then I certainly want to ask you what’s going on with you these days?

Verne Lundquist
I’m heavily involved in our college basketball. I’ve got … I did a game in the West Coast last week. We had — Duke-Georgetown a week before in Washington and were blessed to have the President do commentary with Clark Kellogg and me. If I had to do one event before it’s all over for me, I’d love to get a shot at one more Olympics, either winter or summer. I’ve never done the summer, ever, ever. I’m terribly envious of Tom Hammond, who at NBC, who gets to do track and field in the summer and figure skating in the winter. That would be something I’d really love to do.

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