7/12: Yankees “Top of the Heap” To Repeat

As the 2010 All-Star game approaches, marking the proverbial midway of the Major League Baseball season, baseball fans across the country are weighing in on which team will win the World Series this year.  The New York Yankees take the top spot with 29% of fans saying they will take home another World Series trophy.  11% think the Boston Red Sox will be victorious in the Fall Classic and 5% say the Philadelphia Phillies will win it all.  Rounding out the top five are the LA Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals, each garnering 4%.  20% of baseball fans mentioned some other Major League Baseball team as their pick for World Series winner, and 27% are unsure.

©istockphoto.com/albtraum

©istockphoto.com/albtraum

When Marist last asked this question in April, the results were similar.   The top three remain the same with 33% of fans giving the Bronx Bombers the World Series nod.  11% picked the Red Sox, and 6% pitched for the Phillies.  There has been one change to the top five.   Since the beginning of the season, the Chicago Cubs have struck out.  In April, the Cubs slid into the top five with 3% picking them as World Series winners.  The same proportion of baseball fans favored the St. Louis Cardinals.  At that time, 12% chose another team and 32% were unsure.

Table: Team Favored to Win the World Series

Instant Replay Hits Homerun Among Fans

Currently instant replay is used to review homeruns — fair or foul, over the fence or not, and fan interference.  But, with a season that’s been riddled with controversy over questionable umpiring, Commissioner Bud Selig and Major League Baseball may need to look into expanding the use of instant replay.  What do baseball fans think about this?  Nearly three-quarters — 73% — think it’s a good idea for instant replay to be used to review other plays.  23% think it’s a bad idea and 4% are unsure.

America’s pastime is not passing time for a majority of Americans.  54% say they do not watch or follow professional baseball at all.  This compares to the 46% who say they pay attention to baseball at least a little.  This includes 8% who say they watch a great deal, another 8% who follow a good amount, and 30% who take in a little of the Major League Baseball season.  This is relatively unchanged from Marist’s early April survey when 48% of residents across the country said they pay attention to professional baseball at least a little bit, while a majority – 52% – said they don’t follow at all.

Could baseball become outdated as America’s pastime?  Future baseball fans may be few and far between.  Just 28% of U.S. residents age 18 to 29 are baseball fans.  Older Americans are more likely to watch the game, at least a little.  Included here are 49% of those 30 to 44, a majority — 55% — of those 45 to 59, and 48% of those 60 and older.

Table: Instant Replay in Baseball
Table: Baseball Fans

Marist Poll Methodology