To: All Interested Parties
From: John E. McLaughlin, Jr., McLaughlin & Associates
Date: October 13, 2017
Re: October National Poll Results – NFL National Anthem Controversy
Two-Thirds (64%) of voters support NFL owners requiring players to stand for the national anthem and 36% of voters are less likely to watch the NFL because of the controversy
Two out of three voters (64%) support NFL owners like Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Steve Ross of the Miami Dolphins for requiring their players to stand for the national anthem, with the intensity, half of voters, saying they strongly support . Only 1 in 4 oppose (28%). More than 6 in 10 voters across the East (62%), Midwest (65%), South (65%) and West (62%) support this requirement, this is a very partisan issue as 9 out of 10 Trump voters said they support the requirement, while 1 in 20 oppose. Comparatively, Clinton voters oppose the requirement, 5 to 4. These statistics are mirrored within the political parties: 9 out of 10 Republicans support, just 1 in 20 oppose; Democrats oppose, 8 to7; while Independents match the overall figures of more than 6 in 10 supporting with just 1 in 4 opposed. Similarly to Independents, voters who are undecided in the election for Congress next November support, 3 to 1. Nine in ten conservatives support, while 3 in 5 moderates do as well. Liberals are opposed, 5 to 4. Two-thirds of both White and Hispanic voting blocs support the requirement, while African Americans are slightly opposed. Slightly more men, 2 out of 3, support it, compared to 3 in 5 women. Married voters are more supportive than single voters as 7 in 10 support. However, the education level of voters doesn’t have an impact on support as two thirds of both college graduates and non-college graduates support owners requiring players to stand.
While the plurality of voters, 4 in 10 (42%), say the national anthem controversy has made no difference as to whether they’ll watch NFL football games, almost 3 in 10 (28%) say the controversy has made them much less likely to watch NFL football games. That’s double the number of voters who said they were much more likely (14%). In total 36% of voters say the protests have made them less likely to watch the NFL compared to just 21% of those who said more likely.
Across the country more voters are less likely to watch the NFL than are more likely. The majority of Democrats say the protests don’t make a difference as to whether they watch NFL football. However, the majority of Republicans say the protests have made them less likely to watch the NFL. At a rate of almost 6 to 1 conservatives are less likely to watch the NFL than are more likely, compared to the 3 to 1 rate that liberals are more likely to watch the NFL than are less likely. More than 4 to 1 Trump voters say less likely versus the 2 to 1 rate at which Clinton voters are more likely to watch the NFL. Republicans are less likely to watch NFL football games by more than 3 to 1 while Democrats are more likely, 3 to 2.
White voters are less likely to watch, 3 to 1, while African-Americans are more likely by almost 3 to 1. While African-Americans may have the largest stake in this question, the plurality says the protests made no difference as to whether they watch NFL football games or not. Hispanics are more likely to watch the NFL. Older voters, voters who are over 55, are 4 times less likely to watch the NFL than more likely. Voters under 55 are also less likely to watch the NFL. Married voters are 2 times less likely to watch the NFL, while single voters are split. Voters who do not have a college degree are more than 2 times less likely to watch than more, with college graduates also less likely to watch. Women are actually less likely to watch the NFL than men are. Voters who said they would vote for a Republican candidate for Congress next November are less likely to watch the NFL, 3 to 1, as are voters who are undecided on their vote for Congress. Those who said they would vote for the Democratic candidate are more likely to watch, 3 to 2.
Demographics:
| Party | TOTAL |
| Republican | 33.0 |
| Democrat | 36.0 |
| Independent | 31.0 |
| Race | TOTAL |
| Hispanic | 11.1 |
| African American | 12.1 |
| Asian | 4.0 |
| White | 71.0 |
| Age | TOTAL |
| 18 – 29 | 18.9 |
| 30 – 40 | 18.8 |
| 41 – 55 | 26.5 |
| 56 – 65 | 19.6 |
| Over 65 | 16.2 |
| Gender | TOTAL |
| Male | 47.0 |
| Female | 53.0 |
To view this memo as a PDF – National – Memo – NFL National Anthem Controversy – 10-13-17
