A poll was taken on Monday, the day after the numerous protests by NFL players during the Sunday games. The survey of Western New Yorkers was conducted by the Buffalo-based Big Daddy Strategies in conjunction with Remington Research Group. As the poll was conducted only in Western New York, the questions and answers pertained to the Buffalo Bills.
A total of 1,390 adults who are likely to vote in general elections were polled. Of these 1,390 people, 71 percent of respondents disagreed with players kneeling or otherwise protesting while the national anthem is being played. These respondents agreed there were other times players can protest other than during the playing of the anthem. Only 23 percent agreed the timing of player protests was acceptable.
In what could be financially costly to the NFL and the Bills, about half of the respondents said they were less likely to watch Buffalo Bills games in the future. And 28 percent said they are likely to watch more football in the future.
Another finding that cannot make the Bills too happy is that a little less than half (46 percent) of respondents told the pollsters they watch less football these days than in previous seasons. When asked why, 71 percent replied it was because the NFL is using the game to promote their political views.
Unlike other polls being touted in the mainstream media, 50 percent of those polled said Trump was right in saying players who protest while the national anthem is being played should be fired. 44 percent said these players should be allowed to keep their jobs.
Christopher Grant, of Big Dog Strategies said, “The NFL and the Buffalo Bills have a serious problem. Because of these protests, voters are watching less football than previous years, and they are less likely to watch Buffalo Bills games. In a region where football is king, the crown is clearly under siege.” (Big Dog Strategies)
The NFL and its players are acting exactly the same way politicians do. The views of voters only count when these politicos are facing re-election. The views of football fans are being ignored in the same way the wishes of voters usually are. Only if and when they are hit with a bad bottom line will things change.
The unknown in all this is whether those fans who now say they will not watch Buffalo Bills games will go back to watching once their anger subsides, even if these protests continue. And despite the fact the first protest was conducted by Colin Kaepernick during the Obama administration, it is probable these protests will continue as long as Donald Trump is in the White House. Not everyone can be an Erich Nikischer.
Nikischer, a corrections officer, worked part time in the Buffalo stadium for almost 30 years. On Sunday, after the national anthem was completed, he took off his Buffalo Bills shirt, threw his Bills hat on the ground, quit his job and walked out. Nikischer believes the players have a right to protest but not while the national anthem is being played. He told WGRZ, “I will never step foot in that place again, I will never watch another NFL football game again until this ends. (WGRZ, Sept. 25)
Hopefully, enough people will avoid the NFL long enough to make it really hurt.
And there is one more thing that the NFL and the sports media fail to recognize. People watch sports to take a break from their everyday lives that often includes politics. The Big Dog Strategies poll found an overwhelming 82 percent of respondents feel there is too much politics in sporting events. The remaining 18 percent think there should be the same or more politics in sports.
The poll is considered to have an accuracy of 95 percent with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.62 percent.
The entire poll can be read here.
