Fans Sticking by Baseball

After the announcement that Major League Baseball’s work stoppage was over and the 2022 season would be played in full, respondents to a Seton Hall Sports Poll expressed renewed interest in the game. The results were in stark contrast to a poll conducted in December 2021.

The good news for baseball: by a nearly 3-1 margin, (51 percent to 18 percent) sports fans say the work stoppage did not reduce their interest in MLB. Among self-described “avid fans,” the margin for those who said they had not had their interest reduced was 58-24 percent, and among casual fans 49-14 percent. Among the general population, the number was 35-10 percent.

The Seton Hall Sports Poll was conducted March 11-14 across the United States using a national representative sample weighted according to gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. The Poll featured 1,528 adult respondents with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.

The results in December of 2021 were not nearly as optimistic for baseball, when a full 30 percent of sports fans claimed reduced interest compared to just 18 percent in this most recent poll. Among avid fans the numbers and contrast were even greater with 44 percent reporting reduced interest in December 2021 compared to just 24 percent now – a 20 point drop. Among the general population, the reduced interest number dropped from 19 percent (December) to 10 percent (now).

“Sometimes a stitch in time really can save nine,” said Professor Charles Grantham, Director of the Center for Sport Management within Seton Hall’s Stillman School of Business, which sponsors the Poll. “The numbers show that Major League Baseball needed to get this done and did so without a moment to spare. The owners seemingly know that there is too much competition for viewers, both within sports and without, to risk the fans and sponsor’s interest. And the players clearly wanted to play and earn their full salaries – as evidenced by them outvoting their own negotiating committee.”