Around one-third of National Football League fans have an unfavorable view of the league, according to a WG Sports Survey released Friday.
The results:
- 32 percent of NFL fans (who watch two or more games per season) view the sport unfavorably, while 63 percent view the NFL favorably.
- The NFL has the highest "unfavorable" rating among sports, with only the National Basketball Association (NBA) coming close to that unfavorable rating, with 17 percent unfavorable.
- The NFL's favorable ratings were higher at the beginning of the season: In September, the NFL was 68 percent favorable among all men, and 73 percent among men 35 to 54.
That number amid issues in the sport such as players taking a knee during the national anthem to protest issues including racism. Male fans appear to have left and not returned, according to the poll.
- Males 35-54: 73 percent favorable on Aug. 29-30, 48 percent favorable Oct. 31-Nov.1.
- Males 55-plus: 64 percent favorable on Aug. 29-30, 39 percent favorable Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
The decline also can be seen among women fans of the NFL, but the drop is not as steep.
- 48 percent of women gave the NFL a favorable rating in the Aug. 29-30 poll, while 41 judged it favorable in the Oct. 31-Nov.1 poll.
Other sports have higher favorable ratings and lower unfavorable ratings among fans, according to the survey:
- College football: 87 percent favorable, 9 percent unfavorable.
- Major League Baseball: 87 percent favorable, 6 percent unfavorable.
- College basketball: 83 percent favorable, 10 percent unfavorable.
- NASCAR: 92 percent favorable, 4 percent unfavorable.
The WG survey polled 1,000 registered voters from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
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