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Poll: Fans Sound Off On If They Would Feel Safe Attending Games

 

Poll: Fans won't feel safe at games without virus vaccine

Some of the findings from the Seton Hall Sports Poll in which 762 U.S. adults reached by phone April 6-8 were asked their thoughts during the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down the nation's sports calendar. Of the respondents, 54% said they followed sports closely or very closely, while 46% said they didn't follow sports closely or didn't follow sports at all. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

 

 

FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-GERMANY-HEALTH-VIRUS
Cardboard cut-outs with portraits of Borussia Moenchegladbach's supporters are seen at the Borussia Park football stadium in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, on April 16, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - Large-scale public events such as football matches will remain banned in Germany until August 31 due to the coronavirus crisis, Berlin said on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, though it did not rule out allowing Bundesliga games to continue behind closed doors. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

 

GOING TO GAMES?

— 72% of those responding said they wouldn't feel safe attending games without a COVID-19 vaccine. That number dropped to 61% among those who identified themselves as sports fans. Overall, 12% said they would feel safe with social distancing while 13% said they would feel safe attending games like they had in the past.

RESPONDING TO THE VIRUS

— 76% felt professional sports leagues in the United States acted at the right time to suspend their seasons, while 16% thought the leagues didn't react quickly enough. Only 6% said the decisions were made too quickly.

— Asked if the International Olympic Committee acted too quickly rescheduling the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to 2021, 84% of respondent said no.

 

 

FBL-BELARUS-VIRUS-HEALTH
A football fan have his temperature checked before the Belarus Championship football match between FC Dynamo-Brest and FC Isloch in the town of Brest, some 370 km southwest of Minsk, on April 12, 2020. - Belarus continue its championship despite all the leagues in Europe cancelled it to curb the spread of the COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. As most people in Europe are confined to their homes, life goes on as usual in Belarus where even football is continuing -- though fears are growing over the leader's contentious response to COVID-19. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images)

 

NFL SEASON

— 70% said the NFL shouldn't start in the fall to ensure the safety of players, even if some form of social distancing is still in place. And 20% said the season should start with players being allowed to choose not to play, while 6% said the league should start as planned.

PLAYING AT ALL?

— 40% said sports shouldn't be played for the remainder of 2020. For those who said sports should be played, 12% said it should happen with fans present, 23% with restricted attendance and 21% with no fans present.

 

 

MLB Considers Arizona Minor League Stadiums For Possible 2020 Season
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: General view inside of the Milwaukee Brewers spring training facility, American Family Fields of Phoenix on April 07, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. According to reports, Major League Baseball is considering a scenario in which all 30 of its teams play an abbreviated regular season without fans in Arizona's various baseball facilities, including Chase Field and 10 spring training venues. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

 

WATCHING LIVE GAMES

— 76% said they would have the same interest watching a broadcast of live sports played without fans; 16% would be less interested and 7% would be more interested.

 

© 2020 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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