Poll: A majority of Americans say sponsors should dump the NFL over scandals


More bad news for the National Football League: In a new poll from Reuters/Ipsos, 54 percent of respondents said brands should drop their sponsorship of the NFL, including 30 percent who said those severed ties should be permanent. Only 20 percent said the brands should do nothing. There was a perhaps predictable gender split in the responses, with 58 percent of women and 49 percent of men urging sponsors to dump the NFL over its bungled domestic violence scandals.
And some good news for the league: Almost 80 percent of respondents said they will continue to watch or attend NFL games. In fact, the NFL's televised viewership is up so far this year, according to Nielsen, to more than 18 million people a week, from last season's average viewership of 17.4 million people.
One poll respondent, 79-year-old Curvin Rohler of Henderson, Nevada, captures the mixed message the public is sending. "The only way to hurt the NFL and get its attention is with money," he said. But "it hasn't gotten to the point to where I would not watch it."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
June 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons include war on a loop, the New York City mayoral race, and one almighty F-bomb
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Thunder beat Pacers to clinch NBA Finals
Speed Read Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
-
Why is the NFL considering banning the 'tush push' play?
Today's Big Question The play is widely used by the Philadelphia Eagles, to other teams' chagrin
-
MLB lifts ban on Pete Rose, other dead players
speed read 16 deceased players banned for gambling and other scandals can now be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess champion
Speed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fans
Speed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said
-
New York wins WNBA title, nearly nabs World Series
Speed Read The Yankees with face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the upcoming Fall Classic