So who do you believe?
A few weeks ago, an ESPN related independent poll showed that 71 percent of fans were in favor of athletes taking a stand on social justice issues. This week a poll by Gallup conducted over the last year claims that sports in general, largely driven by athlete activism, has plummeted. One survey played out well with one side of the political debate, the other, this past week, was played out largely in the conservative media.
Neither poll factored in the stance that NFL players took on Thursday or over the weekend, which drew boos amongst some of those actually in attendance in Kansas City or had other recent events like the stand Naomi Osaka took during her historic run at the US Open, but the question remains which is more likely to be true, and which ones will brands invested in sports take? First things first, and in looking at the ratings for NBA and NHL during the playoffs (with ratings only being a smaller factor of engagement now more than ever) the numbers show engaged and loyal interest which will keep growing as we reach the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals. While the NFL may have taken a bump on Thursday with viewer numbers, we are in the midst of a Sports Equinox of unequaled recrurrence this month, so maybe the best way to see what is true is to look end of month at overall engagement across sports? Will The Masters draw eyeballs, how will the NFL do over several weeks, what will the MLB Playoffs do with engagement, will limited college football have the casual fans eye?
And on the social engagement side, it was interesting to hear none other than Al Michaels reiterate a point as NBC neared kickoff on Thursday…
“The Players Control The Narrative.”
Now what that control plays out to be is still very much TBD. Tony Dungy pointed out during the same broadcast, and again mentioned during his work during the Notre Dame-Duke game Saturday, that the actions away from the field, and the commitment to collective listening, find raising and change, will tell the tale, not the knee jerk reaction of fans watching or even players wearing shirts or decals. The narrative of the moment is caught in those images, but images fade, and what will remain will be the collective healing across generations and backgrounds in communities large and small.
So back to the contradicting of the two polls. What do they mean? They really mean that questions when asked in a particular way, biased or in biased, and a particular time even to a wide audience, can draw different numbers. How they are used in a narrative is up to the recipient of the information. While they may portray storylines that are black or white, the reality remains that we are in a gray world, and those who listen, build consensus and form one’s own opinion will hopefully rule the day.
If you are a brand well invested in sport, you won’t run off of a poll in either direction. You will listen, watch, react, comment behind the scenes and plan accordingly to what you are hearing from the consumer because while it is true that the players do control the narrative, ultimately, it is the brands and those spending the dollars who will support the cause and the effort and the messaging. The hope is that the increased focus on social awareness continues to rise, and that the positive side of activism and athletics pushes us forward.
Our hope is that ESPN trumps Gallup, but for those in the game, both bear attention.
