Poll: NFL Fans Uneasy About Lockout
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – While the NFL will remain the most popular sport in the country, regardless of when the lockout ends; there are cracks starting to show in the professional football fan base.
A new Harris Poll survey found that 19 percent of Americans will be less likely to watch the NFL when the season begins. The survey also found that more than 10 percent are much less likely to watch the NFL when football starts again.
In a unique twist in the survey findings, men were more likely than women to say they are less likely to watch football when it returns by a 22-16 percent margin.
Still, the NFL isn't concerned with what the average fan thinks about the current state of affairs in the league.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't been able to forge a deal and make the owners like it, and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has been equally hard-headed in solving the labor problem.
Now, both sides are happy to let the federal court system decide the outcome and both sides are more than happy to be party to severely damaging the game they are lucky to be either playing or in charge of today.
And with fans facing high unemployment, high gas prices, declining home values, and other problems; the league and it's players shouldn't expect any sympathy while they fight over how to divide up $9 billion a year.
