THE BOOK--Playing The Percentages In Baseball

According to the article:

“In the survey of more than 2,000 people, conducted in December, 36 percent said pro football was their favorite sport, while 13 percent said baseball and 13 percent said college football.”

I think there may be some bias in the survey since it was conducted in December, a month full of football (final weeks of the NFL and College Bowls) and not baseball at all.

I agree.  I don’t doubt football would still come out #1, but I think baseball picks up some points if this is a summer study. I know I’ve waffled over this many times and really think my vote did swing depending on the season.

Of course, any poll such as this is always reported so that the main storyline is baseball’s ranking, and it then becomes fodder for the baseball is dying crowd.

I know that when I see a headline that says “Americans choose pizza over hamburgers as favorite fast foot”, I run out and short McDonald’s and Burger King stock.

i would be more surprised if the numbers suggested football was any less popular. but that means little for the general “health” of the sport in america. people follow and spend bucks on multiple sports. im sure if the poll was take 10 imaginary fan points and assign them in whatever proportion to a list of 20 sports or whatever, baseball would fare much better. but forced to pick just one favorite and more people pick football. i would. doesnt mean im any less of a baseball fan or make baseball any less popular a sport.

Surveys have lots of problems, one of which is that people often don’t say what they actually do.

We should be looking at actual TV viewership and attendance data. I’m sure that will still have football as #1, but it obviates the need for a survey.