Katy Perry is more popular than any of the footballers or coaches battling it out in today's Super Bowl
Katy Perry could be the most popular person on the field Sunday during the Super Bowl. Both fans and non-fans like her, and they approve of the decision to make her the halftime entertainment. In the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, there is a lot less love for some of the players and coaches.
Evaluations of NFL Super Bowl players and coaches may be suffering from a combination of fan partisanship, new scandals and the various problems the league has had to cope with in the last few years, including brain trauma among former players, accusations of domestic abuse, and – most recently – deflate-gate.
Only Seattle coach Pete Carroll gets clearly positive assessments from football fans (though Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is liked by the public overall). Roger Goodell, under fire for a vacillating response to the charges of aggravated assault against Ray Rice (first a two-game suspension, then an indefinite one, then the lifting of that suspension by a judge), and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, do a lot worse with fans than with the public.
Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman had his own problems last year, after badmouthing a Giants player after a game, and fans seem to remember. A year ago, two-thirds of those aware of his statements in an Economist/YouGov Poll found them unacceptable. This year, fans are more likely to dislike him than to like him.
This year the Seahawks are the fan favorites in a Super Bowl that a majority of Americans, and 85% of fans, say they are likely to watch. Only in the Northeast, the Patriots home, do Americans modestly support New England (33% in the Northeast are rooting for the Patriots, 28% for Seattle. Elsewhere, Seattle holds a big lead. 44% of Americans say they don’t care.
That is a great contrast from a year ago, when the Seahawks were not even close to their opponents, the Denver Broncos, in popularity. A year ago, just over a quarter of those who intended to watch the game favored Seattle; just about half wanted Denver to win. That didn’t happen, and Seattle trounced Denver, 43-8.
The love for Katy Perry, on the other hand, comes from fans, non-fans, all ages, races and genders. While only about one in ten say they the halftime show is their favorite part of the Super Bowl, most must still looking forward to it. Just about half approve of Katy Perry being selected to perform.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here.
