Do the Tony Awards matter to Americans?

Jamie BallardData Journalist
June 07, 2018, 6:30 PM GMT+0

Over half (56%) of Americans said they “definitely won’t” watch the Tonys this year.

The Tony Awards, which recognize achievement in Broadway productions, are happening on Sunday, June 10. But data from YouGov Omnibus shows that even if a play or musical wins the coveted award, it doesn’t really matter to most Americans.

Most people (61%) reported that if a play or musical wins a Tony award, they’re not any more or less likely to see it. But 17% said that they would be more likely to see a production if it wins a Tony. People who live in the Northeast (22%) were most likely to report that a play winning a Tony Award would make them more likely to go see it, compared to people in other regions of the US.

Over half (56%) of Americans said they “definitely won’t” watch the Tonys this year. Men (61%) were more likely than women (52%) to say they definitely wouldn’t be watching. Only about 1 in 5 Americans (17%) said they “definitely will” or “probably will” watch the Tonys.

When asked about their primary reasons for watching the Tonys, people said that the musical performances (11%) and seeing who wins the awards (10%) were two of the top reasons to watch. However, 67% said that the question didn’t apply to them, as they weren’t planning to watch the Tonys.

Bruce Springsteen is set to perform at the Tony Awards, and some of the Tony nominees include well-known actors including Denzel Washington, Laurie Metcalf, Tina Fey, and Amy Schumer.

A previous YouGov/Huffington Post survey found that the awards show people tend to care the most about is the Oscars (18%). But given the choice between several different awards shows, a majority of people (68%) said that they didn’t care about any of them.

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