Povich Sports and Politics Poll
In March 2021, the Povich Center launched a national sports and politics poll in collaboration with the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at UMD and The Washington Post.
The Povich Center is integrating the poll initiative into the educational experience of students in a variety of ways. Polls will provide troves of proprietary data for student reporting projects. In addition, students will help choose poll topics and the Povich Center will host panels and conversations that focus on poll results.
Each year, it's anticipated there will be as many as two Povich Center-CDCE-Washington Post polls.
The first poll was conducted March 12-18, 2021 among a random national sample of 1,500 adults and addressed topics including attendance at live sports events during the pandemic and issues related to disruptions occurring in youth sports.
- Some fans wary of return to live baseball, Povich Center-CDCE-Post poll finds by Jacob Steinberg for Capital News Service
- Fans in the Stands by Eric Harkleroad, Anton Van De Motter and Adam Marton for Capital News Service
- Post-UMD poll: Fewer than half of Americans feel comfortable attending sports in person by Rick Maese and Scott Clement for The Washington Post
- Post-UMD poll: Six in 10 parents say loss of sports affected kids’ emotional well-being by Roman Stubbs and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Povich Center Announces Sports and Politics Poll Collaboration With Washington Post, UMD Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement
- Panel: Fans in the Stands
- How do Americans feel about the anthem at sporting events? It depends which Americans you ask By Michael Lee, Scott Clement, Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Baseball fans reflect on national anthem following Povich Center-CDCE-Post poll by Jennifer Mandato and Madison Peek for Capital News Service
The second poll was conducted online May 4-17, 2022 using a random national sample of 1,503 adults and addressed topics including allowing transgender female athletes to play sports against other girls and women at the professional, college and high school levels.
- Most Americans oppose trans athletes in female sports, poll finds by Tara Bahrampour, Scott Clement and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Most Americans support gender equity in sports scholarships, poll finds by Liz Clarke, Scott Clement and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Fairness, mental health are concerns in debate over transgender women in competitive sports by Varun Shankar for Capital News Service
- NIL hasn’t made a difference for most in enjoyment of college sports, poll finds by Emily Giambalvo, Scott Clement and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Support for legal sports betting grows, Post-UMD poll finds by Ben Strauss and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Most approve of legalized sports wagering, but concerns over college games remain by Varun Shankar for CNS
The third poll was conducted online from Aug. 17-23, 2023 using a random sample of 1,584 adults and addressed topics including attitudes about high school athletes and athletes before high school profiting from endorsements.
- Athletes’ advocacy for voting rights garners broad support, poll finds by By Sapna Bansil and Emily Guskin for The Washington Post
- Americans are uneasy about Middle East sports push, Post-UMD poll finds by Rick Maese and Scott Clement for The Washington Post
- Poll: NIL deals for high school athletes favored by most; support is greatest among Blacks and Hispanics by Olivia Janik for CNS
- For high school athletes in Maryland and beyond, it’s early days for NIL by Nicky Walcott for CNS