Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University recently conducted their national snapshot poll in partnership with OH Predictive Insights to identify the attitudes of the general public towards the new rules about college athletes’ Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and their reasons behind supporting or opposing the NIL rule.

The poll also goes on to inquire about what the public thinks are the best practices for implementation of the NIL rule, and seeks to identify the public’s perception of the demographic groups that will benefit most from the implementation of allowing college athletes to profit from their NIL.

“We’re still in the very early stages of observing how these new rules will impact all of the stakeholders involved,” said Kenneth L. Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University. “Those of us who work in sport have been players and spectators in this debate for some time, but we wanted to understand more about how others around the country are perceiving this. It will be interesting to look at this baseline in comparison to how the developments that happen over the next year.”

Ahead of the public release of the poll, Sportico was granted an exclusive look at the data, publishing “NIL Pays Off in Court of Public Opinion, New Survey Says” by Emily Caron. The full results of the poll can be found on the Global Sport Institute website, with an accompanying Global Sport Matters digital issue, “NIL & the Future of College Sports” which will be released on December 7th, with more content released throughout the month.

Key Takeaways:
53% said they supported new NIL rules
64% of colleges sports fans support NIL rules
51% said they would watch the same amount of college sports
40% are unsure about the role coaches and universities should play in crafting NIL deals
Respondents agree that NIL income should be taxed (73%) and that there should be universal rules regarding N-I-L (52%). However, there is less agreement whether athletes should be allowed to unionize (31%) or whether the new rule should apply to international students (22%)
African American respondents are more favorable of college sports due to the new rules, and there will be a significant increase of sports watching by African American males. However, non-white respondents think white male athletes benefit more than nonwhite male athletes from the rule, whereas white respondents think all males, regardless of their ethnicities, will benefit equally from the new rules.

About Global Sport Institute
The Global Sport Institute is where diverse disciplines converge to thoughtfully examine critical issues impacting sport. As a cross-disciplinary enterprise, the institute's efforts are integrated throughout the entire university rather than within a single concentration. With an emphasis on expanding research, sharing knowledge, supporting innovation and advancing education, the institute’s mission is to use sport to create positive change throughout the world.
Methodology: This national survey was conducted by OH Predictive Insights between October 21st – October 28th, 2021 from a nationwide general population (18+-year-old) sample. The sample size was 1,800 completed surveys, with an MoE of ± 2.31%. All respondents were given the option to take the survey in English or Spanish. The sample demographics accurately reflected the target population’s age, gender, region, and ethnicity according to population statistics derived from recent US Census data for US adults. This survey was conducted via an opt-in online panel.

Questions about methodology: Mike Noble, OH Predictive Insights, [email protected], (480) 313-1837

About OH Predictive Insights: As a nonpartisan market research, predictive analytics, and public opinion polling firm, Phoenix-based OH Predictive Insights provides accurate polling, focus groups, data analytics, and advanced targeted marketing to political and non-political clients alike. With leading professionals in the advertising, communication, polling, and political arenas, OH Predictive Insights will service political and non-political clients looking to improve their footing on key stakeholders and consumers. For more information, please call 602-362-5694 or submit a request online.