Summary: A new poll conducted by UMass Lowell and The Washington Post finds that three-quarters of NFL fans believe head injuries in football are a major problem. Six in 10 respondents also said they are concerned that those injuries contribute to off-field violence.

UMass Lowell–Washington Post Poll: Most Americans See Head Injuries in Football as a Major Problem

New poll finds an overwhelming majority believes the science shows football can cause brain injuries.

A wide majority of Americans, including fans of professional football, say head injuries in the sport represent a major problem. The UMass Lowell–Washington Post survey of 1,000 adults shows that concern about brain injuries and their long-term effects is widespread, even as professional football remains the country’s most popular professional sport.

The survey reports that 77 percent of self-identified professional football fans view head injuries that cause long-term health problems as a major issue. Only 15 percent called it a minor problem and 6 percent said it was not a problem. This strong concern comes amid ongoing debate about conditions such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease often discussed in relation to repeated head trauma sustained in contact sports.

When asked whether the evidence supports a link between playing football and brain injuries, 83 percent of respondents said that connection is either certainly (45 percent) or probably (37 percent) true. Only about 10 percent said it was probably (7 percent) or certainly (3 percent) false. A majority—52 percent—also said it is certainly true that CTE is a serious public health issue, and another 28 percent said that was probably true.

Beyond concussions and CTE, the poll found broad concern about player behavior off the field. Sixty-one percent of respondents considered domestic violence involving players a major problem, and 60 percent said violence in general by players is a major concern.

Despite these concerns, professional football remains highly popular. Sixty percent of Americans say they are fans of professional football, and 31 percent describe themselves as “big fans.” Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association were the next most popular professional sports at 45 percent and 39 percent respectively. Other sports ranked lower: boxing (28 percent), mixed martial arts (25 percent), auto racing and soccer (24 percent each), ice hockey (22 percent), and WWE wrestling (14 percent).

Interest in the NFL has remained steady compared with previous years. The poll indicates that 23 percent of football fans say their interest has increased in recent years, while 19 percent say their interest has decreased. Notable demographic patterns include a greater rise in interest among younger fans: 34 percent of fans aged 18 to 39 reported increased interest, while fans aged 40 and older showed a small net decline. Women who follow football reported increased interest more often than decreased interest (25 percent increased vs. 12 percent decreased), while among men interest decreased slightly more often than it increased (25 percent decreased vs. 21 percent increased).

When former fans cited reasons for decreased interest in the NFL, political controversies were the most commonly mentioned factor. Seventeen percent pointed to player protests during the national anthem, such as those led by Colin Kaepernick. Ten percent attributed their waning interest to an increase in penalties and game delays or to a general loss of interest in sports, and 8 percent said they are simply too busy. Only 7 percent specifically cited injuries or violence on the field as the primary reason for reduced interest.

Professor Joshua Dyck, co-director of UMass Lowell’s Center for Public Opinion, summarized the finding this way: there is growing ambivalence among pro football fans. Many still love the game for social and cultural reasons but are uneasy about concussions and head-injury risks. The poll shows fans are concerned and nearly half think the league has not done enough, yet there is no clear evidence that fans are abandoning the sport.

The poll asked whether the NFL has taken sufficient action to address head injuries. Forty-five percent of respondents said the league has done too little, 40 percent said it has adequately addressed the issue, 5 percent said it has done too much, and 11 percent were uncertain.

The survey also highlighted why fans watch professional football: 71 percent said rooting for a favorite team is a major reason, and 53 percent cited the social experience of watching with friends and family. The fast pace and action of the game remain important—68 percent said game action is a major reason they watch—while only 26 percent said the hard-hitting nature of the sport is a major reason to tune in. These responses suggest that social and cultural elements of the viewing experience play a large role in football’s enduring popularity.

Additional findings

• The NFL’s most dedicated fan base is concentrated in the 40–49 age group, while the greatest increase in interest occurred among fans aged 18–39.
• College football ranks as popular as Major League Baseball among Americans and is more popular than all professional sports except the NFL.
• College basketball (35 percent) is more popular than the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, and it matches or exceeds interest in professional auto racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts among poll respondents.

About the poll: The UMass Lowell–Washington Post poll was conducted via live interviews with a random sample of 1,000 U.S. adults in English and Spanish from Aug. 14 through Aug. 21. Interviews were completed on cellular phones and landlines. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Additional methodology details and the full dataset are available from UMass Lowell’s public opinion research program.

The research team included Christine Dunkel Schetter of UMass Lowell Dornsife College; Clarissa D. Simon of NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute; Emma K. Adam of Northwestern University; and Madeleine U. Shalowitz of NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute and the University of Chicago.

Funding: The study was funded by grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Source: Christine Gillette, UMass Lowell. Image adapted from the UMass Lowell news release. Results of the polls are available through UMass Lowell’s public opinion resources.