New poll shows wariness not just toward reopening Broadway, but also concerts in large venues and professional sports
In yesterday's (print) New York Times, Poll Shows One Hurdle to Reopening Broadway: Fear of Jerks described a New York Times/Siena College Research Institute poll, administered to New York State voters between May 17 and May 21, which "showed a wariness of attending live theater performances, and pop and classical music concerts if they were to resume around Sept. 1."
The article's focus was on the increasing doubts that fans and presenters have about Broadway shows coming back, given concerns about health risks, safety protocols, and awkward social distancing.
However, as noted below, the poll also showed wariness toward sports and concerts in large venues, which has to worry the operators of Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden, and more.
Sports fans somewhat more optimistic
The article only touched on other types of events:
Looking more closely
I took a look at the underlying report from Siena College. Asked if they'd attend "concerts in large venues" if they opened by Sept. 1, only 27% of respondents said they'd be very likely or somewhat likely to attend, with 46% firmly stating they'd stay away.
Regarding professional sports, only 39% of respondents--note this is overall, not regular sports fans--said they'd be very likely or somewhat likely to attend, with a firm 49% saying they'd stay away.
Note that the poll did not make a distinction between indoor and outdoor venues--surely the latter are considered safer.
Asked about what steps could be taken regarding live indoor venues to induce confidence in attending, large majorities agreed everyone should be required to wear a face mask (78%), seating should leave 6 feet of separation (72%), and the venue should be professionally sanitized after each performance (90%).
As noted in the Times article, those politically conservative showed somewhat less wariness toward reopening than those identifying as liberal, but the difference seems not as stark as in some other states. Also, older respondents were understandably more wary than younger ones.
The article's focus was on the increasing doubts that fans and presenters have about Broadway shows coming back, given concerns about health risks, safety protocols, and awkward social distancing.
However, as noted below, the poll also showed wariness toward sports and concerts in large venues, which has to worry the operators of Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden, and more.
Sports fans somewhat more optimistic
The article only touched on other types of events:
Fall was not as daunting a prospect for the sports fans who said that they went to at least one or two games last year. Some 48 percent of those fans said they would be likely to return around Sept. 1, perhaps because many of those venues are outdoors.That still seems daunting, even for football and baseball: it means more than half of fans would stay away. Even given the likelihood that capacity would be drastically reduced, it indicates considerable uncertainty.
Looking more closely
I took a look at the underlying report from Siena College. Asked if they'd attend "concerts in large venues" if they opened by Sept. 1, only 27% of respondents said they'd be very likely or somewhat likely to attend, with 46% firmly stating they'd stay away.
Regarding professional sports, only 39% of respondents--note this is overall, not regular sports fans--said they'd be very likely or somewhat likely to attend, with a firm 49% saying they'd stay away.
Note that the poll did not make a distinction between indoor and outdoor venues--surely the latter are considered safer.
Asked about what steps could be taken regarding live indoor venues to induce confidence in attending, large majorities agreed everyone should be required to wear a face mask (78%), seating should leave 6 feet of separation (72%), and the venue should be professionally sanitized after each performance (90%).
As noted in the Times article, those politically conservative showed somewhat less wariness toward reopening than those identifying as liberal, but the difference seems not as stark as in some other states. Also, older respondents were understandably more wary than younger ones.
Comments
Post a Comment