Trump wants sports back – but fans aren't so eager

Asked if they would feel safe attending a game before the development of a vaccine, 72% of Americans said they would not, while 12% said they would only go to games if people adhered to social distancing. Just 13% indicated that they would feel safe.

Only 36% thought the NFL season should open on time, while 46% said it shouldn’t. If some form of social distancing were to continue into the fall, 70% said the NFL should postpone its season to ensure player safety, and only 6% said the league should begin as planned. If the NFL gives players an option not to play, 20% were okay with the league going ahead.

This doesn’t mean fans don’t yearn for the days when they could watch their favorite teams and players: 53% said they missed watching live sports. Of those, only 39% said that they were finding good use of their time without watching sports, while 57% said they were bored without them. Another 4% indicated they were angry about the shutdown.

There have been some rumblings about leagues holding games

Yet respondents were willing to hew to the advice of doctors, with 61% saying the NFL’s decision to open should be made by medical experts, with only 19% saying that the league should make the call.

This seems to be the case with live events, and while most people agree with the president that they miss sports, they seem – for now – to be prioritizing public health.