NFL domestic violence not dissuading most football fans from watching games

Eric Edholm
NFL domestic violence not dissuading most football fans from watching games

Are Americans bothered by the recent rash of domestic abuse cases that have plagued the NFL? No, it appears they're rather unbothered, at least in terms of how it affects their enjoyment of professional football action.

According to an NBC News/Marist poll, nearly 90 percent polled say the recent scourge of violence hasn't had much of an effect on their football viewing, and fewer than a third of those polled believes commissioner Roger Goodell needs to resign.

So there's that.

These are football fans who feel this way — nearly six out of 10 polled called themselves as much. Interestingly, the majority (53 percent of Americans, 57 percent of football fans) do disapprove of the way the league has handled the domestic-violence incidents.

Another "wow" number: The percentage of men disapproving of the NFL's handling of the domestic abuse cases (55 percent) is higher than than women (50 percent) who feel that way.

When you see numbers as low as these — 29 percent believe Goodell should resign — it's hard to think that he'll lose his gig unless new, more damaging news emerges.

The bottom line of the poll spells things out pretty clearly: None of this ugliness has really made a big hit on people's TV-watching habits as they relate to the NFL. A whopping 86 percent of fans say the amount of pro football they watch hasn't changed. Only 11 percent of fans claim they’re less likely to watch games, and 3 percent — who are these people ... wrestling fans? actual Vikings? — say they actually are now more likely to watch NFL action.      

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!