Boston Globe Bruins now distant 4th in N.E. Sports Survey

[Fenway]

No surprise the Pats are #1 with the Red Sox at #2. Celtics had a surprisingly low score at #3.

The Patriots are still the most popular team around here, and other sports survey takeaways - The Boston Globe

■ Colorful Eck: Dennis Eckersley was best known for collecting saves in his Hall of Fame baseball career, but he’s piling up the wins in this category. Eck was named the favorite television play-by-play announcer or color analyst for the third year in a row, and for the second straight year he earned 25 percent of the vote. Dave O’Brien, his partner on NESN’s Red Sox broadcasts, was second (22 percent). No word on how the write-in campaign for Don Orsillo fared.

Celtics voice Mike Gorman, who is as good as it gets on NBA play-by-play, was third (14 percent).

This really ought to be broken up into separate play-by-play and analyst categories.

■ Radio waves: The top four favorite local radio personalities all came from 98.5 The Sports Hub: Michael Felger (20 percent), Marc Bertrand (15 percent), Scott Zolak (15 percent, and also voted the favorite radio play-by-play voice or color analyst), and Tony Massarotti (11) percent.

Lou Merloni was the first WEEI personality on the list, at 10 percent. But WEEI’s “OMF” show, which includes Merloni, Christian Fauria, and Glenn Ordway and recently moved into afternoon drive in an attempt to challenge The Sports Hub’s long-dominant “Felger and Mazz” show, did come in third in most popular show (17 percent), trailing “Felger and Mazz” (24 percent) and “Zolak and Bertrand” (22 percent).

Click to read more...

 

[mikelvl]

I could care less about these silly polls. Dombrowski will crash over the next couple of years when they turn to their barren farm system and realize that the well is dry. Belichick is a legend and kudos to Ainge/Stevens for their hard work. Doesn't mean the Bruins are poor or struggling by any stretch. The fans of each team will always be there.

 

[Fossy21]

That's a big drop for a team that finished #3 overall in the league and once again lost to the team that lost the ECF in 7 games to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion, and yet again with quite significant injuries on D. More of a credit to the C's and Red Sox, I'd say. More surprised the Revolutions garnered 2% of the votes twice in three years.

 

[Kate08]

Guess not as many people actually hate Felger as claim to.

 

[Salem13]

Polls

Answered by people who still have a land line and have a few minutes for a couple of questions during dinner.

I really have no connection to the persons who have time for a poll.

 

[Kate08]

Polls

Answered by people who still have a land line and have a few minutes for a couple of questions during dinner.

I really have no connection to the persons who have time for a poll.

Do you know for a fact that's the methodology they use? Seems pretty unlikely in 2018.

 

[Salem13]

Do you know for a fact that's the methodology they use? Seems pretty unlikely in 2018.

It's probably not the true methodology but it's still an accurate illustration of why I distrust polls.

 

[Fenway]

Do you know for a fact that's the methodology they use? Seems pretty unlikely in 2018.

Methodology:
How the Study Was Conducted:

This study was executed between August 9, 2018 and August 20, 2018. The survey was conducted online using independent list sources (none of which was associated with any team, television and/or radio station and was NOT the same sample utilized in previous surveys). Respondents were invited to participate in the survey via an email invitation and each participant could only access the survey once.
In total, the average survey lasted 18 minutes. A drawing for a number of $250.00 Visa gift cards were used to encourage response. The results for the 16,007 qualified surveys are contained in this report.

All Respondents in This Study:
❖Were from one of the following states: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, or VT
❖Followed at least one professional sports team at least HALF of the time
❖Were males/females over the age of 18 years (one per household only)
❖Completed the entire survey (partial surveys were eliminated from the results)
Note: Where applicable results from this survey are compared with previous years

Market research is utilized to collect data at a specific moment in time. It is a realistic look at the opinions, comments and attitudes of a given population at the time the survey is taken. When using market research it is important to note that it is not an exact science and often is subject to respondents’ emotions at the time of the survey or polling. Market research is an excellent tool for understanding how specific groups of a population think and act and how changes/modifications made based on their responses can affect their future behavior.

The base sizes of this survey make this research significant and this survey has a margin of error of +/- 2% and confidence level of 98%.

Here is the complete survey

 

[hoss75]

The less popular the Bruins are, the less I'll be bugged by people at the office trying to pretend to talk hockey.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

tickets got too expensive and then they went into a mini rebuild. what do you expect.

 

[PlayMakers]

Looks about right to me.

IMHO, the Bruins have gotten away from the things that have make them popular, historically. They're not a really active/busy hitting team, they don't have any splashy hitters, they don't have a dedicated tough guy, or guys that are dominant, active and eager to engage... That physical, intimidating element is gone and like it or not, it added a sub context and another level of drama and entertainment.

I know, this is the part where we all claim to be enlightened pacifists and get on record saying that none of that matters to me. Honestly, I was not an avid fan of the fight game either, but I have to admit I did loved the rock 'em sock 'em element those teams had. And I think you're lying if you say you weren't laughing like the Joker when Lucic dared Burrows to bite his finger and see what happens... or when Marchand clothes lined Ehrhoff, low bridged Daniel Sedin and then dropped the gloves with Ballard. You know you're sitting there right now grinning ear to ear thinking about Marchand punching Henrik in the face over and over!

I'm not blaming anybody. I know the game has changed and the Bruins have tried to change with it. I'm just saying I think those changes are why they're less popular to the casual Bruins fan. Boychuk gone, Thornton gone, Lucic gone,in 2015 when the decline in the poll starts...

 

[Fenian24]

Looks about right to me.

IMHO, the Bruins have gotten away from the things that have make them popular, historically. They're not a really active/busy hitting team, they don't have any splashy hitters, they don't have a dedicated tough guy, or guys that are dominant, active and eager to engage... That physical, intimidating element is gone and like it or not, it added a sub context and another level of drama and entertainment.

I know, this is the part where we all claim to be enlightened pacifists and get on record saying that none of that matters to me. Honestly, I was not an avid fan of the fight game either, but I have to admit I did loved the rock 'em sock 'em element those teams had. And I think you're lying if you say you weren't laughing like the Joker when Lucic dared Burrows to bite his finger and see what happens... or when Marchand clothes lined Ehrhoff, low bridged Daniel Sedin and then dropped the gloves with Ballard. You know you're sitting there right now grinning ear to ear thinking about Marchand punching Henrik in the face over and over!

I'm not blaming anybody. I know the game has changed and the Bruins have tried to change with it. I'm just saying I think those changes are why they're less popular to the casual Bruins fan. Boychuk gone, Thornton gone, Lucic gone,in 2015 when the decline in the poll starts...

Thanks you saved me a great deal of time and probably did a better job of summarizing my feelings. A less physical brand of hockey with less hitting and fighting is apparently not as popular as some would like us to believe. I don't just put the blame on the Bruins, I blame the game as a whole.

In my 4o plus years of being a fan I have never seen a league treat it's fans as poorly as the NHL or have an ability to shoot itself in the foot like this league does. If the trend continues towards non physical hockey I wonder where the game will be in 5 years and if the fans that the league always felt were out their in the millions but wouldn't watch because of the fighting and hitting don't suddenly start watching and attending games?

 

[Fenway]

These are the most telling numbers. The Patriots are reaping the harvest as they have been a legitimate contender for 17 years and counting. The Red Sox don't seem to have the emotional attachment of younger fans replacing the ones who have gone to the big skybox in the sky.

The Revolution have their hardcore base and that is it.

 

[GordonHowe]

1] I remember when the Patriots were a *joke.* Yes, they've been front running since 2001-2002, but they remain front runners nonetheless. Park your ass in front of the TV Sunday sixteen times a season for four hours. Wow. Devoted fans.

2] The Three Sport Media as embodied by CHB have always had a vested interest in promoting the Sox. And since 2004, Pink Hats have been on this bandwagon, too. Surprise!

3] The Celtics? No problem there. Good luck to them.

4] Bruins: I'll quote Felger for the first & last time: "Casual fans? *We don't need you.*

Don't let 'em fool you. This is a hockey town, and it always has been .

 

[DarrenBanks56]

If all 4 teams sucked ass. I still think only bruins and sox would have the most fans.

 

[Blowfish]

NFL on decline. Can’t stomach the game announcers and commercials. It’s absolute trash.

Give me hockey and NCAA bball!

 

[DKH]

Bruins and hockey are cults

They may not like the lack of popularity but I do

Good to see- if I could write the script this is exactly how it goes