November 20, 1997 - Connecticut Voters Nix UCONN Stadium 2 - 1, Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; Most Back More State Spending For Higher Education By a 62 - 31 percent margin, Connecticut voters oppose a plan to spend $107 million to build a new football stadium for the University of Connecticut, according to a Quinnipiac College Poll released today. Seven percent are undecided. Men oppose the stadium plan 57 - 37 percent, while women oppose it 66 - 26 percent. Self-described UConn football fans split 46 - 47 percent on the stadium proposal. But 63 percent of voters say state spending on educational programs at state universities should be increased, while 2 percent want to cut spending and 32 percent say keep it at the same level, the poll by the independent Quinnipiac College finds. Thirty-nine percent of voters say they are college football fans and 40 percent say they are UConn football fans, with 24 percent saying they attended at least one UConn football home game. "University of Connecticut football supporters must stage a come-from-behind rally if they want to score with the new stadium proposal. Although voters like the idea of UConn playing big time college football, they don't want to pay for it," said Quinnipiac College Poll Director Douglas Schwartz. "By a 2 - 1 margin, Connecticut voters don't want to spend money on a football stadium, but they reverse that 2 - 1 margin in support of spending more tax dollars for educational programs at state universities." By a 52 - 30 percent margin, voters support the idea of upgrading the UConn football program to division 1A, the highest level of NCAA competition. If UConn football is upgraded, 33 percent say it is "very likely" or "somewhat likely" that they would go to a home game. They agree 59 - 36 percent that upgrading UConn football would improve the school's national reputation. But only 10 percent say the upgrade would make them more likely to want their children to attend UConn, while 6 percent say it would make them less likely and 84 percent say it would make no difference. By a 71 - 25 percent margin, Connecticut voters say the new stadium would cost too much money. And 76 percent of voters say the money would be better spent on other purposes. The idea that upgrading UConn football would increase their pride in Connecticut is rejected by voters 64 - 31 percent. "The public agrees with the argument that big time football will increase national attention paid to UConn, but it won't make them feel any better about their home state and they don't think it will make the university any better academically," said Schwartz. If UConn upgrades football to division 1A, 14 percent of voters think the quality of education will get better, while 9 percent say it will get worse, and 74 percent say it will stay the same. From November 11 - 17, Quinnipiac College surveyed 1,120 Connecticut residents who say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent. The Quinnipiac College Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research. 49. Would you say you are a college football fan or not? Tot Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Yes 39% 50% 28% 42% 39% 38% 40% No 60 49 71 57 61 62 58 DK/NA 1 1 - 1 - 1 2 50. Would you say you are a fan of the University of Connecticut's football team or not? Tot Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Yes 40% 42% 39% 41% 41% 40% 40% No 58 57 60 58 59 59 58 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 51. Have you ever been to a UCONN football home game? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Yes 24% 39% 27% 21% 27% 23% 23% 28% No 76 61 73 79 73 77 77 72 DK/NA - - - - - - - 1 52. Some people have suggested upgrading the UCONN football program to Division 1a, which is the highest level of NCAA football. How much have you heard or read about this? A lot, some, only a little, or nothing at all? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + A lot 28% 37% 36% 20% 23% 25% 32% 29% Some 26 26 27 25 26 26 26 29 Little 21 22 19 22 18 23 21 19 Nothing 25 15 17 33 33 27 21 21 DK/NA - - 1 - - - - 2 53. In general, do you favor or oppose upgrading the UCONN football program to division 1a? Would you say strongly or somewhat? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Favor strongly 25% 41% 28% 21% 35% 28% 21% 19% Favor smwht 27 29 25 29 28 30 23 28 Oppose smwht 13 11 12 14 7 12 16 14 Oppose strongly 17 11 21 14 14 13 23 18 DK/NA 18 7 14 22 15 18 18 20 54. In order for UCONN to upgrade to division 1a football, there is currently a proposal for the state to issue 107 million dollars in bonds to pay for the construction of a new UCONN football stadium in Storrs. Over 30 years, the cost to the state including interest would be about 220 million dollars. Do you favor or oppose this plan for the state to build a new UCONN football stadium in Storrs? Would you say strongly or somewhat? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Favor strongly 15% 26% 18% 12% 21% 16% 13% 13% Favor somewhat 16 20 19 14 22 18 16 12 Oppose somewhat 18 15 16 20 17 20 16 18 Oppose strongly 44 32 41 46 35 39 50 47 DK/NA 7 6 6 7 5 7 5 10 55. If your state legislators voted in favor of this plan, would you be more likely to vote for them, less likely, or wouldn't it make a difference? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + More likely 10% 18% 10% 9% 9% 10% 8% 12% Less likely 34 25 34 33 24 32 39 32 No diff 53 54 52 54 65 55 49 50 DK/NA 3 2 3 4 1 2 3 6 56. Do you have any children under the age of 18? Tot Yes 35% No 64 REFUSED - 57. If the UCONN football program is upgraded to division 1a, would that make you more likely to want your children/child to attend UCONN, less likely, or wouldn't it make a difference? Have kids More likely 10% Less likely 6 No diff 84 DK/NA - 58. Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Is that strongly or somewhat? Upgrading to Division 1a football would improve UCONN's national reputation. UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Agree strongly 33% 48% 34% 32% 47% 37% 30% 24% Agree smwhat 26 26 25 28 19 28 26 29 Disagree smwhat 17 11 18 16 17 19 17 14 Disagree strongly 19 13 19 19 13 15 21 25 DK/NA 5 2 4 6 4 2 6 8 59. Funding for a new football stadium for UCONN would cost the state too much money. UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Agree strongly 53% 44% 50% 56% 47% 49% 57% 58% Agree smwhat 18 19 16 20 15 20 16 21 Disagree smwhat 14 16 17 11 20 15 12 9 Disagree strongly 11 18 13 9 14 12 10 7 DK/NA 4 3 4 4 4 3 5 5 60. Upgrading UCONN's football program to Division 1a would increase the pride that I have in being a state resident. UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Agree strongly 15% 27% 17% 14% 20% 15% 15% 16% Agree smwhat 16 22 18 15 17 18 13 16 Disagree smwhat 21 19 22 20 15 20 22 28 Disagree strongly 43 27 38 48 43 43 46 36 DK/NA 4 5 5 4 4 4 4 5 61. State funding for a new UCONN football stadium would be better spent on other purposes in the state. UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Agree strongly 60% 49% 55% 64% 53% 59% 66% 55% Agree smwhat 16 19 18 15 20 17 12 20 Disagree smwhat 11 15 13 9 16 13 9 7 Disagree strongly 8 13 10 7 11 7 8 11 DK/NA 5 4 4 5 1 5 5 7 62. If the UCONN football program is upgraded to Division 1a, do you think that the quality of the education at UCONN would get better, get worse, or stay about the same? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Better 14% 20% 16% 13% 17% 14% 12% 16% Worse 9 7 9 10 6 8 12 9 Same 74 72 74 75 77 76 74 70 DK/NA 2 1 2 3 - 2 2 5 63. If the UCONN football program is upgraded to Division 1a and a new UCONN football stadium is built in Storrs, how likely is it that you would go to a UCONN home football game? Very likely, somewhat likely, not very likely, or not likely at all? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Very likely 13% 27% 16% 10% 19% 16% 11% 9% Smwhat likely 20 31 23 17 30 23 16 15 Not very likely 17 16 18 16 19 16 15 20 Not likely at all 49 25 42 55 32 43 57 54 DK/NA 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 2 64. If the UCONN football program is upgraded to Division 1a, how likely is it that you would watch a UCONN football game on TV? Very likely, somewhat likely, not very likely, or not likely at all? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Very likely 28% 52% 34% 22% 32% 29% 24% 29% Smwhat likely 24 29 27 21 28 23 23 24 Not very likely 13 8 13 13 10 13 13 15 Not likely at all 35 10 26 44 30 34 39 32 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 65. Generally speaking, do you think state spending on educational programs at state universities should be increased, decreased, or kept about the same? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Increased 63% 65% 61% 65% 72% 61% 67% 54% Decreased 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 Kept same 32 31 35 30 27 35 29 37 DK/NA 3 2 2 4 - 2 2 7 66. Have you or any member of your immediate family graduated from UCONN? UCONN Football Tot Fan Men Wom 18-29 30-44 45-64 65 + Yes 24% 29% 24% 25% 23% 21% 24% 34% No 76 71 76 75 77 79 76 66
