Watch Jon Last on CNN as he discusses the latest wave of Back-To-Normal Barometer research, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on NCAA and NFL football
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Blog Archives
Golf’s ‘Perfect Storm’ Amid Pandemic?
If there’s a potential silver lining of irony amidst this train wreck of a sports year, it’s that the once anthemic “Golf2020” may actually turn out to be a banner year for an industry that many have unfairly criticized over the past decade. First, some historical context for those not immersed in the golf industry. […]
Read More » Why Sports Fans See The Windows Closing On 2020
I was a “denier” when I was unceremoniously sent home from the PAC12 Men’s basketball tournament in mid-March, as the initial COVID-19 athlete diagnoses and subsequent hysteria shuttered live sports like falling dominoes.Now, some four months later, as our Big Four team sports prepare for an announced resumption of sorts, I question things again. Don’t […]
Read More » CNN Features Back-to-Normal Research
Hard-hit industries clamor for regulations during pandemic
America’s most influential power brokers in business increasingly feel that they are fighting more than just the deadly coronavirus to revive the economy. These business interests see a short-term battle against two hard-to-influence forces: individuals acting irresponsibly and a Trump administration that is reluctant to lay down the type of guidelines that would mandate individual behavior during […]
Read More » Majority Of Sports Fans ‘Ready to Go, Now’ — Still, No Slam Dunk
Our ongoing Back to Normal Barometer research continues to pulse the attitudes and behaviors of sports fans as we navigate the ever fluid-scenarios of current events. Our study tracked the fans of some 13 different major sports. Most profound among our findings is the linearly increasing willingness of fans to re-engage in their favorite activities […]
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Groundbreaking Survey Series Asks, ‘What Will It Take to Return to Normalcy?’
WASHINGTON – Would you be willing to take a cruise right now? How about attending a live sporting event? Or staying in a hotel? Perhaps flying? A new survey of the travel and leisure attitudes of Americans found that more than half would take a cruise, while just under half of respondents would attend a […]
Read More » Tracking Fan Deprivation: How Sports Provide Connection Points During Shutdown
Through our firm’s ongoing Back to Normal Barometer, we’re continuing to pulse consumer attitudes on sports, travel and leisure. An emerging trend shows fan sentiment moving toward an inflection point. Our third wave of research, conducted just last week, shows nearly half of sports fans indicating they would currently attend a live sporting event without […]
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Economic Pain Will Persist Long After Lockdowns End
Findings and perspective from the initial waves of SLRG’s Back to Normal Barometer, informed an extensive New York Times piece on the potential long term impact of the current COVID-19 crisis. SLRG President Jon Last, remarks in the article, “We are seeing people really hesitant to get back to normal.”
Read More » A Path Forward For Sports, Travel, Leisure Industries
For better or worse, there were three times that fate has given me a chance to measure a particular slice of public opinion in the midst of crisis: shortly after 9/11, during the Great Recession, and in the most recent weeks. Each time the goal was to understand the impact of these events on the […]
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