The opening of a new NBA season is typically time for optimism for fans of any team. Portland Trail Blazers supporters may be high on their team’s prospects on the court, but if a recent poll published by The Oregonian is any indication, goodwill for the Blazers off the court is at a concerning low.
The survey, conducted by DHM Research via telephone and text at the end of September, polled 600 registered voters. The questions covered in the Oregonian article had to do with support for franchise owner
Tom Dundon and the proposed renovation of the Blazers’ home arena, Portland’s Moda Center.
The results were rather grim. Two in three voters responding said that keeping the Blazers in Portland was “not important to them”. That number shrank to 55% in the city of Portland itself, but still…
According to the newsroom’s poll, 64% percent of voters statewide said it was not important to them whether political leaders succeed in their effort to keep the team in town while only 32% said it was.
In Portland, 43% of voters said a final deal was very or somewhat important, compared with 55% who said it was not too important or not important at all.
Opinions were even more pointed when it came to Dundon himself. 7% of respondents said they had a favorable opinion of the franchise owner, compared to 36% unfavorable and 57% unsure. The balance shifted to 5% favorable and 59% unfavorable within city boundaries.
The survey has a plus-or-minus 4% error rate.
Are you surprise by these numbers, particularly the team-related ones? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
