Nearly Two-Thirds Of U.S. Adults Believe Baseball Players Should be Strongly Punished For Using Steroids

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The American public feels strongly against the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. Over nine in ten U.S. adults feel that steps should be taken to prevent their use and over six in ten adults feel that players should receive strong punishments for the use of steroids including being suspended for a season or banished from baseball.

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,209 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(R) between January 11 and 16, 2005.

  In addition, The Harris Poll(R) found:

  * An overwhelming majority of all adults (94%) (and 94% of baseball
    fans(1)) feel that steps should be taken to prevent the use of
    performance-enhancing drugs.

   * Over six in ten (62%) adults feel that players should receive strong
    punishments for steroid use. Thirty-nine percent of adults (40% of
    baseball fans) feel that the players should be suspended for an entire
    season and another 23 percent (19% of baseball fans) think that steroid
    users should be banished from the game altogether.

  * Only nine percent of all adults (13% of baseball fans) feel that there
    should not be any punishment for steroid use at all.

  * Furthermore, three-quarters (76%) of adults say that baseball players
    who are found to use steroids should be banned from the National
    Baseball Hall of Fame. Only a quarter (24%) of adults agree that players
    should remain eligible. Among baseball fans, the numbers are only
    slightly different, with a 71 to 29 percent majority feeling that
    players should be banned from the Hall of Fame.

  * When comparing the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball and
    gambling on baseball games by both players and managers, a sizeable
    majority (76%) of all adults (70% of baseball fans) feel that the use of
    performance-enhancing drugs in baseball is worse than gambling. Only 24
    percent of adults say that gambling is worse, though this rises to
    almost a third (30%) of baseball fans.

On the issue of being banned from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, this latest Harris Poll explored whether the public and baseball fans think that Pete Rose should now be allowed to be voted into the Hall of Fame. The public's views are mixed on this issue. A plurality of all adults (45%) and a slight majority of baseball fans (54%) think that the ban preventing Pete Rose from being voted into the Hall of Fame should be lifted. However, approximately a third of adults (36%) and baseball fans (31%) think the ban should not be lifted. Another 20 percent of adults (15% of fans) say that it depends on the situation.

American adults, including those who follow baseball, are clear on the issue of use of performance-enhancing drugs. They have little tolerance for their use by players and expect punishments. While this sentiment may very well change and will undoubtedly depend on a number of factors, for players such as super star Barry Bonds (who is alleged to have used steroids), this sentiment may cloud his likely entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame after he retires.

                                 TABLE 1
          Acceptance Of Performance-Enhancing Drugs In Baseball
"Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball be accepted, or
               should steps be taken to prevent their use?"

  Base: All Adults
                                                               Does Not
                                                  Follows       Follow
                                    Total        Baseball      Baseball
                                        %               %             %
  Should be accepted                    6               6             6
  Preventative steps should be taken   94              94            94


                                 TABLE 2
          Attitudes Toward Different Punishments For Steroid Use

"Recently, it has been reported that two baseball players, Jason Giambi and

Barry Bonds, have allegedly used steroids. If you were the baseball

commissioner, which one of the following would you impose as punishment for

                              steroid use?"

  Base: All Adults
                                                                Does Not
                                                  Follows         Follow
                                    Total        Baseball       Baseball
                                        %               %             %
  Monetary fines                       12              12            13
  Suspension for ten games             17              16            18
  Suspension for a season              39              40            38
  Banishment from baseball             23              19            26
  No punishment                         9              13             7

  Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.


                                 TABLE 3
                 Being Banned From Baseball Hall Of Fame
 "Some argue that those found using steroids should be banned from being
elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Others say that these performance-
  enhancing drugs are just part of baseball, and there should not be any
 penalties such as being banned from the Hall of Fame. With which do you
                                 agree?"

  Base: All Adults

                                                              Does Not
                                                 Follows        Follow
                                    Total       Baseball      Baseball
                                      %                %             %
  Use steroids and be banned
   from the Hall of Fame             76               71            79
  Use steroids and be eligible
   for the Hall of Fame              24               29            21


                                 TABLE 4
               Pete Rose Allowed Into Baseball Hall Of Fame
"As you know, Pete Rose has been banned from entering the Baseball Hall of
 Fame for gambling on baseball while he was a manager. Should this ban be
        lifted so Pete Rose could be voted into the Hall of Fame?"

  Base: All Adults

                                                              Does Not
                                                 Follows        Follow
                                    Total       Baseball      Baseball
                                      %                %             %
  Yes                                45               54            39
  No                                 36               31            38
  Depends                            20               15            23

  Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.


                                 TABLE 5
           Worse Evil - Gambling Or Performance-Enhancing Drugs
  "Which do you think is worse: baseball players or managers gambling on
    baseball, or the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball?"

  Base: All Adults
                                                             Does Not
                                               Follows         Follow
                                    Total     Baseball       Baseball
                                      %             %               %
  Gambling                           24            30              20
  Performance-enhancing drug use     76            70              80

  Methodology

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between January 11 and 16, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 2,209 adults aged 18 and over, of whom 820 follow major league baseball. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Sampling error for the results of the adults who follow major league baseball is plus or minus 4 percentage points of what it would be if the entire population of U.S. adults who follow major league baseball were polled with complete accuracy Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

  J23069
  Q1205, Q1210, Q1215, Q1220, Q1225,

  About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/), the 15th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, N.Y.-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and technology to advance market leadership through U.S. offices and wholly owned subsidiaries: London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com/), Paris-based Novatris (http://www.novatris.com/), Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan, through newly acquired WirthlinWorldwide (http://www.wirthlinworldwide.com/), a Reston, Virginia-based research and consultancy firm ranked 25th largest in the world, and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com/.

  (1) Baseball fans defined as U.S. adults aged 18 and over who follow major
      league baseball.

  Press Contacts:
   Nancy Wong
   Harris Interactive
   585-214-7316

   Kelly Gullo
   Harris Interactive
   585-214-7172