Baseball Fans Support Steroid Testing

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- A few weeks after the end of the 2003 World Series, Major League Baseball announced that from 5% to 7% of anonymous tests for steroid use among its players were positive. That's a far cry from the 50% to 85% use alleged in 2002 by former Most Valuable Players Ken Caminiti and Jose Canseco respectively. But the rate is sufficiently high, according to the players' contract, to trigger universal testing in 2004, with penalties incurred for multiple offenses.

Two CNN/USA Today/Gallup surveys conducted in the past six months find that the vast majority of baseball fans support the principle of steroid testing, though they are divided on whether use of the drugs has much effect on the game. Despite the charges of Caminiti and Canseco, most fans believe less than half of all players use steroids. An Oct. 24-26 poll shows 92% of baseball fans saying that Major League Baseball should test players for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs, up from 86% who expressed that view in June 2002.

Should major league baseball players be tested for steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, or not? Based on 549 baseball fans

But baseball fans are somewhat skeptical that such testing will greatly enhance the sport of baseball. A Nov. 14-16 poll finds only 43% of fans saying the absence of steroid use would make the game better, while 42% say it would have no effect. Another 13% believe the game would actually suffer if steroid use were eliminated.

If NO major league baseball players were taking steroids, do you think this would -- make the game better, have no effect on the game, or make the game worse? Based on 515 baseball fans

Nov. 14-16, 2003

In recent years, the total number of home runs hit each season has expanded dramatically, which some observers attribute to performance-enhancing drugs like steroids. The greatest suspicion has fallen on two great home-run hitters, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, both of whom deny steroid use. With 13% of fans saying the game will be worse without steroids, it could be they fear that ridding the game of those drugs will also lower home-run output, and thus make one aspect of the game less attractive.

Limited Use of Steroids

The Nov. 14-16 poll also shows that while the vast majority of fans believe some players use steroids, they are skeptical about the allegations of widespread use. According to the poll, conducted at about the same time as the announcement by baseball of the 5% to 7% positive test results, only a third of fans accept the figure of at least 50% use cited by Caminiti, while an even smaller number of 11% believe more than half of players use the drugs, as charged by Canseco. However, only 2% of fans believe no players use the drugs, while most (61%) say less than half use steroids.

How many major league baseball players do you think use steroids or other performance enhancing drugs -- all, over half, about half, less than half, or none? Based on 515 baseball fans

There has been little change in opinion on this question since June 2002.

Baseball Faces Bigger Problems Than Steroid Use

One reason fans appear not to be too concerned about steroid use in baseball may be that they see two other perennial problems as much more important to the game. A June 27-29 poll found 44% of fans identifying the large gap in available salary money among teams as the most serious problem facing Major League Baseball, and another 26% cited the continuing conflict between the players' union and the owners.

Most Serious Problem Facing Major League Baseball Today Based on 385 baseball fans

June 27-29, 2003

Just 17% of fans cite the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing dietary supplements as the most important problem.

Survey Methods

These results are based on telephone interviews with from 385 to 549 baseball fans, aged 18 and older, in three polls conducted in 2003. For results based on the sample of baseball fans in each poll, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is either ±5 or ±6 percentage points (see below for actual figure).

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Dates of the polls:

Nov. 14-16, 2003

Oct. 24-26, 2003

June 27-29, 2003

Should major league baseball players be tested for steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, or not?

BASED ON -- 549 -- BASEBALL FANS; ±5 PCT. PTS.

If NO major league baseball players were taking steroids, do you think this would -- [ROTATED: make the game better, have no effect on the game, or make the game worse]?

BASED ON -- 515 -- BASEBALL FANS; ±5 PCT. PTS.

How many major league baseball players do you think use steroids or other performance enhancing drugs -- all, over half, about half, less than half, or none?

BASED ON -- 515 -- BASEBALL FANS; ±5 PCT. PTS.

Which of the following do you think is the most serious problem facing Major League Baseball today? [ROTATED: players taking steroids or other dietary supplements, conflict between the players' union and the owners, on-field cheating such as the use of corked bats or scuffed balls, poor leadership by the Commissioner Bud Selig, (or) the large gap in the amount of money teams have to spend on players]