Media Buys: Target Political Parties Via Sports

Media plans can turn into political sport.

Now, media buyers who want to target viewers by their politics via TV sports should choose accordingly --- golf events for Republicans and basketball games for Democrats.

According to a new study, the PGA Tour offers an index of 135 for Republicans, and 88 for Democrats. While the NBA pulls a 136 index for Democrats, Republicans only tally a 75.

These findings were first published in NationalJournal.com's "Hotline On Call" digital area, which credits these results from a new study by National Media Inc., a GOP advocacy-marketing firm, by way of third-party media researcher Scarborough USA.

Scarborough surveyed some 218,000 respondents between August 2008 and September 2009. Scarborough typically produces lifestyle and other media behavior data for TV, radio and print platforms.

Republicans were highly over-indexed -- above its average -- in PGA events, college football, NASCAR, pro bull riding, NHL and LPGA Tour. Democrats were big on NBA, WNBA, tennis, MLS Pro Soccer and WWE wrestling.

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Where did Republicans and Democrats see eye-to-eye?

The closest comparison was with Minor League Baseball -- with Republicans getting a 104 index, to the Democrats' 105. Major League Baseball was also over-indexed by both -- with a slight gain to Republicans.

The worst-performing sports? For Republicans, it is WWE at a 55 index and WNBA at 57 index. For Democrats, the lowest was pro bull riding at 78 and the PGA Tour at 88.

 

GOP Dem  R-D  Voter Turnout  % Very
Sport/ League
 IndexIndex
Index
Index
Interested
PG/A Tour
 135 88 +47 135 9%
College Football
 136 91 +45 125 23
NASCAR 12582
 +43 108 10
Pro bull riding
 115 78+37
 109 3
NHL 120 92 +28 118 5
LPGA Tour  117 93 +24 132 2
NHRA/Drag racing
 106 82 +2497
 3
High school  sports
 118 104 +14 130 9
Olympics 117 103 +14123
 28
Motocross 95 81 +14 78 --
College basketball
 118 105 +13127
 14
NFL 111 103 +8 111 2 9
MLB 110 105 +5 121 17
Minor League baseball104
 105 -1127
 2
Extreme sports
 86 94 -8 75 --
Grand-Am racing
83
 94 -11 98 --
Monster trucks 79 91 -12 78 --
Men's tennis
 93 117 -24
 119 4
Pro soccer (MLS)
 75 116 -41
 85 2
Women's tennis  77 131 -54 116 3
WWE (Wrestling) 55114
 -59 66 2
NBA 75136
 -61 102 9
WNBA
 57 153 -96 111 2

 

 

GOP Dem R-D Voter Turnout % Very
Interested Voters
 117
 Sport/ LeagueIndex
 IndexIndex
Index
Interested
NFL 111 103 +8 111 29
Olympics 103 +14 123 28
College football
 136 91 +45
 125 23
MLB
 110 105 +5 121 17
College basketball
 118 105
 +13 127 14
NASCAR 125 82 +43 108 10
PGA Tour 135
 88 +47 135 9
High school sports
 118 104 +14 130  9
NBA 75 136 -61 102 9
NHL 120 92
 +28 118 5
Men's tennis
 93 117 -24 119 4
Pro bull   riding
 115 78 +37 109 3
NHRA/Drag racing 106 82 +24 97
 3
Women's tennis
 77 131
 -54 116
 3
Minor league baseball
 104 105 -1 127 2
LPGA tour
 117 93 +24 132 2
Pro soccer (MLS)
 75 116 -41 85  2
WNBA 57 153 -96 111 2
WWE (Wrestling)
 55 114 -59 66 2
Motocross
 95 81 +14 78 --
Extreme sports
 86 94 -8 75
 --
Grand-Am racing
 83 94
 -11 98 --
Monster trucks
79
 91 -12
 78 --
 

 

 

 

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