One in three Americans don’t plan on watching 2021 Olympics

Washington, DC, July 14, 2021 - A recent Ipsos poll finds that 1 in 3 Americans do not plan on watching the 2021 Summer Olympics. Among those planning to watch, Simone Biles is the athlete Americans are most excited to watch in the Olympic games. Additionally, 4 in 10 Americans are currently employed and not looking for a new job. Yet, 1 in 5 Americans who are currently employed or actively looking for a job feel that, compared to last year, they have more control over their ability to find a new job and work in an environment that is right for them.

Detailed Findings

1. A third of Americans (35%) do not plan on watching the 2021 Summer Olympics. 

• Republicans (41%) and Independents (35%) are the most likely to say they are not planning to watch the Olympics, while Democrats are the least likely to say the same (26%).
• Among those who plan on watching, Simone Biles is the favorite athlete, with 30% of Americans saying she is the athlete they are most excited to watch.

2. Two in five Americans (41%) are currently employed and not looking for a new job

• About a fifth (17%) of Americans report that they are currently looking for a new job or have recently started a new job in the past three months. 
• Among those who have started a new job or plan on doing so, the main reasons for leaving their previous/current post are a belief they can get a higher salary elsewhere (34%) and feeling burned out at their current job (31%). 
• Millennials in particular are feeling more burned out by their current positions (43%) followed by Gen X (35%). Additionally, many Millennials are looking to change career paths (30%).

3. One in five Americans who are currently employed or are looking for a job (19%) feel they have more control over finding a new job, compared to last year

• In addition to having more control over finding employment, 1 in 5 Americans (20%) believe that, compared to last year, they have more control over their ability to work in an environment that is right for them
• Millennials (29%) are the most confident in their ability to find new employment, followed by Gen Z (22%) and Gen X (20%).
• A plurality of Americans do not believe they have had any change in control over many aspects of their jobs including future and current employment (44% and 49% respectively), and future retirement (47%).

About the Study 

This Ipsos poll was conducted July 9 – 11, 2021, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,023 general population adults age 18 or older. The sample includes 93 Gen Zers, 243 Millennials, 263 Gen Xers, and 424 Baby Boomers. Generation Z includes ages 18-25, Millennials include ages 26-39, Generation X includes ages 40-55, and Baby Boomers include ages older than 55.

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.13. The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on other sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult US population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the US. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The data were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, household income, race/ethnicity by gender, race/ethnicity by age, and race/ethnicity by education. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) except for the metropolitan status, which is not available from the 1-year ACS data, were obtained from the 2020 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS).

• Gender (Male, Female) by Age (18–25, 26–39, 40-54 and 55+)
• Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Latinx, Asian, Other)
• Education (Less than High School, High School, Some College, Bachelor or higher)
• Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West) by Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
• Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)
• Race/ethnicity (White/Other Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Latinx, Asian) by Gender (Male, Female)
• Race/ethnicity (White/Other Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Latinx, Asian) by Age (18-44, 45+)
• Race/ethnicity (White/Other Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Latinx, Asian) by Education (Some College or less, Bachelor and beyond)

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, U.S., Public Affairs
Ipsos
+1 202 420-2025
[email protected]

Kate Silverstein
Media Relations Specialist, U.S., Public Affairs
Ipsos
+1 718 755-8829
[email protected]

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third largest Insights and Analytics company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

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