This document summarizes findings from a survey on returning to normal activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings include: 1) Concerns about the societal impact of the pandemic and potential to contract COVID-19 remain high, while concerns over personal finances and the economy have increased slightly. 2) Support for reopening schools and requiring teachers to return to the classroom is lukewarm, with just over half supporting reopening and requiring teachers to return. 3) Most remote workers expect to continue working from home through the end of the year at least, with many companies expected to offer more flexible work arrangements going forward. 4) Interest in resuming activities like attending live sporting events, visiting retail stores

1. WAVE 9: SETTLING IN FOR THE LONG HAUL
Public opinion insights from the August 5, 2020
“Back-to-Normal Barometer”
RON BONJEAN, PARTNER, ROKK SOLUTIONS
RICH THAU, PRESIDENT OF ENGAGIOUS
JON LAST, PRESIDENT OF SPORTS & LEISURE RESEARCH GROUP
GINA DERICKSON, RESEARCH DIRECTOR OF ENGAGIOUS

2. CONTEXT: RESPONDENTSACTIVELY ENGAGE
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020
47%
2%
22%
4% N/A
7%
N/A N/A
11%
1%2% 2%N/A5%
Percentages in white represent those in the
entire sample (n=540) who have completed an
activity in the past month

3. WHAT PAST-YEAR-DOERS HAVE DONEINTHE PAST MONTH
Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

4. A SIZABLE% WOULD RETURN TOMORROW
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

5. WHICH SECTORS ARE BELLWETHERS FOR THE ECONOMY?
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

6. CONFIDENCE: WHERE WE WERE IS WHERE WE ARE
27%
24%
31%
unchanged
Confidence
Barometer
Future Expectations
Current Conditions
Wave 8: n=576, Back to Normal Barometer – July 22, 2020
Wave 9: n=526, Back to Normal Barometer – August 5, 2020
+2
unchanged

7. 39%52%
60%
Personal Finances
44%
59%
Potential to contract
COVID-19
The U.S. Economy
PERSONAL
SOCIETAL
MEDICAL $$$
unchanged +2
+2
SOCIETAL CONCERNS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE
+1
Impact on leisure
activities
56%
Impact on
American society
UNREST
The overall public
health crisis
*Percentage who said they are extremely concerned (top three box).
Wave 8: n=576, Back to Normal Barometer – July 22, 2020
Wave 9: n=526, Back to Normal Barometer – August 5, 2020
+1
unchanged

8. 39%52%
60%
Personal Finances
44%
59%
Potential to contract
COVID-19
The U.S. Economy
PERSONAL
SOCIETAL
MEDICAL $$$
SOCIETAL CONCERNS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE
Impact on leisure
activities
56%
Impact on
American society
UNREST
The overall public
health crisis
*Percentage who said they are extremely concerned (top three box).
Wave 8: n=576, Back to Normal Barometer – July 22, 2020
Wave 9: n=526, Back to Normal Barometer – August 5, 2020
Heavy
60%
Light
62%
Heavy
59%
Light
62%
Heavy
55%
Light
58%
Heavy
54%
Light
50%
Heavy
47%
Light
40%
Heavy
40%
Light
39%

9. Social Unrest

10. REPUBLICANS HESITANT TO TRAVEL AFTER SEEING UNREST ADS
n=424, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

11. REPUBLICANS HESITANT TO TRAVEL AFTER SEEING UNREST NEWS
n=543, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

12. Vaccines

13. 70% EXPECT A VACCINE IN 2021 OR LATER
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

14. “BREAKTHROUGH” RESPONDENTS MAY BREAK DOWN
n=129, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

15. Schools & Workplaces

16. SUPPORT LAGS FOR RE-OPENING LOCAL SCHOOLS
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

17. JUST HALF SAY TEACHERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RETURN
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

18. SPORTS NOT A DRIVER OF HOW WORKPLACES SHOULD OPERATE
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

19. MORE THAN HALF OF WORKERS ARE WORKING FROM HOME
n=330, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

20. MOST WFH-ERS ARE OPEN TO CONTINUING
n=167, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

21. 57% OF WFH EXPECT TO BE BACK AT OFFICE BY YEAR’S END
n=169, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

22. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS:
BEYOND SURVEY RESULTS

23. REDEFINING THE WORK EXPERIENCE
• Many WFH employees are content, and expect at least a mix of home
and office offered
 No desire to return quickly – “I don’t want to be the guinea pig”
 Employee satisfaction - More productive, saving money
 Company efficiency – evening response to emails, facility savings, no potential
for a COVID case shut-down
 WFH is NOT for everyone – especially younger and parents
• Big questions to consider
 Do employees become more protective of their free time, once normal activities
are resumed?
 Do older employees plan to work longer?
 How much workspace do companies need? What does workspace look like?

24. Willingness to re-engage

25. READY OR NOT: ATTEND A LIVE SPORTING EVENT
n=243, Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

26. READY OR NOT: VISIT A RETAIL STORE
n=404, Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

27. READY OR NOT: ATTEND A CONFERENCE OR CONVENTION
n=98 Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

28. WITH ASSURANCES, 54% RETURN IN 3 MONTHS
n=243, Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

29. WITH ASSURANCES, 84% RETURN IN 3 MONTHS
n=404, Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

30. WITH ASSURANCES, 60% RETURN IN 3 MONTHS
n=98, Back to Normal Barometer, August 5, 2020

31. SOME BUSINESSES ARE SEEN AS MORE ESSENTIAL THAN OTHERS
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

32. THOSE NOT WEARING FACIAL COVERINGS FACE OTHERS’ SCORN
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

33. ONE IN FIVE WILL TAKE A VACATION IN OCTOBER
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

34. REMOTE LEARNING REMINDER DOES NOT HIKE LIKELIHOOD
n=540, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

35. AMONG FLYERS, RAPID TESTING WOULD INCREASE LIKELIHOOD TO FLY
n=193, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

36. VEGAS, NYC, LA TOP LIST OF DESTINATIONS; 44% SAY “NONE”
n=294, Back to Normal Barometer, Aug. 5, 2020

37. Sports

38. IMPACT OF THE RETURN OF SPORTS
71%
63% 63%
58%
63%
54%
65% 63%
56%
61%
70%
58%59%
40%
54%
36%
40%
31%
Baseball Golf Basketball Hockey Soccer NASCAR
The return of TV coverage of live events in this sport has made the current COVID-19 situation easier
Being able to watch this sport, even without fans in attendance, is still great
The return of this sport has been a disappointment overall
Baseball eases
the stress of
COVID
Soccer best
without fans
NASCAR least
disappointing

39. THE ROAR OF NO CROWD
• Who’s doing it right?
 NBA’s “bubble” strategy
 Fan engagement tactics are appreciated, such as fan cut-outs in stands and
virtual fan interactions/events
 Some animosity about number of tests used by teams vs. essential services
• Playing without fans – broad spectrum of opinions
• Attending a live sporting event – It’s not safe if …
 Fans must sign a waiver to attend
 Fans come back too quickly (financial motivations)
“After a few games all the athletes
just get used to (no live fans) and all
the TV viewers get used to it as well.”
“No fans in the stands has really impacted
(sports) more than I thought it would…It’s
almost like they’re just doing a scrimmage.”

40. GROWTH IN GOLF PARTICIPATION AND ANTICIPATION
CONTINUES ITS POSITIVE TREND
27%
35% 32%
40%
59%
46%
54% 53% 58%
WAVE 1 WAVE 2 WAVE 3 WAVE 4 WAVE 5 WAVE 6 WAVE 7 WAVE 8 WAVE 9
P L AY I N G M O R E :
 Men
 Under age 65
 Northeast and Western
Census Regions
 HHI $95k+
 Children in the
household (HS)
 Republicans
Played Golf Within The Past Two Weeks
20%
40%
28%
32%
38%
26%
39% 39%
43%
WAVE 1 WAVE 2 WAVE 3 WAVE 4 WAVE 5 WAVE 6 WAVE 7 WAVE 8 WAVE 9
Planning to Play Within The Next Week
Top 3 Box Summary

41. QUESTIONS
• What questions do you have about these findings?
• What do you want to ask in Wave 10?

42. RON BONJEAN, PARTNER, ROKK SOLUTIONS
RICH THAU, PRESIDENT OF ENGAGIOUS
JON LAST, PRESIDENT OF SPORTS & LEISURE RESEARCH GROUP
GINA DERICKSON, RESEARCH DIRECTOR OF ENGAGIOUS