Raleigh, N.C. – Texas voters are glad their three Big 12 schools—Texas, Texas A & M, and Texas Tech—ultimately chose to remain in the conference, but they wouldn’t mind replacing Nebraska and Colorado with Texas Christian and Houston.
44% say they want UT, A & M, and Tech in the Big 12, to 15% who want them in the SEC, 7% who want them in the Pac 10, and 2% who want them in some other conference. A full 32% are undecided. 56% of Texas fans, 55% of Tech fans, and 52% of A & M fans prefer the Big 12 for their schools.
Strong pluralities support adding TCU and Houston to the Big 12—47% for the former and 42% for the latter. Significant pluralities and even majorities of the other Texas Big 12 schools’ fans want to welcome TCU and Houston to the fold, and TCU and Houston fans each want their own schools to join. However, only 24% of Houston fans want TCU in the Big 12, to 31% who don’t. TCU fans are a little more charitable toward Houston, with 29% open to their membership and 25% opposed.
UT’s fan base includes 26% of Texans. 18% are A & M fans, 11% TCU fans, 10% Tech fans, 7% Houston fans, 6% Baylor fans, and 21% fans of some other school. While there is little political difference on most of these questions, the composition of the fan bases differs slightly. Texas is the most popular school across the board, but Houston is the second most popular among Democrats and blacks, at 15% and 20%, respectively. A & M is significantly more popular among Republicans and independents than Democrats.
“Most Texans are happy with how the conference realignment shook out,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “They want their schools to stay together in the Big 12 and they’d be even happier if the conference now became more Texas centric by adding TCU and Houston.”
PPP surveyed 500 Texas voters from June 19th to 21st. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.4%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Would you like to see Texas, Texas A&M, and
Texas Tech in the Big 12 Conference, the Pac
10 Conference, the Southeastern Conference,
another conference, or are you not sure?
Big 12 ……………………………………………………. 44%
Pac 10 …………………………………………………… 7%
SEC ………………………………………………………. 15%
Another conference …………………………………. 2%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%
Q2 Do you think the Big 12 Conference should add
Texas Christian University as a member?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 47%
No …………………………………………………………. 15%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 37%
Q3 Do you think the Big 12 Conference should add
the University of Houston as a member?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 42%
No …………………………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 36%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mack Brown?
Favorable ………….. 29%
Unfavorable……….. 14%
Not Sure……………. 57%
Q5 When it comes to college sports would you say
your favorite school is Baylor, Houston, Texas
Christian, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, or
someone else?
Baylor ……………………………………………………. 6%
Houston …………………………………………………. 7%
Texas Christian……………………………………….. 11%
Texas…………………………………………………….. 26%
Texas A&M…………………………………………….. 18%
Texas Tech…………………………………………….. 10%
Someone else…………………………………………. 21%
Q6 Who did you vote for President last year?
John McCain…………………………………………… 51%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 40%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 9%
Q7 If you are a liberal, press 1. If a moderate,
press 2. If a conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 13%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 46%
Q8 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q9 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 43%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%
