A new CNN Poll shows that Tiger Woods' approval rating
has dropped further after his appearance at the Masters. Fewer than four in ten Americans have a favorable opinion of him, which is down from last month's rating.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey indicates that 39 percent of the public views Woods in a positive light, down four points from March, when 43 percent had a favorable view of him.
"His ratings seemed to have slipped most among men and higher-income Americans," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The reason for the differences is unclear. It's probably not his participation in the Masters this weekend, since in an earlier poll only one in five said that Woods should wait longer before returning to professional golf. And it wasn't his fourth-place showing in the Masters, since most interviews were conducted before the results were known."
Whatever the reason, Woods' public image has dropped a long way. Until recently, Woods was one of the most popular figures in America, with favorable ratings exceeding 80 percent.
So why are approval ratings so important for an athlete? In one word, money. Sponsors keep a close eye on ratings, because they generally don't want a person people don't like associated with their product. It's just like an actor's Q score -- which most people don't even know exists. But there are firms that closely track press mentions and public sentiment about celebrities and sell that information to advertisers and whoever else wants it. So, do Angelina Jolie or Will Smith or Tom Cruise care what you read about them in the tabloids and if it's changed your opinion of them? You bet they do; their people track it very closely, no matter what they say in interviews. That's just good business.
