Tiger’s popularity plummeting

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  • March 5, 2010

The US public’s negative feelings about Tiger Woods have soared – even though his wife Elin has reportedly returned home.

The US public’s negative feelings about Tiger Woods have soared – even though his wife Elin has reportedly returned home.

An up-to-the-minute survey of 1,800 people by Q Scores has shown that the world’s number one golfer’s ‘negative ratings’; have leaped 160 per cent since his secret life of adulterous liaisons became public knowledge shortly after his Thanksgiving Day car crash last year.

This has established him as the most negatively viewed athlete since Kobe Bryant faced rape accusations.

According to Q Scores, the golfer’s ratings have also put him in the same league as Jerry Springer and Lil’ Kim.

“There were significant declines in his appeal across every demographic, from younger adults to upper income and white collar households, which typically are into the sport of golf,” the New York Daily News reported, quoting Henry Schafer, the lead researcher at Q Scores.

Woods’ latest Positive Q Score dipped to 16 in recent weeks from 28 last summer, this meaning that only 16 per cent of respondents who were questioned saw him as a favourite son.

His Negative Q Score, meanwhile, skyrocketed to 50 from 19 last summer, which means nearly 50 per cent of respondents who recognised his name rated him negatively.

In pointing out that Bryant has only regained 60 per cent of his popularity after six years and an NBA championship title, Schafer said he believed from his experience in the public perception of celebrities, that it will take “something big” for Woods to turn the public mood in his favour.

Schafer added: “It takes a while. Obviously in golf Tiger has more opportunities to win and show he’s a champion. But he took a pretty big hit.”

Q Scores have been measuring celebrity ‘star power’ for casting agents, advertisers and Fortune 500 companies for the past five decades.

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