2012 election outcome might be influenced by preceding weekend's football games

[Mr. Morden]

They list the wrong weekend's games here, but the concept is nonetheless interesting:

link

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Paul Kemp]

Isn't there some trend in the NFL where if the Redskins win in their game before the election the incumbent party wins?

Looks like they have the Panthers...so that shouldn't be to difficult.

OBAMA/GRIFFIN III '12

[Spanish Moss]

OBAMA/GRIFFIN III '12

And Eli goes long... TOUCHDOWN!!!!!

[Silent Hunter]

Isn't there some trend in the NFL where if the Redskins win in their game before the election the incumbent party wins?

Looks like they have the Panthers...so that shouldn't be to difficult.

OBAMA/GRIFFIN III '12

There was something like that - it got busted in 2004.

[Paul Kemp]

Isn't there some trend in the NFL where if the Redskins win in their game before the election the incumbent party wins?

Looks like they have the Panthers...so that shouldn't be to difficult.

OBAMA/GRIFFIN III '12

There was something like that - it got busted in 2004.

But then it came back in 2008. 2004 is the only instance where it did not occur since 1936 I believe. That's still a pretty good (although completely arbitrary) indicator.

[Mr. Morden]

The Redskins thing was only ever meant as superstition.  The thing I'm talking about in the OP is a different beast.  It's positing an actual causal relationship between what happens in sporting events and how at least a small fraction of the population votes.