February 2, 2017 at 6:00 am ET
The Atlanta Falcons have not played in a Super Bowl since 1999, and the American people want to see them win this Sunday — even if they think the New England Patriots ultimately will once again claim victory.
Forty-six percent of people say they have a favorable view of the Atlanta Falcons, compared to the 38 percent who said the same about the New England Patriots, according to a recent Morning Consult poll. Similarly, 43 percent of people want to see the Falcons take home the Vince Lombardi trophy, versus the 26 percent who are pulling for the Patriots to win. However, 38 percent of people think the Patriots will win, beating those who believe in a Falcons victory on Sunday by six percentage points.
Releated: Super Bowl Spots Boosting Perception of Intel, Wix.com Among Men
The 30- to 44-year-old crowd is more optimistic about the Falcons — 39 percent of them think the team is going to win, edging out the 35 percent of people in that age group who think the Patriots will take it all. That same demographic is pulling for Atlanta as well: 49 percent of 30- to 44-year-olds want to see the Falcons win versus the 23 percent who are hoping the Patriots take another championship. Fifty percent of men and 37 percent of women want to see a Falcons championship as well.
Related: Skittles, Lexus Super Bowl Ads Give Brands Boost With the Youth
Regardless of where their team loyalties lie, most people will still be tuning in to the game on Sunday. Sixty-one percent of people said they plan to watch Super Bowl LI. Seventy-two percent of men and 50 percent of women said the same.
The poll was conducted Jan. 26 through Jan. 28 among 2,200 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Crosstabs are here and toplines are here.