The return of sports was meant to be a happy occasion.

But then professional sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB began championing “woke” politics in support of the Marxist Black Lives Matter movement.

Now new poll results show what happens when professional sports leagues go “woke.”

Sports with Balls analysts have repeatedly noted Americans don’t want “woke” politics with their sports.

The last thing folks want is to be lectured by coddled millionaire athletes and their billionaire owners about “systemic racism” and “inequality” in America.

After a four month hiatus with no sports at all due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, you’d think sports would be more popular than ever.

But their decision to embrace the Marxist Black Lives Matter movement is a controversial one that’s alienating many Americans.

In fact, a new poll from Rasmussen found that “Americans are sending more negative signals than positive ones over the decision by many professional sports organizations to promote the controversial Black Lives Matter movement.”

Among the findings, 30 percent of American adults were less likely to watch sporting events that promote Black Lives Matter versus 21 percent who are more likely to do so.

The numbers get even worse for those “frequent watchers” who follow professional sports on television, in person, on the radio, or online once a week or less, where roughly 35 percent say they are less likely to watch events that promote the BLM protests.

Doing a deep dive into the data, Sports with Balls analysts found that 43 percent of men under 40-years-old – a coveted demographic for sports – indicated they are less likely to tune in.

The responses by race found that one in four blacks were “less likely” to watch these events – something the professional sports leagues should definitely take some time to consider.

The question is, will sports leagues realize the cost of going “woke” before Americans stop tuning in altogether?

Sports with Balls will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.