Patriots Fans 17 Percent More Likely to Fumble Their Phones than Falcons Fans

SAN FRANCISCO – February 3, 2017

As the country huddles around their TVs this Super Sunday, they’d better wrap up their smartphones. New research from SquareTrade, the highly rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, found that 30 million Americans have damaged a smartphone while watching or playing sports. Hut-oh.

According to the study, Patriots fans are 17 percent clumsier than Falcons fans (36 percent of Pats fans have had a smartphone accident in the past 12 months compared to 31 percent of Falcons fans). Could it be because Falcons fans love football more?

"According to our survey, 56 percent of the country is rooting for the Falcons versus 44 percent for the Patriots,” said Jason Siciliano, vice president global creative director for SquareTrade. "And when it comes to football fandom, Pats fans take a knee: 55 percent of Falcons fans say football is their favorite sport, while only 37 percent of Pats fans say the same.”

Tips to help any fan avoid spiking their phone during the game:

• Avoid having your phone in your hand during red zone plays: celebrations or fits of frustration can send it flying like a Brady Hail Mary
• Don’t rest your beverage on the same surface as your phone
• Don’t multitask while chip-dipping: your phone could end up in a messy situation
• Rest your phone on the arm of the couch and chances are it will end up in the couch—right before someone crushes it with a Julio Jones couch-dive
• Sprinting to the bathroom? Leave your phone behind