We love our sport. And we watch it mostly on free-to-air television.

As the federal government mulls changes to anti-siphoning laws that ring fence sports content from pay TV, a new poll from Essential Research proves just how much of a sports-loving nation we are.

The weekly online poll found 80% of respondents watch sport on free-to-air television, with 45% watching it at least once a week or more frequently. Only 39% watch sport on subscription television, although it tends to attract sports addicts, with a higher proportion of subscription TV sports watchers tuning in three or more times a week — 7% out of the 39% — than on free-to-air — 11% out of the 80%.

Men and younger voters were the high-frequency consumers of sport, not unexpectedly, on both free-to-air and subscription TV, although the latter was skewed toward middle and higher-income earners.

As if to conform to the inner-urban stereotype, Greens voters were far less likely to regularly watch sports. It is Coalition voters who were the biggest regular consumers of sport — nearly a third watch sport more than twice a week on free-to-air TV, compared to less than a quarter of Labor voters and 9% of Greens. Hardly any Greens voters regularly watch subscription TV sport.

Poll respondents rated subscription TV sports coverage higher than that of the free-to-air channels: 80% rate subscription TV coverage good, including 40% “very good”, and only 5% poor. Almost 80% rated free-to-air coverage as “good” but only 19% considered “very good” and 17% poor. Younger voters tended to be more critical of both free-to-air and subscription TV coverage alike.

Meanwhile, the poll shows a continuing post-election stalemate, with the Coalition leading Labor 51-49 on a two-party preferred basis. The only change on primary voting intention from last week is a one-point fall for Labor to 38%. The Coalition (45%) and the Greens (10%) haven’t shifted.

Voters remain unenthused about either major party leader. Julia Gillard has a five-point net approval rating — 43% approval to 38% — down a couple of points since mid-October. Tony Abbott has, yet again, come out of a net disapproval rating (-6 points in October) to be 40% on both approval and disapproval.

Both leaders had falls in their levels of “strong” approval and disapproval. Gillard’s lead as preferred prime minister over Abbott has shrunk to 11 points, although this only takes it back to where it was on the eve of the election when the prime minister led Abbott by 12 points.