By Robert Haugh

A new poll by the Partnership for San Francisco paints an upbeat picture of San Francisco and high favorability for local sports teams.

But one team was missing.

The San Francisco 49ers were not included in the survey’s sports favorability section.

The poll tested public opinion of the San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, and the Golden State Valkyries.  All of them received strong ratings. 

The 49ers’ absence stands out, given the team’s name and history in San Francisco.

The Partnership offered no explanation for the omission.

In polling, it’s unusual to leave out a major institution.  It may have been because of internal testing that suggests weak or negative results.

Maybe the organization didn’t want to embarrass the 49ers with a low rating.

Santa Clara News Online previously reported that public opinion toward the current 49ers ownership is really negative.

SCNO found that residents ranked Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber first, followed by former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. But Jed York and his family placed near the bottom.

The SCNO survey echoed a conclusion reached by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ann Killion, who wrote that while the Yorks have grown enormously wealthy, they have been poor caretakers and unreliable community partners, especially in Santa Clara.