Why have Canadians lost interest in hockey?

Question

I live in a town of 10,000 and at the recent hockey game there were only friends and relatives of the players. There are nearly 3,000,000 in Toronto and only a few thousand can attend an NHL game. That's about 0.0033 % of the population.

Answer 1

You are way off. Where did you get this idea? Did it come to you while you were chowing down your Cocoa Puffs in some kind of epiphany? I think the sugar rush scrambled your thought process.

Answer 2

Wow only 1/3 of the people in the entire country either closely or fairly closely followed the NHL. That sure spell disaster for the sport doesn't it. BTW Patrick in your own family what is the percentage of that answer. Does 30-35% of your family members closely follow the NHL? In the USA if the number was 8-10% Bettman would be a hero and sellouts in Florida and Phoenix would be the norm. During the period of this study immigrant Canadians increased from 16% to 20%, enough of a demographic switch to affect the results. So are Canadians losing interest in hockey. The game on Wednesday night had something like 5 million viewers not bad for losing interest and they were only the Juniors.

Answer 3

Let's see, most of the Cdn-based NHL rinks are sold out, Cdn revenues are driving the NHL salary cap up next year, it's the World Juniors starting soon and junior hockey set record attendance at the Memorial Cup in Vancouver last year, women's hockey is huge here even and minor hockey continues to produce great players and people. Oh, yeah, and sports hilites shows are 90% hockey pretty much on any channel.

Get on a plane and come visit us up here in the Greta White North and you'll see no lessening of interest in the game at all. If anything, the NHL lockout made us hungrier for the game despite the still stultifying low-scoring games that pop up too often in the NHL.

Answer 4

Why have Canadian's lost interest in hockey?

I've got to say I don't think we have. The bars around here are heavily populated on game nights (which varies naturally, and you have to watch out for those pesky Senator fans.) Just because Canada hasn't won a cup in 14 years doesn't mean we haven't come close, Calgary almost had it, Edmonton was robbed when Bergeron took out his own goalie, and Ottawa, well, I don't like Ottawa, so I won't touch that one. The Canadian teams also bring a great deal of support to the struggling NHL cities, when the Leafs or the Habs come to those arena's there is a sea of fans coming to see both teams. In Florida especially all the retired fans of the teams come out in true style, they even chant "go leafs go" sometimes.

Also, you weren't specific as to what type of hockey. The OHL isn't as exciting as the WHL or AHL but there are some amazing young guys who are just tearing it up in the minors. I wish that I had more news coming out of the Quebec leagues. Also, with great interest, I am looking forward with great earnest to the lineup of the 2008 IIHF World Junior, and to an even further extent the 2010 Olympic team who hopefully takes gold with the home ice advantage.

But Street hockey... there aren't enough people who got enough free time these days. Plus the snowstorm ripping through Southern Ontario

edit

"I've also been wondering why Canadians have lost their interest in beer."

That cracked me up, I don't think I've watched a hockey game without beer in about.. oh.. 5 years at least. Can't forget the pizza either.

Answer 5

Lost interest in hockey?!-I think Canadians are more interested in hockey than ever before. Maybe folks have other interests in Toronto or wherever, but down in Brandon, Moncton, Prince George and 10000 other cities and towns across Canada hockey is still #1 by far.

Answer 6

I'm from the States and if Canadians have lost interest in hockey that must mean the axis of the Earth must have changed as well.

Answer 7

Any statistical basis to this question, or pure speculation?

Canadians will never lose interest in hockey.

Go Sens Go!

In the States you argue over who's the Hockey town/state. We don't have that issue here because we're the Hockey nation.

Canadians play hockey the best!

Answer 8

I know some fans stopped supporting the NHL because of the lockout.
But as a whole, no way Canadians have lost interest.

Answer 9

Look at the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks and tell have Canadians lost interest in Hockey, I think they haven't.

Answer 10

I've also been wondering why Canadians have lost their interest in beer.

*EDIT - The entire population of Toronto can't fit inside the ACC, smart one. Do you know how difficult it is to get tickets to a Leafs game? They're in high demand. I don't know what planet you're living on.

Answer 11

A hockey stick should be on our flag. We sleep, eat, breathe hockey. Always have, always will. It doesn't matter if we're winning or losing. We love the game. Losing interest? NEVER.