Sports in Canadian culture

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

I wouldn't be too hung up on our medal count.

Sometimes I feel like the winter Olympics exist so that some tiny European countries can still put up numbers.

Norway won 28 medals in events that, in some way, involved cross country skiing, either in XC skiing itself, nordic combined or biathlon. There were 26 events in these 3 areas alone in 2026; in 1988 the Calgary Olympics had 44 events total.

The Dutch won 20 medals, all of them in some variation of speed skating.

If Canada were a Western European country, then we'd probably have figured out a way to lobby the IOC over the years to include every niche variation of hockey that's ever been played: shinny, spongee, ringette, broomball, etc.

We were joking around at work about exactly this.

Where's the 20m curling, 40m curling, 60m curling variations?

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

There was a time when sports participation was encouraged and many kids were encouraged to participate in a wide variety of sports. However, there's less of a drive due to the affordability crisis and the changing demographics in many regions. We cannot ignore the elephant in the room which is immigration from countries that do not prioritize physical activity. Sports are not a priority from newcomer parents. Hell, women from some cultures are forbidden from participating in extra-curricular activities.

My wife went to high school in Australia, where participation in sports was mandatory - one per semester. So she did soccer and rowing.

It would take some organization and funding in our schools, but the health as well as social benefits would be enormous.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by jonny24

Where's the 20m curling, 40m curling, 60m curling variations?

And the 20m curling, 40m curling, 60m curling for women and mixed.

Where's Paul Gowsell and Guy Hemmings when you need them? Gotta love the Big O, a dart and a brown pop, the good ol' days.

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[Djeffery]

Long track speed skating, but with a stick and puck.

Does anyone remember Red Bull Crashed Ice? No, that's not a drink. It's like one of those ski cross events, except on ice and skates. Surprised that never made it into the Olympics. I mean, if they come up with whatever the hell Mountaineering is why not this?

[electricmodes]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Long track speed skating, but with a stick and puck.

Does anyone remember Red Bull Crashed Ice? No, that's not a drink. It's like one of those ski cross events, except on ice and skates. Surprised that never made it into the Olympics. I mean, if they come up with whatever the hell Mountaineering is why not this?

I once went to the crashed ice competition in Quebec City and it was awesome. That is a sport that should have been further developed and brought to the olympics.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Long track speed skating, but with a stick and puck.

Does anyone remember Red Bull Crashed Ice? No, that's not a drink. It's like one of those ski cross events, except on ice and skates. Surprised that never made it into the Olympics. I mean, if they come up with whatever the hell Mountaineering is why not this?

I can at least see where ski mountaineering came from with telemark skiing. It makes sense to me. Hopefully it doesn't become 1000m 3000m 5000m. Just do a 10km race and call it a day. It is tactical. The concept of it being a short sprint diminishes what telemark skiing was about for me.

[elly63]

The man, the myth, the legend, Paul Gowsell, a rare visual

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[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by elly63

The man, the myth, the legend, Paul Gowsell, a rare visual

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It's funny how much the game has changed. So many untried shots are just second nature whatever now.

[elly63]

There's still hope for the world

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[SteelTown]

AHL board approves relocation of Bridgeport Islanders to Hamilton for fall hockey season
Professional hockey is officially returning to the Ontario city

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/bridgeport-islanders-9.7148939

The American Hockey League's board of governors has unanimously approved the Bridgeport Islanders' relocation to Hamilton, the league said in a news release Tuesday.

That means come fall, the team will play at TD Coliseum, marking pro hockey's return to the Hammer.

The Islanders are owned by the NHL's New York Islanders, which announced the relocation on March 19 pending board approval.
....

"The name and logo are coming — this is just the beginning," the venue website says.

When asked, a spokesperson for TD Coliseum declined to share when specifically there will be a new name.

[blueandgoldguy]

Rumours are picking up that the Whitecaps might relocate to the US, possibly Las Vegas, due to the inability of ownership (who have put the team up for sale) and the city to find a financing solution for a new stadium. The lease is up at the end of 2026 at BC Place. My understanding is the current ownership doesn't really have the money to finance a $300+ million stadium.

https://www.tsn.ca/soccer/article/report-mls-discusses-whitecaps-relocation/

Years ago, I said both the Whitecaps and Montreal FC had a good chance of relocating given the low revenue streams of both clubs at their current stadiums - near the bottom of the league. It looks like we are close to that point as Montreal's attendance is dismal, the team is terrible and has been terrible for quite a while and Saputo appears unwilling to invest any significant amount of private money to improve the current stadium and its revenue streams.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Rumours are picking up that the Whitecaps might relocate to the US, possibly Las Vegas, due to the inability of ownership (who have put the team up for sale) and the city to find a financing solution for a new stadium. The lease is up at the end of 2026 at BC Place. My understanding is the current ownership doesn't really have the money to finance a $300+ million stadium.

https://www.tsn.ca/soccer/article/report-mls-discusses-whitecaps-relocation/

Years ago, I said both the Whitecaps and Montreal FC had a good chance of relocating given the low revenue streams of both clubs at their current stadiums - near the bottom of the league. It looks like we are close to that point as Montreal's attendance is dismal, the team is terrible and has been terrible for quite a while and Saputo appears unwilling to invest any significant amount of private money to improve the current stadium and its revenue streams.

I doubt this one happens… but I still think it would be great to see a CAN-EXIT from Major League Soccer.

Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver could all sell their MLS franchises, retain the rights to their club names, and become the big three of the Canadian Premier League. The three biggest clubs in Canada being part of the Canadian Premier League, instead of the American MLS, would be huge for soccer/football in Canada.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

I doubt this one happens… but I still think it would be great to see a CAN-EXIT from Major League Soccer.

Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver could all sell their MLS franchises, retain the rights to their club names, and become the big three of the Canadian Premier League. The three biggest clubs in Canada being part of the Canadian Premier League, instead of the American MLS, would be huge for soccer/football in Canada.

Totally agree

[isaidso]

The end goal, of course, is for Canada to grow demographically and economically large enough that this country can support prospering domestic leagues in both soccer and all 5 big Canadian sports (basketball, baseball, hockey, football, lacrosse). Most of us will not see this realized in our lifetimes but hopefully the generation born today will in the latter half of this century. 2060-2080?

There's, perhaps, too much NHL history for this to happen in hockey but it's absurd that Canada doesn't crown a national champion in professional hockey. When I tell people in Europe and Australia this their jaw hits the floor. Perhaps one day the CHL can morph from a junior hockey league into our the premier professional hockey league and entice the 7 Canadian NHL teams to join.

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by isaidso

The end goal, of course, is for Canada to grow demographically and economically large enough that this country can support prospering domestic leagues in both soccer and all 5 big Canadian sports (basketball, baseball, hockey, football, lacrosse). Most of us will not see this realized in our lifetimes but hopefully the generation born today will in the latter half of this century. 2060-2080?

There's, perhaps, too much NHL history for this to happen in hockey but it's absurd that Canada doesn't crown a national champion in professional hockey. When I tell people in Europe and Australia this their jaw hits the floor. Perhaps one day the CHL can morph from a junior hockey league into our the premier professional hockey league and entice the 7 Canadian NHL teams to join.

But for Euro and Aussies, they have examples of this. AUS and NZ in AFL etc and Wales in English Soccer

[whatnext]

Well, this is embarrassing...

Cricket Canada suspended over allegations of gang-linked corruption
ICC’s decision comes amid growing concerns the team is being influenced by members of a notorious gang in India
Leyland Cecco in Toronto
Tue 2 Jun 2026 19.10 BST

Cricket’s international governing body has suspended Canada over what it described as “serious breaches of its membership obligations”, dealing the latest blow to an organization that critics say has become a “laughing stock” within the sport.

The suspension also comes amid growing concerns that one of Canada’s fastest-growing sports is being influenced by members of a notorious gang that operates with impunity from an Indian prison cell....

....In recent months, Canada’s cricket governing body has been the subject of explosive allegations from the Fifth Estate, CBC’s investigative unit. The show said its wide-ranging investigation found corruption, coercion, evidence of match-fixing and other misconduct within Cricket Canada.

In one instance, the national outlet flagged questionable promotions within the ranks of players and accusations from senior staff that members at the top of the organization were ordering elements of matches to be fixed....

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/02/cricket-canada-suspension

[ericmacm]

Wrong thread, please delete.

[Denscity]

Canadian host cities and their events:

Vancouver: World Cup, Winter Olympics, Expo 86, women’s World Cup, Commonwealth/Empire Games

Montreal: Summer Olympics, Expo 67

Calgary: Winter Olympics

Toronto: World Cup

Victoria/Edmonton/Hamilton: Commonwealth Games

Anything missing?

[WayneShuster]

Winnipeg hosted two Pan American Games; 1967 and 1999.

[Airboy]

Universiade in Edmonton.

And World Athletics for Edmonton as well.

And an out layer. World Masters Games ( Masters Olympics). which brought in a few thousand athletes in multi sports games. Used all existing facilities, But we did get a Rowing and Canoeing course out of it.