Sports in Canadian culture

[Mister F]

A Toronto World Cup stadium would likely be built with temporary seating, leaving behind a smaller permanent stadium after the tournament. The same has been done in a lot of World Cups (and Olympics) in the past.

All this breathless talk of Toronto's NFL team as if it's the city's destiny is hilarious. It ain't happening.

[esquire]

I highly doubt the results of this study, but here it is for what it's worth: A Saskatchewan-based market research company has released the results of a survey which reveals that the Montreal Canadiens are the most respected sports brand in Canada.

Here are the key stats:

Most Respected

1.Montreal Canadiens – 22.6%
2.Saskatchewan Roughriders – 12.2%
3.Toronto Blue Jays – 9.1%
4.Montreal Alouettes – 7.5%

Perception of Popularity

1.Montreal Canadiens – 20.8%
2.Saskatchewan Roughriders – 16.5%
3.Toronto Maple Leafs – 15.0%
4.Montreal Alouettes – 7.2%

Perception Most Loyal Fans

1.Montreal Canadiens – 22.5%
2.Saskatchewan Roughriders – 22.1%
3.Toronto Maple Leafs – 19.9%
4.Toronto Raptors – 6.7%

Perception of Best Stadium/Arena Atmosphere

1.Montreal Canadiens – 24.4%
2.Saskatchewan Roughriders – 16.2%
3.Toronto Maple Leafs – 10.5%
4.Toronto Raptors (Tie) – 6.9%
Montreal Alouettes (Tie) – 6.9%

First Brand that Comes to Mind

1.Toronto Blue Jays – 19.2%
2.Montreal Canadiens – 18.5%
3.Toronto Maple Leafs – 14.8%
4.Toronto Raptors – 12.3%

Canadian Professional Sports Brand Ranking (Based on combined weighted results)

First: Montreal Canadiens
Second: Toronto Maple Leafs
Third: Saskatchewan Roughriders
Fourth: Toronto Blue Jays

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1394...rand-in-canada

What makes it weird are two things:

1) the high prominence of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which was a mickey mouse team until about 7 or 8 years ago, and which has virtually no fans who aren't either living in Sask or are Sask ex-pats, and

2) the absence of all Canadian NHL teams other than the Leafs and Habs. You seriously mean to tell me that people consider the Alouettes more popular than the Canucks?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

I highly doubt the results of this study, but here it is for what it's worth: A Saskatchewan-based market research company has released the results of a survey which reveals that the Montreal Canadiens are the most respected sports brand in Canada.

Here are the key stats:



http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1394...rand-in-canada

What makes it weird are two things:

1) the high prominence of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which was a mickey mouse team until about 7 or 8 years ago, and which has virtually no fans who aren't either living in Sask or are Sask ex-pats, and

2) the absence of all Canadian NHL teams other than the Leafs and Habs. You seriously mean to tell me that people consider the Alouettes more popular than the Canucks?

Could it be that the block of respondents from Quebec (a quarter of the total approx.) could be skewing things? Somehow I doubt that most people in Quebec pay attention to non-Montreal sports team, so it could be that, pressed to name a team in addition to the Habs, that a huge block of them named the Alouettes as that's the only other team that comes to mind spontaneously.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Could it be that the block of respondents from Quebec (a quarter of the total approx.) could be skewing things? Somehow I doubt that most people in Quebec pay attention to non-Montreal sports team, so it could be that, pressed to name a team in addition to the Habs, that a huge block of them named the Alouettes as that's the only other team that comes to mind spontaneously.

It appears that they did try to weigh the results by population so as to make the poll results representative:

http://insightrix.com/wp-content/upl...ds-Summary.pdf

[Riise]

Originally Posted by esquire

So what exactly is the benefit to us here? If we want to bolster Canadian soccer, we'd probably get more mileage from building a couple of dozen good, international-calibre pitches with 5,000 seats each at maybe $10 million a pop, and dumping $10M into amateur soccer programs. We'd probably boost our chances at actually MAKING the WC (and not just as host) and still come out a couple billion dollars ahead.

I agree for the most part. If we really want to get better at football, we don't need to hold the World Cup. We already have tons of people playing the sport and our problem is developing our young players into skilled players. However, I do think hosting the World Cup would beneficial but it would be to the benefit of the host cities in terms of stadia and certain piece of infrastructure. Living in Calgary, I'd greatly appreciate having a few improved public transportation links and some new infrastructure around a hopefully new centrally-located stadium.

[Berklon]

Perception Most Loyal Fans

1.Montreal Canadiens – 22.5%
2.Saskatchewan Roughriders – 22.1%
3.Toronto Maple Leafs – 19.9%
4.Toronto Raptors – 6.7%

The perception that the Leafs have only the 3rd most loyal fans is beyond me.

With the amount of loyalty Leaf fans have shown, you would think they've won a cup every few years... instead of going on a 47 year drought (not even appearing in the finals) and for a good chunk of those years have been nothing but an actual embarrassment. It's rare to see that much loyalty to a team that has given so little back.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Berklon

The perception that the Leafs have only the 3rd most loyal fans is beyond me.

With the amount of loyalty Leaf fans have shown, you would think they've won a cup every few years... instead of going on a 47 year drought (not even appearing in the finals) and for a good chunk of those years have been nothing but an actual embarrassment. It's rare to see that much loyalty to a team that has given so little back.

I agree. Even with the dry spell that the Habs have had over the last 20 years, it has still been relatively easy to be a Habs fan. And prior to that dry spell, there were regular Stanley Cup parades in Montreal.

Contrast that with the Leafs who have offered nothing more than a constant stream of disappointment and ever more obscenely priced tickets. That pitiful return on emotional and financial investment has to factor into the loyalty equation. Leafs fans definitely take the loyalty crown IMO.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Berklon

The perception that the Leafs have only the 3rd most loyal fans is beyond me.

With the amount of loyalty Leaf fans have shown, you would think they've won a cup every few years... instead of going on a 47 year drought (not even appearing in the finals) and for a good chunk of those years have been nothing but an actual embarrassment. It's rare to see that much loyalty to a team that has given so little back.

shhhhh..
.. or the Leaf's will be called out as a mickey mouse team too

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I pray Toronto gets an NFL team SOON because I'm so bloody weary of all the mewling and puking emanating from both sides of this discussion.

Please make it stop, Mr Bon Jovi!

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

I pray Toronto gets an NFL team SOON because I'm so bloody weary of all the mewling and puking emanating from both sides of this discussion.

Please make it stop, Mr Bon Jovi!

According to sources, they got shot down... so it ain't happening... no NFL team and no new stadium without the team and no hosting the World Cup. All that talk will die down soon enough.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

Investors Group Field sold out for tonight's Bombers/Roughriders game

http://cfl.ca/

[osmo]

Originally Posted by Berklon

According to sources, they got shot down... so it ain't happening... no NFL team and no new stadium without the team and no hosting the World Cup. All that talk will die down soon enough.

Everybody did. All the bids intial were to low. They want a Billion + and everybody went under. The Clippers have ruined sports valuations forever as that mythical value has inflated every single North American teams worth by at least 100-200 million.

The fact that Trump is even a "front runner' shows how much of a joke this bid process is as the NFL will never let him into the club for trying to kill the league back in the day with the USFL. The only real players are the Toronto group and The Sabers group, everybody else is to broke or isn't serious. They will gouge the Toronto group and they will have to weigh if its worth it tossing so much cash to keep the team on ice before they can move it.

[SignalHillHiker]

Team Newfoundland wins ball hockey championship with one hour of practice

Despite only having practised for one hour, Team Newfoundland won the gold medal for under-15 Boys Canadian Ball Hockey Association Junior National championships in Winnipeg last weekend.

...

"Practice time wasn't always available when geographically getting there was a challenge," said Fred Simms, one of the team's coaches. He thinks the team members were already physically fit from playing ice hockey, soccer or from swimming.

With the lack of practice, Team Newfoundland didn't have high expectations for the tournament.

"We went with the mindset that it was going to be a learning experience," said Simms. "We went in with the feeling that we weren't sure if we were going to score a goal let alone win a game."

Simms and Bartlett didn't initially know all of the team members.

...


Fred Simms believes interest in ball hockey will grow especially since St. John's will host the tournament next year.

"The fact that these boys won brought a lot of attention to it (ball hockey) and the sport of ball hockey will grow," said Simms.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...tice-1.2730441

[elly63]

Inman and Law: From CFL to San Diego
It's a small world. The story connecting Dontrelle Inman and Cordarro Law (and Mike McCoy) is proof.

Can WR Dontrelle Inman's Success Carry Over?
The CFL star receiver has impressed teammates and coaches so far this offseason

[Henbo]

Originally Posted by Berklon

According to sources, they got shot down... so it ain't happening... no NFL team and no new stadium without the team and no hosting the World Cup. All that talk will die down soon enough.

Perhaps, by magic, Vancouver will be the city that gets the Bills, a new/expanded BC Place (LOL), and then hosts the world cup final

The Aquilini family has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Bills

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2014/08...niffing-around

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by Henbo

Perhaps, by magic, Vancouver will be the city that gets the Bills, a new/expanded BC Place (LOL), and then hosts the world cup final

The Aquilini family has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Bills

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2014/08...niffing-around

I'd be happy enough if the team leaves Buffalo regardless where they go.

Don't know if this latest bit of news means anything for Vancouver, but it would be a decent location for a team. Their stadium might be a little small capacity-wise at just under 55,000, but since an NFL field is smaller - that could allow them a few thousand extra seats pushing it closer to 60,000.

Plus the NFL could use another team or two in the pacific side - not that it's as crucial as the NHL since travel isn't really an issue with teams playing only once a week. It would generate a nice Vancouver/Seattle rivalry.

[Henbo]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Their stadium might be a little small capacity-wise at just under 55,000, but since an NFL field is smaller - that could allow them a few thousand extra seats pushing it closer to 60,000.

BC place definitely would be one of the smallest stadiums in the NFL, but I think its still viable. Assuming with the smaller field, if they brought the capacity closer to 60k and sold out every game, they would've had a higher attendance than 5 other teams. Oakland is also considering building a new stadium with only 50k seats.

The biggest problem for BC Place would probably be boxes (where most teams make their money). There is some room in BC Place to add some boxes I believe, but the number still wouldn't compare to most NFL stadiums, especially newer ones

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by Henbo

The biggest problem for BC Place would probably be boxes (where most teams make their money). There is some room in BC Place to add some boxes I believe, but the number still wouldn't compare to most NFL stadiums, especially newer ones

Yes, there are a couple of sizable sections in BC Place where a significant number of luxury suites could in theory be added. One section (seen here) currently houses the BC Sports Hall of Fame. But the Hall is outdated and cramped and definitely needs a new and larger space.

But, of course, this is surely all moot.

[SaskScraper]

Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser , Regina Leader-Post

Canadian Champions, Regina All-Stars, to play in Junior Little league World Series in Taylor, Michigan.

The All-Stars are slated to open the tournament today against the Czech Republic. They also face Mexico (Sunday), Curaçao (Monday) and Chinese Taipei (Wednesday). The playoffs begin Thursday, with the championship slated for Saturday.
“It has kind of sunk in but I’m still excited about the whole thing,” said pitcher/outfielder Austin Ilijevski. “This is my first time ever going to a World Series. I’m excited about playing a game with a lot of fans, nice diamonds. I’m expecting to see a lot of fast pitchers who are probably throwing 80 miles an hour. It’s going to be really tough. Our goal mainly is to get to the playoffs, go farther than any other Canada team has. If we play like we can, I think we could possibly get there.”

http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Sta...593/story.html

[elly63]

The Excellent CFL Engraved on a Nation Series
Awful website to navigate (courtesy TSN) so I included the direct video links

The 13th Man
Stone Thrower the Chuck Ealey Story
The Kid from La Puente
Playing a Dangerous Game
The Crash
The Photograph
Western Swagger
The Greatest Team That Never Won