Sports in Canadian culture

[le calmar]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Do people in France know about the CFL and do they assume (like most foreigners do) that we just imported football, basketball, and baseball from the United States?

Most people don't know about the CFL, but the few people interested in football obviously started following the NFL. And when you follow the NFL, at some point you will learn about the CFL, or what they would call the "second division" here in Europe. I never asked them the question, but my friend who is a big CFL fan and who regularly watches games probably noticed that this year Grey Cup will be the 102nd. Any person with common sense would instantly know there might be more to the CFL than a recently imported sport from the US, especially when you know there has been 48 editions of the Super Bowl.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Do people in France know about the CFL and do they assume (like most foreigners do) that we just imported football, basketball, and baseball from the United States?

When you consider that many Canadians (including many so-called football fans) are not aware of the Canadian origins of gridiron football, then you have your answer about people in France or any other country.

I've told many times by people that the CFL and the Canadian football rules are just a lame attempt by Canadians to copy Americans and the NFL in order to make themselves feel special and "uniquely Canadian". And these were Canadians saying this every single time.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by isaidso

A lot of this might have to do with the fact that Toronto wasn't our primary city up until very recently ~ 1980. It was always big, but never had to take that leadership role when it came to our culture. Now that it's our de facto alpha city, we expect it to be a champion of all things Canadian but Toronto doesn't seem willing or able to take on that role.

Torontonians want to be Canada's alpha city, but haven't come to grips with the responsibilities that come along with that.



That's true, but it's also important that our primary city show leadership and be a champion of our culture. If Toronto doesn't, who will? No other city is in a position to do that.

Good points as usual on this topic.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Toronto may have tunnel vision for the US, but does that equate to being Americanized? (...)

US focused? Yes. Americanized? No. .

How can you not become Americanized to some degree (a very high degree, in fact) when you have "tunnel vision for the US"?

It seems like those two would go hand in hand.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by isaidso

If we're talking sports, all 4 big pro sports have deep Canadian roots so Toronto certainly isn't Americanized for playing baseball, football, basketball, or hockey. That we don't have a pro basketball league (sorry NBL) or a pro baseball league is just reality so Toronto joining the NBA and MLB is acceptable.

(...) These sports are part of Canada's culture whether people in some parts of the country realize it or not.

NCAA March Madness is not Canadian. The Rose Bowl is not Canadian. The Super Bowl is not Canadian.

I'll give a "pass mark" for the Blue Jays and Raptors for reasons you have cited.

Having zero interest in the CFL or other Canadian sports competitions while being passionate about NCAA, NFL or whatever is Americanization for sure, regardless of whether these sports (gridiron football, basketball or whatever) also happen to be played in Canada and have historical roots here.

Watching the Kansas Jayhawks play the Duke Blue Devils during March Madness is perfectly fine for anyone anywhere in the world of course, but let's be serious - it's not a "Canadian sports culture" pursuit in any way, shape or form.

[Acajack]

Over 20,000 tickets sold for the Vanier Cup in Montreal now.

[The_Architect]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I've told many times by people that the CFL and the Canadian football rules are just a lame attempt by Canadians to copy Americans and the NFL in order to make themselves feel special and "uniquely Canadian". And these were Canadians saying this every single time.

Yeah this is frustrating. I blame American media brainwashing.

[suburbanite]

I was not under the impression that NCAA was popular anywhere in Canada. People like to do pools during March Madness for sure, but I don't think there are many regular followers of college football or basketball around here.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^I regularly follow college basketball. I like seeing the NBA stars before they hit the NBA and having lived in the US for a few years the rivalries really are awesome. I actually prefer watching NCAA basketball to the NBA most times.

All that said, it is nice to see the Raptors playing well and playing like a team. Good show as they have been so dysfunctional as a team for so long.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I was not under the impression that NCAA was popular anywhere in Canada. People like to do pools during March Madness for sure, but I don't think there are many regular followers of college football or basketball around here.

Assuming you are right, how do you explain all of the coverage then (especially relative to CIS more often than not)? Not just talking about relatively inexpensive fillers for "holes in the schedule" at TSN and other all-sports channels, but on sportscasts and in newspapers?

[suburbanite]

Don't know when the last time I read a physical newspaper was so I can't answer to the prevalence of NCAA there. Although the only time I ever saw college basketball highlights on TSN outside of MM was last year when Wiggins was playing. Never heard mention of it on Tim and Sid or any other Sportsnets day time shows.

It's mostly a Friday/Saturday afternoon thing to show college football before any of the professional leagues start.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Don't know when the last time I read a physical newspaper was so I can't answer to the prevalence of NCAA there. Although the only time I ever saw college basketball highlights on TSN outside of MM was last year when Wiggins was playing. Never heard mention of it on Tim and Sid or any other Sportsnets day time shows.

It's mostly a Friday/Saturday afternoon thing to show college football before any of the professional leagues start.

I don't measure such things but NCAA football certainly gets coverage on TSN Sportscentre and shows like that. They don't do a huge rundown of the Top 20 and even beyond like the American shows do, but they certainly talk about a good number of games.

In fairness, it's sometimes hard to get video (and even harder is good video) from CIS sports, whereas video highlights from NCAA sports are a dime a dozen.

[FrankieFlowerpot]

Tim and Sid talked a lot about NCAA college basketball - it was almost exclusively about all the Canadian kids playing down there though

I have to say Tim Micallef is probably the best guy on Sportsnet - followed closely by Stephen Brunt

[suburbanite]

They run a good show, and they know their basketball. They're part of Rogers Empire though which means they obviously only want us to care about American sports. Although a quick glance at their homepage would show that the biggest stories right now are the Vanier Cup, Milos Raonic, and the Raptors.

[MolsonExport]

The weather today is once again grey, cold, and boring. Kinda like Stephen Harper.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't measure such things but NCAA football certainly gets coverage on TSN Sportscentre and shows like that. They don't do a huge rundown of the Top 20 and even beyond like the American shows do, but they certainly talk about a good number of games.

The funny thing is that interest in Canada in NCAA sports (at anything more than a very superficial "who won the championship?" kind of level) is generally trivial so far as I can tell.

There are lots of hardcore CFL and NFL fans, but I never ever come across anyone who truly follows the NCAA for football.

Basketball kind of takes on a life of its own with March Madness, but even then the devotees don't really seem to cheer for teams all season the way they do with their NBA teams of choice.

NCAA games hardly ever crack the top sports ratings in Canada unless it's maybe a March Madness game (hoops) or one of the key football bowl games.

So where is the demand for the blanket coverage on Canadian TV coming from? Who is watching Sportscentre to see highlights from Baylor vs. Iowa State?

In fairness, it's sometimes hard to get video (and even harder is good video) from CIS sports, whereas video highlights from NCAA sports are a dime a dozen.

100% inexcusable on the part of CIS and its teams given that 90% of the fans and staff in attendance are basically sitting there with a HD camera in their pockets or purses.

[le calmar]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The weather today is once again grey, cold, and boring. Kinda like Stephen Harper.

Wrong thread I guess?

[osmo]

Originally Posted by esquire

The funny thing is that interest in Canada in NCAA sports (at anything more than a very superficial "who won the championship?" kind of level) is generally trivial so far as I can tell.

There are lots of hardcore CFL and NFL fans, but I never ever come across anyone who truly follows the NCAA for football.

Basketball kind of takes on a life of its own with March Madness, but even then the devotees don't really seem to cheer for teams all season the way they do with their NBA teams of choice.

NCAA games hardly ever crack the top sports ratings in Canada unless it's maybe a March Madness game (hoops) or one of the key football bowl games.

So where is the demand for the blanket coverage on Canadian TV coming from? Who is watching Sportscentre to see highlights from Baylor vs. Iowa State?



100% inexcusable on the part of CIS and its teams given that 90% of the fans and staff in attendance are basically sitting there with a HD camera in their pockets or purses.

Again for my Canadian media is cheap argument. IT costs TSN $0 and Newspapers $0 to get content from the AP feeds in America, and in TSN's case just piggybacking of ESPNs content and feeds. To generate CIS coverage would actually cost them money...

So to TSN if 5 people watch a NCAA random Northern Illinois football game they still make money since advertisers will still pay for ad time and it cost them $0 to produce and put on the air. People like to rag on Rogers but TSN does more damage to Canadian sports IMO. They have always been historically cheap, never like to invest in product or their brand.

Rogers puts more money and resources into pumping up Can-Con since for when they were on the outside looking in and TSN held a embargo on content that they could get access to they put the roots down covering more local stories and now its paying off. Rogers didn't by choice always choose to cove Canadian Tennis and Milo, it just happened and now they are seeing the benefits of it with his and Bouchard's recent success.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

They run a good show, and they know their basketball. They're part of Rogers Empire though which means they obviously only want us to care about American sports. Although a quick glance at their homepage would show that the biggest stories right now are the Vanier Cup, Milos Raonic, and the Raptors.

I guess you haven't been watching Tim and Sid for very long? They go all the way back to Headline Sports days and are, arguably, the best two sports commentators in the country.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I guess you haven't been watching Tim and Sid for very long? They go all the way back to Headline Sports days and are, arguably, the best two sports commentators in the country.

Let's not get carried away, my good man.