Sports in Canadian culture

[elly63]

Things are looking up for the Argos. Rumour has it MLSE has made a lease proposal to the Argos and 4 potential buyers are looking at buying the team.

Grey Cup Insider Trading: Latest from around the CFL

[elly63]

"50/50" chance DE Sam could sign with Alouettes next season
TSN.ca Staff November 27/2014

TSN's Dave Naylor is reporting that there is a "50/50" chance that defensive end Michael Sam will sign with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes for the 2015 season.

Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said that Sam was close to joining the team with three weeks remaining in the CFL season.

Sam, the first openly gay player in NFL history, was drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL Draft. In four exhibition games, Sam recorded 11 tackles and three sacks, but was cut by the team at the end of the preseason.

He was then signed to the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys before being waived a month later.

The 24-year old was named a unanimous All-American in 2013 at the University of Missouri as well as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

At the 2014 ESPY Awards, Sam was honoured with the Arthur Ashe courage award.

[Prometheus]

The Angus Reid Institute has released a comprehensive survey on the popularity of the CFL and Grey Cup. It also analyzes their popularity and importance to Canadian culture in relation to other professional sports and according to age and region. The survey shows that the CFL and Grey Cup are immensely popular among Canadians but that the CFL has work to do regarding the younger generation:

One quarter of Canadians say they’ll watch Sunday’s Grey Cup as popularity for CFL edges NFL

Canadians are patriotic about their pigskin preferences, with two-in-five (44%) who watch both the US and Canadian leagues saying they prefer the CFL over the NFL (29%) nationally. British Columbians prefer the Canadian league over its US counterpart two-to-one. That ratio climbs to four-to-one in Alberta and Manitoba, and to five-to-one in Saskatchewan. Central and Eastern Canadians are more tepid. Ontarians prefer the NFL slightly more than the CFL. Quebecers prefer the CFL slightly more than the NFL. And in Atlantic Canada, the tables turn altogether, with respondents on the east coast choosing the NFL two-to-one over the CFL.

See full results of the survey here: http://angusreid.org/one-quarter-can...val/#more52789

[le calmar]

And in Atlantic Canada, the tables turn altogether, with respondents on the east coast choosing the NFL two-to-one over the CFL.

That's surprising. Maybe it has something to do with the absence of a team in the Maritimes.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by le calmar

That's surprising. Maybe it has something to do with the absence of a team in the Maritimes.

I would assume that is the exact reason. We really need to get a team in the maritimes!

[kirjtc2]

Originally Posted by le calmar

That's surprising. Maybe it has something to do with the absence of a team in the Maritimes.

The weird thing is that high school and university teams in the Maritimes are supported just as well as anywhere else in the country, but that hasn't translated to support at the next level. I think we need that CFL team out here to feel connected.

Not sure if they release ratings data on this level, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if more Maritimers watched the Patriots-Packers game on Sunday than the Grey Cup.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

The weird thing is that high school and university teams in the Maritimes are supported just as well as anywhere else in the country, but that hasn't translated to support at the next level. I think we need that CFL team out here to feel connected.

Absolutely... when Winnipeg lost the Jets I basically fell out of the habit of paying any attention to the NHL. Even now 3 years into their return, I still don't really follow the NHL the same way that I did when I was a kid, or the same way that I follow the CFL as a result of being a Blue Bombers fan since I was a kid.

Without the local connection it's not surprising that there isn't a huge degree of interest in the league out there.

[elly63]

Until I get time to listen to this myself I am stealing this post from ArgoGabe 22 at argofans.com. One age old question is answered.

CFL State of the League & Argos

Just some interesting tidbits from the annual State of the League in regards to the CFL and Argos.

Cohon: Half of Argos TV viewers are from Ontario.

Cohon on Argos: Whoever controls that team, the most important thing is to change the experience. A new home is part of that puzzle

Cohon: The CFL is bigger than NFL, Blue Jays and Raptors. Only second to NHL"

Cohon: "David Braley is having ongoing conversations with MLSE. Trying to negotiate a fruitful deal for both sides"
Board of governor rep Jim Lawson on Argos/MLSE: "Time-frame is beyond our control... We should have it resolved by next year."

Gary Lawless: "First of all who is Damian Cox? He's not here" Cohon had mentioned once talking to Cox and Lawless responded afterwards.

Arash Madani (once again) says the Argos has lost relevance in Toronto. Cohon answers by citing Argos viewership numbers are stronger than Jays, Raptors around the surrounding area.

Mark Cohon really believes that a move to BMO Field will have a similar effect to football returning in Ottawa

[esquire]

Thanks for that summary, elly.

Originally Posted by elly63

Cohon: Half of Argos TV viewers are from Ontario.

Hah. So much for the conventional wisdom that all the Argo game watchers are in Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.

Originally Posted by elly63

Arash Madani (once again) says the Argos has lost relevance in Toronto. Cohon answers by citing Argos viewership numbers are stronger than Jays, Raptors around the surrounding area.

People are clearly interested. I wonder why the Toronto media keeps forcing this narrative that no one cares when the numbers clearly put the lie to that? The Argos routinely beat the other Toronto teams in the ratings... only the Leafs are their peers. The Argos utterly destroy TFC... head to head, Argos vs. TFC is a total mismatch, like Hulk Hogan fighting some skinny high school punk. Yet all we keep hearing about is how TFC is this big sports dynamo and the Argos are on life support. Madani's take does not seem to reflect reality.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by elly63

Mark Cohon really believes that a move to BMO Field will have a similar effect to football returning in Ottawa

And that's what needs to be done, follow the Ottawa model. The naysayers there were harping about the failures of previously poor models. They never much mentioned the 100 or so years of the franchise's previously good life. BTW, I believe Ottawa sold out every game this year with ownership who have a clue about the new realities of sports marketing and management to a new age of fan.

Toronto can (and has to) do the same.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Originally Posted by isaidso

I always find it astonishing how Canadians don't know the answer to that basic question. Strangely, we omit anything that also exists in another country. By that definition, the only thing that is US culture is peach cobbler, NASCAR, and moonshining. Baseball can't be American coz those Canucks play it too! That Canadians use this absurd benchmark is endlessly puzzling. Perhaps Canadians watch too much US tv which tells them that their own culture is American.... and by extension, can't be Canadian culture as well. It's amazing that Canadians actually buy into that.

If you really need an answer, our culture is everything Canadians partake in: our traditions, institutions, customs, diversions, past times, pursuits, etc. So baseball, RVing, barbecuing, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, cottage life, football, burgers and fries, the Santa Claus Parade, Homecoming, basketball, Halloween, and thousands of other things like that.

I was born in the UK, and for me it's clear as day what Canadian culture is. This country has one of the most interesting, richest, and most engaging cultures I've come across. I'd take Canadian culture over British every day of the week.

Your answer is actually what I'm trying to get at. Our culture isn't defined by Bob and Doug and Tim Hortons. Toronto doesn't need to be "more Canadian", it IS Canadian.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Originally Posted by Acajack

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.

Watching American teams and leagues is absolutely a part of Canadian sporting culture.

You want Canadian sporting culture? Watch Sportscentre on TSN or read the sports section of the paper. These are the sports Canadians follow. English football is a big part of the sporting culture of a lot of African and Asian countries too, as an example.

[BretttheRiderFan]

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.

Tim is definitely not a Rogers Empire kind of guy. He's a huge Canadian football guy and loves Canadian sports stories and figures. Sid is a bit of a CFL hater but the show itself is really great and very appealing to a younger guy like myself.

[BretttheRiderFan]

That study is very interesting. Kind of what I expected as far as CFL numbers go. Saskatchewan far and away the leader, with Manitoba and Alberta following and Quebec, BC and Ontario behind.

What's also very interesting is that Saskatchewan also has the highest percentage of NFL followers. It's just a football mad province. Saskatchewan is the only place surveyed where NFL support came pretty close to NHL support.

Also interesting that the NHL is least popular in Alberta (besides Sask). I feel like the ineptitude of our teams in the past few years has a lot to do with that. Lots of former casual fans have been completely turned off.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Re Argos/ Madani

If you listen to Toronto sports radio call in shows, painful though that may be, you'll know there hasn't been a call about the Argos in about a decade. That might be what Madani was referring to.

The Toronto media, it goes without saying, is largely staying away from the Argos and the CFL in general. I mean, what more can you say about this situation that hasn't been said already? Add to that a relatively poor season across the board and that's where we are presently.

If they get the stadium situation dealt with, then real interest will likely return. But right now, they might as well not exist to many sports fan.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by esquire

Hah. So much for the conventional wisdom that all the Argo game watchers are in Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.

Half are from Ontario. Ontario =/= Toronto.

And since we know that Toronto doesn't make up 100% of the Ontario viewers, you can conclude 2 things about viewers of Argos games:

Viewers outside of Toronto > in Toronto
Viewers outside of Ontario > in Toronto

That's really nothing to brag about.

Argos playing out of BMO field will probably help revenue/profitability - but it won't do much to put the Argos back on the map in Toronto. The stadium isn't the problem. The Allouettes are an example of that.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by Berklon

That's really nothing to brag about.

It's nothing to brag about that the Ontario viewers alone for the Argos are substantially greater than the total number of viewers for the Raptors across the entire country?

LOL!!!!!!!

[SignalHillHiker]

Listened to an interview on the radio with a local professor who recently visited Ireland.

She went there expecting hurling to be as popular there as it was in Newfoundland, or similar to la crosse in Canada ("officially a sport but practiced only by those forced to do so during the course of the education").

But she was shocked to find hurling actually occupies the same niche in Irish society as hockey does in Canada, and as hockey also does in NL (and mentioned soccer as another example for NL).

I had no idea. I've met Irish people who talked about hurling, and I've been to the Eastern championships here in town... but it's very much a hipster, niche sport here.

But, in Ireland, it's actually huge. It's what little boys play in the street when cars aren't passing by.

Which made me think:

FFS, we should just change Canada's official sport to hockey already. La crosse isn't really the national sport, and claiming it is does us no favours - it's such an unknown activity.

[suburbanite]

Maybe it's different in Newfoundland but in the GTA Lacrosse is probably top 3 or 4 most popular sports for kids growing up. Lots of First Nation reserves in Ontario where kids live and breathe lacrosse. The NLL is pretty fringe though, and when most kids who are 15-16 and playing at a high level have to commit to lacrosse or hockey, the choice is pretty obvious.

[Trevor3]

If I remember correctly, there's actually a decent sized youth lacrosse association in St. John's. We had one in Stephenville when I was in middle school, I played for a couple years but was terrible at it. I think maybe 3 years ago it was that St. John's, Corner Brook and Stephenville put together a team to go to nationals. They even won a game against one of the stronger provinces like Manitoba or something.