A recent survey conducted by The Strategic Counsel revealed that over three-quarters of Canadians identify as sports enthusiasts, with the NHL maintaining its status as the most favored professional sports league. The survey, based on in-depth interviews with 3,240 Canadians across all regions and languages, found that 77% of respondents consider themselves sports fans, among which 29% classify themselves as “big fans.”
Approximately 48% of Canadians are either casual followers of multiple leagues or ardent supporters of a single league. Surprisingly, 23% admitted to being non-fans, showing no interest in any sports leagues, not even occasionally.
The NHL emerged as the top-ranked league in Canada, with 58% of participants indicating their interest in following the men’s professional hockey league. Following the NHL, the NFL captured 37% of the respondents’ attention, with MLB at 34%, CFL at 32%, and NBA at 29%, securing the top five spots nationwide.
Formula One auto racing claimed the sixth position in overall popularity at 24%, closely trailed by professional tennis at 20%. The PGA Tour and Major League Soccer shared the eighth spot, with the Professional Women’s Hockey League and Ultimate Fighting Championship completing the top 10 rankings.
In a noteworthy finding, major junior hockey would have made it to the top 10 in two regions if considered. The Western Hockey League would have ranked sixth in Western Canada, while the Ontario Hockey League would also have been sixth in Ontario in terms of fan base size when combined with professional leagues.
Among female respondents, half of the surveyed Canadian women follow the NHL, making it the most preferred league among women. The NFL, MLB, CFL, and NBA followed closely, ranking in the top five for women. Surprisingly, the Professional Women’s Hockey League garnered the seventh spot among women, surpassing well-established leagues like MLS and the PGA Tour, despite being less than two years old.
Interest in female sports leagues is on the rise, with the upcoming launch of the Toronto Tempo expected to boost interest in the WNBA among Canadian women. Additionally, the Northern Super League, a new professional women’s soccer league, has shown promising potential, with 28% of women expressing interest in following it nationally.
When it comes to favorite athletes, survey respondents acclaimed Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid as their top pick, closely followed by Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Soccer icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi secured the third and fourth spots, with Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews rounding off the top five.
The survey, conducted from March 15 to 22, did not provide a margin of error due to its online nature, which does not employ random sampling methods.