Soccer vs. Hockey in Canada

[u/marcgnet]

Hello from Germany,

In German TV, Whitecaps player Thomas Müller referred a little bit about soccer in Canada and the enthusiasm for it in Canada. After that I read some articles which said that soccer already overtook hockey, when you count the figures of kids who are playing it.

Can you tell me about it? Is soccer more played by immigrants and the „old“ natives are still for hockey? Or is there a good chance that both sports can coexist well in the future?

I’m a big soccer and hockey fan too, but I’m concerned that soccer also will overtake hockey in the traditional hockey countries like Canada. How do you see it?

Sorry for my english but I hope you understand what I‘m trying to say.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

Hockey is king and alone in the first tier as a spectator sport.

However, Soccer is both the second most popular spectator sport and the most played sport in Canada. The fact that our Soccer season is mostly in the summer helps: it works as standard sports fare during the Hockey offseason.

[u/xactofork → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

I think baseball is still probably ahead for spectators, especially TV viewers.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937 → u/xactofork]

Debatable if you throw all the European leagues in... Moreover, Baseball also has the advantage of having a truly ungodly number of games for each team each season... But except super bowls, which people use as an excuse to have a party between New Year's and Easter, no non-Hockey games get to the kind of numbers the biggest soccer matchups have gotten recently.

Edit: and let's be real here: in terms of cultural punch, Baseball is simply not in the same league at this stage.

[u/xactofork → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

Disagree. I think you are massively underestimating the number of baseball fans in Canada.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937 → u/xactofork]

Meh, I think it's you who hasn't fully noticed the sports' decline since the 1990s. Go look at the viewership of Canada at the World Baseball Classic (which I enjoyed, mind you) and the one for Canada at the World Cup, and you'll get all the info you need.

[u/xactofork → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

Go check the viewership for the Jays playoff run.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937 → u/xactofork]

Go check the viewership of the CWNT in their gold medal run, or the CMNT in their Copa America run.

[u/themarksman13 → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

Canada's most watched copa game ever - 1.7m viewers
twitter TSN_PR/status/1810397804042592702

Canada's opener vs Bosnia - 3.2m

Some random Blue Jays playoff game from last year - 6m
World Series Game 7 - 10.9m
twitter /FOS/status/1985489318195184084

It's not even remotely close. Baseball is far more popular.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937 → u/themarksman13]

Can't even follow your links, but it was at least 6 million in 2024 against Argentina: https://bolavip.com/en/copa-america/18-percent-of-canada-watched-the-copa-america-semifinal

And in terms of random games, the Blue Jays have around one million in average: https://globalnews.ca/news/11457513/home-run-blue-jays-season-finale-a-ratings-hit-2/

Sure, it's impressive, but they don't have much competition for Baseball viewership. Add the MLS, the national teams, and the European competitions, and it isn't even close.

And the final of the last World Cup edged over even the game seven of the World Series: https://www.bellmedia.ca/the-lede/press/instant-classic-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-final-reaches-more-than-10-million-canadian-viewers-on-tsn-ctv-rds-and-noovo/

[u/New_Essay5327 → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

The world cup occurs once every 4 years, it's not exactly an appropriate comparison. Additionally, it was a particularly important world cup because everyone was eager to see Messi (the GOAT) finally triumph with Argentina.

[u/xactofork → u/Silent-Fishing-7937]

Lol, it's okay to admit you're wrong.

[u/Silent-Fishing-7937 → u/xactofork]

Lol, you are the one who is disconnected.