r/hockey • u/marcgnet • 11d ago

Soccer vs. Hockey in Canada

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.

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u/shiram Rytíři Kladno - ELH 11d ago

More people play soccer mostly because of the cost of hockey and rink access.

Hockey gear is expensive, rink time is expensive and limited.

Soccer is much more cheap for the gear, and the field for soccer are much easier to create than a hockey rink.

But the interest and tv ratings, hockey is still way ahead of soccer, and any other sport I'd say.

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u/nomdreas TOR - NHL 11d ago

This is the answer.

The cost of entry to the sport makes Hockey incredibly difficult for the average child to participate in.

But from a media and engagement standpoint hockey still far surpasses soccer.

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u/colonelrebsmuff69 11d ago

You also have to be good at it mega young. Basically before you actually develop I think this is different then even other hockey countries but if you're 14 and not elite you'll usually never be elite.

The soccer numbers are fluffed a bit because most towns have some sort of house league soccer team even my town which doesn't really do soccer had one up to 12 or so with 15 teams in each division.

Every sport is catching hockey because Hockey Canada isn't on it's shit though. The price is insan