It comes to no surprise to Squamish sports fans that hockey remains Canada’s favourite sport. Numerous surveys consistently show that the majority of Canadian sports viewers prefer to tune into hockey over any other game. Only soccer edges it out slightly in terms of participation, owing likely to its lower startup costs and greater accessibility.
That said, in the world of Canadian sports viewership, more and more families are tuning into sports games played all over the world. What is behind this trend, and what does it mean for the future of domestic sports?
What sports games are Canadian fans watching?
Soccer has penetrated the Canadian viewership market at a notably high rate. In fact, the world’s most popular game has been spreading like wildfire in North America over the last decade or so.
Unsurprisingly, there are also many sports making their way across the border. NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA games have developed consistent viewing rates in Canada, even in events where Canada’s national teams are not participating.
While many factors contribute to why a Canadian sports fan would look for international games, there are two key factors that are rapidly accelerating the trend.
1. The rise of sports betting in Canada
In Aug. 2021, Canadian lawmakers amended the criminal code to make sports betting legal online. This amendment was not exactly a sweeping legislative motion—each province was still allowed to make their own choices and regulations where online sports betting was concerned.
Still, Canada now features very permissive online betting regulations. While there are domestic games to bet on, many of the biggest sports gambling opportunities happen internationally.
For example, the Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event of the year, with tens of millions of people tuning in each February. Basketball is another major betting event. March Madness is particularly well-known for generating interest from people who like to make wagers. Women’s professional basketball is also seeing a rise in interest, especially coming off a record-breaking year of viewership for the sport.
Professional sports as a whole increase every year in popularity, as games circulate from nation to nation in a way that didn’t exist before this current century. For example, the NFL and MLB host European sporting events annually. The Premier League also did a promotional tour in the United States back in 2023. Teams all over the world are developing a roster of fans separated from their stadiums by entire oceans.
Online betting on sports opens up a world of opportunity for fans who love athletics and don’t want to be boxed in on a single game.
2. An evolving world of viewership
Thanks to streaming, sports fans all over the world now have easier access to games played in international lands.
Soccer is one of the most concrete examples, with NBC acquiring the broadcasting rights to Premier League Soccer back in 2013. However, it was not until the network launched its streaming service, Peacock, in 2020 that soccer had its international moment. Games were streamed internationally with billions of views. This past season, a live match broke streaming records with nearly 3 million people per match tuning in to watch the last day of regular season play.
Soccer is a standout when it comes to the development of an international fanbase, but it is far from the only game attracting international attention. The United States is also gaining international traction with their soccer league, the MLS. Canada is represented within this organization as well. The nation currently has three franchises domestically, with the potential for more as the league continues to expand.
Streaming is an easy and accessible form of entertainment, providing another step in the progression of progress between international cohesion brought about by the internet.
As streaming opportunities have shown, when given the chance, viewers will flock to a televised sporting event. Streaming makes it possible to enjoy international games at a higher level than ever before, while the steady rise of sports betting helps to ensure that the interest is always there.
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