Why Is Hockey Popular In Canada
Why is hockey so popular in Canada? First and foremost, climate. As a country with blistering cold winters, it's easy to play outdoors, which makes it more affordable than in many other parts of the world, especially most of the US (not including many northern states). It's also what contributes to Sweden & Russia being top hockey nations. Unyielding politeness. In some parts of the world it’s not very easy to get an apology, but in Canada. In 2004 a poll was taken in Canada to find the 10 greatest Canadians of all time, millions of Canadians chose two hockey players within their list - Wayne Gretzky and Don Cherry. Furthermore, having a hockey scene on the back of the Canadian five dollar note is just another example of how close to their hearts this sport really is. Ice hockey, simply referred to as hockey in both English and French in Canada, dates back to the 19th century. The sport is very popular and played year-round and at every level in the country. Born of various influences from stick-and-ball games brought from the United Kingdom and indigenous games, the contemporary sport of ice hockey originated in Montreal. It is the official national winter sport of.
Hockey by the numbers
CBC News
Last Updated: Sept. 30, 2013
Is hockey really Canada's game? A look at the numbers shows that more Canadian adults play golf than ice hockey, while for kids under 14 almost twice as many kids play soccer than hockey.
There are also more ice hockey participants in the U.S. today than there are in Canada. And the game is growing much faster south of the border than it is here.
To top it off, a poll last November found less than half of Canadians saying hockey is a source of personal or collective pride in Canada.
With the NHL season getting underway Tuesday, we're marking the event by compiling this page of numbers about non-professional hockey in Canada, from how many play the game to how much it costs.
We have some comparisons to other sports, too. See how much it costs to outfit a kid for hockey compared to other popular sports, and check out the participation rates in the ten most popular sports that adults play.
| the number of Canadians 15 years and older who play hockey | the number of hockey participants in the U.S. | number of Canadian men 15 years and older who play hockey | number of Canadian women 15 years and older who play hockey | hockey's place on the list of most-practised sports by Canadians, in 2010 (15 years and older). Golf was number one with 1,465,000 participants |
| share of adult Canadians participating in hockey, in 2010 (See graph for the top ten sports.) | share of the number of men who participate in any sport who play hockey, in 2010 | share of the number of women who participate in any sport who play hockey, in 2010 | share of the number of children, 5-14 years old, who participate in any sport who play hockey, in 2010 | hockey's place on the list of most-practised sports by Canadians 5-14 years old, in 2010. Soccer (42.3 per cent) was number one and swimming (24.1 per cent) was number two. |
| number of Canadian hockey players under 18 years old registered with Hockey Canada. (See graph for registrations since 2001-2002.) | increase in the number of Hockey Canada registrations by males from the 2001-2002 season to 2012-2013 | increase in the number of Hockey Canada registrations by males from the 2001-2002 season to 2012-2013 | increase in the number of Hockey Canada registrations by females from the 2001-2002 season to 2012-2013 | increase in the number of Hockey Canada registrations by females from the 1990-1991 season to 2012-2013 -- 10.7 times more |
| annual growth rate for overall hockey participation in Canada | average annual growth rate for hockey participation in the U.S. for the past five years | estimate of the number of hockey teams in an organized league in Canada | total number of players (15 years old and over) who participated in a hockey tournament in 2010 -- that's 49 per cent of all players | share of Canadians who say hockey is an important source of personal or collective pride in Canada, in a November 2012 poll |
The numbers above refer to ice hockey only. Sources: Hockey Canada, Statistics Canada, Heritage Canada, Sports and Fitness Industry Association, Canadian Recreation Facilities Council, Ontario Recreation Facilities Association, Association of Canadian Studies, Bauer Hockey, Canlan Ice Sports, Town of Rouleau, Mississauga Terriers Hockey Club, Mattamy Athletic Centre, St. Michael's College School Arena
Is hockey Canada's game? The issue is being debated on CBC Sports' Facebook page and CBC News' Facebook page.
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Why Is Hockey Popular In Canada
There are a good number of reasons why hockey is so popular in Canada.
The Perfect Environment
The winters are long and cold in Canada and this meant finding some outdoor activities that would allow Canadians to get some exercise. Hockey was a perfect choice because there was plenty of ice to take advantage of. This ranges from backyard rinks to full professional ice surfaces.
The Sport
Canadians are very prone to enjoying team sports. Hockey has always been one of these that is always at the top of the list. The game is participated in at both the amateur and professional levels. Canadian women have made a name for themselves in this area as well.
Opportunities
One of the reasons hockey has become so popular in Canada is because there are ample opportunities for those who enjoy the game. There are many different leagues at all levels. The kids start at a very young age and can move up in the ranks. Many of them aspire to be NHL players one day. Talent scouts for all the teams watch these kids closely as they progress through the years. This is how they can become a draft pick that can lead them to a career in hockey.
Why Is Hockey So Popular In Canada
The Fans
While a great deal of credit goes to the players and the organizers of the game a lot of credit also has to go to the fans. They are the ones that support the game and determine how popular it is. The seats for the Toronto Maple Leafs are extremely hard to come by and this is just one example of how important the fans are to the game.
Why Is Hockey Popular In Canada
Aside from pro hockey, the game itself is popular among the kids that just want to head to the local ice rink so they can enjoy the game with their friends.