Sports in Canadian culture

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

It does sound condescending, but that's alright, it has little to no bearing on anything...

And yes, I do understand marketing, the effect of social media, etc. etc., much more than you think I do (which is easy, as you apparently think I know nothing), which I suppose is reasonable since you don't know me. I also don't care about it much, to be honest.

I just think you underestimate peoples' ability to have free thought or at least underestimate people in general, and your comment about me proves it.

No harm no foul, though. Let's move on.

I just find that most people tend to grossly overestimate to what degree they are free thinkers and come to have likes and dislikes, and opinions entirely on their own as opposed to being pushed in one way or another.

I definitely include myself in that, BTW.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I just find that most people tend to grossly overestimate to what degree they are free thinkers and come to have likes and dislikes, and opinions entirely on their own as opposed to being pushed in one way or another.

I definitely include myself in that, BTW.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point

It's all good. I don't entirely disagree with you - it's definitely a very complex topic.

Then, speaking of being a free thinker, you can get into the whole nature vs nurture debate... of which I don't want to be a part!

[JHikka]

Twitter provided a variety of data to the Star.

Most mentions of #WeTheNorth by Canadian city (excluding Toronto)
1. Vancouver
2. Ottawa
3. Montreal
4. Hamilton
5. Calgary

Most mentions of #WeTheNorth by international city
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Paris
4. Houston
5. London

Across the country, daily mentions of the #WeTheNorth hashtag grew significantly compared to its use during the regular season.

According to Twitter Canada’s figures, daily mentions of the hashtag multiplied by 18.5 per cent in Edmonton. In Vancouver, it multiplied by 14 per cent.

Even in cities in the U.S., daily mentions of #WeTheNorth have seen significant growth. In Miami, use of the hashtag multiplied by 9.1 per cent, while in Houston it multiplied by 6.1 per cent.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...of-finals.html

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Twitter provided a variety of data to the Star.

Most mentions of #WeTheNorth by Canadian city (excluding Toronto)
1. Vancouver
2. Ottawa
3. Montreal
4. Hamilton
5. Calgary

Most mentions of #WeTheNorth by international city
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Paris
4. Houston
5. London

Across the country, daily mentions of the #WeTheNorth hashtag grew significantly compared to its use during the regular season.

According to Twitter Canada’s figures, daily mentions of the hashtag multiplied by 18.5 per cent in Edmonton. In Vancouver, it multiplied by 14 per cent.

Even in cities in the U.S., daily mentions of #WeTheNorth have seen significant growth. In Miami, use of the hashtag multiplied by 9.1 per cent, while in Houston it multiplied by 6.1 per cent.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...of-finals.html

[esquire]

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Acajack

In spite of what I said about the conspiracy theory regarding the 1994 Expos, I generally believe this is the way things are for most people.

Most people in the world aren't conditioned to view club-based pro sports as "nationalistic" affairs, with the possible exception of Champions League soccer. And even then...

Americans especially don't view city-based clubs that play pro sports in terms of national pride, and the teams from the top 3-4 sports they follow generally don't play against clubs outside of their league, and in the rare instances that they do, it's usually totally meaningless.

Pro sports clubs aren't generally meant to be "national" teams. But more on this in another post.

I'm not so sure of that... I recall the crowd in Texas chanting "USA USA USA..." during the Bautista vs Odor altercation a few years back. I thought it strange at the time, with a Venezuelan vs a Dominican being viewed as USA against the world... but it is evidence that it exists. It starts about 6 minutes into this video.

Furthermore, I suspect if it were reversed, that the USA had only one team based in a US city, there would be more of a nationalistic support for that one team. I don't think it's fair to judge Canadians negatively for jumping on the Raptor's bandwagon if their own city doesn't have a team to cheer for...

JMHO.

[logan5]

I've heard the USA chants at NHL games once in a while, so the Canadian team vs US team is part of the mindset of American fans.

It doesn't happen too often because most Americans find the USA chant distasteful for the most part. Given the right circumstances though, they will belt it out. Patriotism is a religion in the United States. Thank god it isn't here.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by logan5

It doesn't happen too often because most Americans find the USA chant distasteful for the most part. Given the right circumstances though, they will belt it out. Patriotism is a religion in the United States. Thank god it isn't here.

I'd recommend reading around the sports threads on this forum or elsewhere. Canadians are more patriotic when it comes to big four sports than Americans are. It's that small dog/big dog mentality.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I'm not so sure of that... I recall the crowd in Texas chanting "USA USA USA..." during the Bautista vs Odor altercation a few years back. I thought it strange at the time, with a Venezuelan vs a Dominican being viewed as USA against the world... but it is evidence that it exists. It starts about 6 minutes into this video.

Furthermore, I suspect if it were reversed, that the USA had only one team based in a US city, there would be more of a nationalistic support for that one team. I don't think it's fair to judge Canadians negatively for jumping on the Raptor's bandwagon if their own city doesn't have a team to cheer for...

JMHO.

I am not judging Canadians negatively. It just is what it is.

As for the Americans doing the same *if* they only had one team in some Canadian-dominated league, sure... I guess. But we're kinda discussing how good South Florida would be with snowplowing right now... Stuff that is outside the realm of possibility.

Bottom line is the Raptors-mania feeds into a pent-up feeling of not having much to cheer about that exists in many Canadians.

The thing is that Canadian sports fans (including those in the GTA) have had stuff to cheer about prior to this spring, but an apparent majority of them have adopted a parallax view that has narrowed what they deem worth getting excited about.

Basically, only NBA-NHL-MLB success is worth getting excited about. (If Toronto had an NFL team I assume that would *count* too.)

[logan5]

Welp. I've yet to hear a Ca Na Da! chant at a hockey game.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I'm not so sure of that... I recall the crowd in Texas chanting "USA USA USA..." during the Bautista vs Odor altercation a few years back.

I remember hearing it during Raptors vs Cavs playoff games a few years ago as well. I'm sure that wasn't the only instance of it either (ironic of course, given that most Raptors players are also American - while one of the Cavs' star players was actually Canadian).

I was also in Boston when the Bruings won the Stanley Cup in 2011, and they alternated between chants of "USA! USA! USA!" and "Fuck Vancouver" (though I guess Boston fans are known for being classy like that).

Originally Posted by Acajack

The thing is that Canadian sports fans (including those in the GTA) have had stuff to cheer about prior to this spring, but an apparent majority of them have adopted a parallax view that has narrowed what they deem worth getting excited about.

Basically, only NBA-NHL-MLB success is worth getting excited about.

Like it or not, those are just the "Big 3" here. MLS and CFL are less popular and occupy a lesser importance in the civic mindspace. Is there something wrong with that?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'd recommend reading around the sports threads on this forum or elsewhere. Canadians are more patriotic when it comes to big four sports than Americans are. It's that small dog/big dog mentality.

I agree with you, though as others have mentioned the NHL is a bit different in that it's by far the most "trans-national" of the big four U.S. leagues, and also if you're an American NHL fan you're no doubt very exposed to all of the nationalistic messaging, marketing and even propaganda that comes from the Canadian side of the league/border about hockey being "our game", etc.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I agree with you, though as others have mentioned the NHL is a bit different in that it's by far the most "trans-national" of the big four U.S. leagues, and also if you're an American NHL fan you're no doubt very exposed to all of the nationalistic messaging, marketing and even propaganda that comes from the Canadian side of the league/border about hockey being "our game", etc.

HOCKEY IS CANADA'S GAME
CANADA'S TEAM
BRING THE CUP BACK HOME

But yeah, we're totally lucky not to be as nationalistic as the States. Right.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

HOCKEY IS CANADA'S GAME
CANADA'S TEAM
BRING THE CUP BACK HOME

But yeah, we're totally lucky not to be as nationalistic as the States. Right.

I am sure that either directly or indirectly, millions of American NHL fans have been made to feel as though their team's Stanley Cup victory was somehow "illegitimate".

The likelihood of that happening is exponentially greater if you're a fan of a Sunbelt NHL team as opposed to an NHL club based in the northern tier of states.

(Being totally honest, impartial and fair here BTW. You and others know my views on the NHL's direction, the Stanley Cup, etc.)

[esquire]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Like it or not, those are just the "Big 3" here. MLS and CFL are less popular and occupy a lesser importance in the civic mindspace. Is there something wrong with that?

There's nothing necessarily wrong with it, but it is odd to see Toronto embrace this ESPN narrative where Toronto Never Wins Anything despite:





I would consider these to be significant professional championships wins that were watched by large numbers of people across Canada... but I guess if Toronto wants to set it aside and claim that they are a loser city that hasn't won anything since 1993, then have at 'er I guess...

[suburbanite]

CFL has 9 teams. Irrespective of any debate on individuals players skill level, basic probability will tell you it's not the same.

Can someone move all this to Sports in Canadian Culture

[esquire]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

CFL has 9 teams. Irrespective of any debate on individuals players skill level, basic probability will tell you it's not the same.

I respect your dedication to the narrative

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Can someone move all this to Sports in Canadian Culture

Originally Posted by esquire

There's nothing necessarily wrong with it, but it is odd to see Toronto embrace this ESPN narrative where Toronto Never Wins Anything despite:

The easy distinction would be that MLS & CFL aren't Big Four, which is what dominates most sports talk.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Like it or not, those are just the "Big 3" here. MLS and CFL are less popular and occupy a lesser importance in the civic mindspace. Is there something wrong with that?

We can and do debate whether that's good or bad, or perhaps with or without consequence, but that's not the discussion we're having right now.

What we're talking about is why Canadians (not just Torontonians BTW) treat success by a club team that has no Canadians on it, similarly to a victory in a bona fide international competition by a representative national team (say, at the FIFA World Cup) made up of players born and raised in the country.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with this either. It's just out of the ordinary and IMO, makes for an interesting (armchair) case study.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am not judging Canadians negatively. It just is what it is.

As for the Americans doing the same *if* they only had one team in some Canadian-dominated league, sure... I guess. But we're kinda discussing how good South Florida would be with snowplowing right now... Stuff that is outside the realm of possibility.

Bottom line is the Raptors-mania feeds into a pent-up feeling of not having much to cheer about that exists in many Canadians.

The thing is that Canadian sports fans (including those in the GTA) have had stuff to cheer about prior to this spring, but an apparent majority of them have adopted a parallax view that has narrowed what they deem worth getting excited about.

Basically, only NBA-NHL-MLB success is worth getting excited about. (If Toronto had an NFL team I assume that would *count* too.)

The "Big 4" finals are nationally covered in both USA and Canada. Regardless of the Argos and TFC, both the GC and MLS Cup are not covered by various levels of media spread across North America. NBA Finals is the #2 most covered championship after the Super Bowl in North America and one could make the argument it is it in the top 5 globally as well after various Soccer championships.

It has not been since 1993 that a Canadian "Big 4" team sport has won a championship. This is a long time, and long enough that many of the youth Raptors fans won't remember or were not even born to witness it. For this generation, they have not seen a national major league sports champion and you are seeing this pent up demand for a winner manifest itself.