Canadians are not sports fans, they are hockey fans.
It’s a statement I have made and have believed for years, and stand by to this day.
Though my argument could be viewed as being an unfair generalization, I remain firm with my assertion that the majority of my countrymen and women cannot truthfully refer to themselves as sports fans, because I feel there is a criteria that must be met before one could do so, and it involves watching and caring about more than hockey, by far Canada’s most popular sport.
Anyone who knows me is well versed on where my allegiances lie – firmly within the Boston sports community.
The Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins have always been my teams of choice; most are also prevalent within my family. Somehow, I managed to be an Oakland Raiders fan, with the Green Bay Packers also holding a special place in my heart. I watch soccer, golf, tennis, mixed martial arts, horse racing, eagerly anticipate the Olympics (both summer and winter) every two years and love college basketball and football.
I do enjoy hockey. Growing up, my father would talk about Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Eddie Shore – I was named after Derek Sanderson – and I cheered on Ray Bourque, Cam Neely, Adam Oats and Andy Moog.
But there is something strange and unorthodox about me, a Canadian…hockey is not my favourite sport.
Though it’s difficult to pinpoint a favourite, as it can change depending on the time of year, and my love of watching NFL football each and every Sunday has no equal, I have always been drawn to the hard court.
It amazes me how many Canadians don’t realize that basketball was invented by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith of Almonte, Ont., and how quickly it is dismissed even when they are made aware of this fact.
Basketball has become one of the most popular sports in the world, with the NBA in the top five of most profitable leagues, bringing in roughly $200 million profit a year, behind the NFL, English Premier League (soccer), MLB and Formula One racing, in that order.
The NBA tried to expand into Canada; Toronto, which still has a team, and Vancouver, where no one cared or attended games.
But this is not about profits, it’s about why so many Canadians cannot bring themselves to take an interest in anything that does not involve blades and ice.
I have heard several ‘excuses,’ such as, “Canada is cold, there’s ice, so we play hockey,” or, “It’s too cold in Canada to play anything other than hockey.”
My response has always been the same, pointing out the fact that basketball is a winter sport that is played in a gym, so weather has absolutely no influence whatsoever.
I do believe there is a shift happening in Canada when it comes to sports. Most of my friends are fans of football, basketball, golf and several other sports, so perhaps my argument is moot, and despite hockey’s ongoing popularity, a new generation of Canadians is broadening their sports horizons.
So join the movement Canada. As great as hockey is, being a sports fan is not like marriage, it’s OK to love more than one. And if you were a real sports fan, you would.
(P.S. This argument goes for you Brits as well – soccer (football) is a great sport, but it’s not the only fish in the sea).
