2026
8
Canada Sports Tourism and Fan Engagement: 2026
2026-07-23T10:13:20+00:00
REPC6FA44C5_7B9C_4DAA_BA44_C57B9C7DAAA1
3695
194981
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Report
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The NHL may be the most popular league in a hockey nation, but there are signs that its lead is slipping. Gen Zs are just as likely to watch the…
Canada
Sports
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Canada Sports Tourism and Fan Engagement: 2026

The NHL may be the most popular league in a hockey nation, but there are signs that its lead is slipping.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for sports tourism and fan engagement
    • Opportunities
    • Meet Gen Z sports fans where they are
    • Major events will grow in importance as fandom fragments
    • Focus on sports tourists for future opportunities
  2. THE MARKET

    • Economic analysis
    • The next generation of fans is on social media
    • The Blue Jays are working with podcasters and influencers
    • Sports betting changes how fans engage
    • Sports tourism is getting more expensive
    • Graph 1: gasoline CPI (2002=100), 2021-26
    • Ontario is taking steps to control sports ticket prices
    • Less travel to the US limits sports destinations
    • Graph 2: Canadian residents returning from the United States in January, 2024-26
    • Hockey has lost some grassroots momentum
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Leading leagues in Canada
    • NHL remains the top league in Canada
    • Graph 3: degree of sports fandom by league, 2026
    • Presence in Canada doesn’t necessarily correlate to fandom
    • NHL fandom is driven by die-hards
    • Graph 4: die-hard and casual fans, by league, 2026
    • NHL has a strong connection with hockey players
    • NHL isn’t resonating with Gen Z yet
    • Graph 5: die-hard/casual NHL fan, by generation, age and income, and LGBTQ+ status, 2026
    • Gen Z’s sports fandom is diverse
    • Graph 6: die-hard/casual fans by league, Gen Z vs overall, 2026
    • Anticipate a wider range of sports interests
    • Capitalize on formative moments that create long-term ripple effects
    • Brands that want to leverage sports fandom should choose leagues strategically
    • How fan engagement is evolving
    • Social media is a primary sports resource for younger fans
    • Graph 7: sports media – have used/interacted with in the past three months, by generation, 2026
    • Generational divides in social media platform usage
    • Graph 8: platforms used to follow a team/league account, Gen Z vs Millennials, 2026
    • Gen Zs are more likely to go on YouTube than a broadcaster’s site/app
    • Graph 9: sports media – have used/interacted with in the past three months, by generation, 2026
    • Sports betting correlates with more content consumption
    • Graph 10: sports media – have used/interacted with in the past three months, by sports betting behaviours, 2026
    • YouTube and social media add to the fragmentation in sports
    • Graph 11: “I watch sports highlights/clips on…” (% yes), 2026
    • Video games are a new connection point for sports fans
    • Graph 12: sports-related items that are important to you, by generation, 2026
    • Look at video games as a viable marketing channel in sports
    • Sports documentary series are a new way for fans to engage
    • The impact of big sports event broadcasts
    • Championship broadcasts are relevant across a range of fans
    • Graph 13: “I watch the NHL Stanley Cup Final every year (regardless of who’s playing)” (% yes), by NHL fandom, 2026
    • Graph 14: “I watch the Super Bowl every year (regardless of who’s playing), by NFL fandom, 2026
    • The Super Bowl is unique
    • Super Bowl ads are a way to connect with women
    • Graph 15: Super Bowl behaviours and attitudes (% yes), by gender, 2026
    • Gen Z is as committed to the Super Bowl as the Stanley Cup Final
    • Graph 16: Stanley Cup Final and Super Bowl viewership (% yes), by generation, 2026
    • The NHL’s presence in Canada makes the Stanley Cup Final’s relevance unpredictable
    • Marketing during these events should be a calculated decision
    • Sports tourism
    • Sports tourists are in the minority, but still a sizeable group
    • Graph 17: sports tourism in the past 12 months, 2026
    • Graph 18: “I travelled to an event…”, 2026
    • Sports tourism skews heavily to men
    • Graph 19: have travelled overnight for a sports event in the past 12 months, by age and gender, 2026
    • Sports tourism is expensive, meaning it skews to higher incomes
    • Graph 20: have travelled overnight for a sports event in the past 12 months, by age and household income, 2026
    • Cities use sports tourism to attract visitors
    • Sports tourism is a ‘closed loop’ system
    • Graph 21: likelihood of travelling overnight for a sports event in the next 12 months, by past 12 month travel activity, 2026
    • Sports travelers have another trip in mind
    • Graph 22: “There’s a specific sports trip I have in mind that I’d like to do some day” (% yes), by age, gender, household income and past 12 month travel activity, 2026
    • Trips as prizes connects brands to the demand for sports tourism
    • Sports tourism is loved by some, irrelevant to most
    • The Canada-US relationship has implications for domestic and international stakeholders
    • A spotlight on hockey fandom (and its barriers)
    • Hockey has an emotional pull, but also barriers to overcome
    • Hockey’s draw is both emotional and tangible
    • Graph 23: reasons for being a hockey fan, 2026
    • Older fans are the most driven by emotions and skill
    • Graph 24: reasons for being a hockey fan, by generation, 2026
    • Spittin’ Chiclets brings personality to hockey fandom
    • Quebec has its own relationship with hockey
    • Graph 25: reasons for being a hockey fan, by region, 2026
    • Boredom is the leading barrier, but only for the minority of non-fans
    • Graph 26: reasons for not being a hockey fan, 2026
    • Gen Z will be an uphill battle
    • The in-group of Canadian hockey can make some feel left on the outside
    • Graph 27: I feel like an outsider, by LGBTQ identity, 2026
    • Heated Rivalry shines a more progressive light on hockey
    • The PWHL uses partnerships to demonstrate its brand ethos to fans
    • To fight or not to fight, that is the question
    • Graph 28: the fighting/hitting, by financial situation, 2026
    • Graph 29: I don’t like the violence, by financial situation, 2026
    • Attitudes towards violence in hockey are a microcosm of a larger point
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Rogers Winning Inning targets fan engagement through second screens
    • Franchises are finding creative ways to monetize experiences
    • Anaheim Ducks make it easier to make memories
    • Home Depot connects soccer to DIY projects at home
    • Aer Lingus sponsors a game to promote sports tourism
    • The success of women’s sports opens up new engagement opportunities
    • Tim Hortons focuses on the nostalgia of big sports events
    • Buffalo Bills build formal and informal bonds with Canadians
    • There are always new and creative ways to market to sports fans
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research questions: crosstabs
    • Consumer research questions: curated tables
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Canada generation groups
    • Abbreviations and terms
Download Report Summary

"Sports still bring Canadians together, but not in the same ways, or on equal footing. These shifts are reshaping fan engagement, sports tourism and how brands reach increasingly fragmented audiences."

Scott Stewart, Associate Principal, Lifestyles & Retail

Scott Stewart, Associate Principal, Lifestyles & Retail

The NHL may be the most popular league in a hockey nation, but there are signs that its lead is slipping. Gen Zs are just as likely to watch the Super Bowl every year as they are to watch the Stanley Cup Final. The fragmentation of sports fandom is illustrative of a broader trend in this industry: consumers have more choice about what sports and leagues to follow and how to follow them. Demand for sports remains as high as ever, but fan engagement is getting increasingly complex.

External pressures are reshaping the fan experience in more uneven ways. As ticket prices climb and travel costs rise, attending live sports is becoming out of reach for a growing share of fans. While it’s never been easier to follow teams and leagues from anywhere, it’s getting harder for many fans to be there in person.

This fragmentation and decentralization creates both opportunities and threats. While they open up new ways for stakeholders to gain share and connect with sports fans beyond the traditional approaches, they also make scale harder to achieve. As a result, brands looking to leverage the popularity of sports must be increasingly deliberate about who they target and which channels they use to reach them.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • How rising prices and travel costs are reshaping who can attend live sports – and who is being priced out
  • As sports fandom fragments across leagues, platforms and formats, which audiences deliver reach and relevance
  • What role social media, gambling and second-screen behaviours play in how fans engage – and where traditional models fall short
  • Which major sports events still unite broad audiences, and how brands should rethink their value as everyday fandom decentralizes
  • Who is most likely to drive future sports tourism, and why past behaviour matters more than aspirational intent
  • What factors are limiting hockey’s appeal in Canada today – and what that signals about the future of national sports identity
  • How leagues, destinations and brands are adapting engagement strategies to remain relevant in a more complex sports ecosystem

Market Definitions

Sports tourism: overnight travel where a live sports event is the primary motivator.

Fan engagement: ways in which fans connect with professional sports teams, including watching the live game/match as well as other channels outside the game itself.

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