Interest in the two professional sports franchises has increased since 2021 across the province.
Vancouver, BC [August 23, 2023] – More residents of British Columbia are paying attention to two of the province’s football and soccer teams, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, 12% of British Columbians say they are now more interested in the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer (MLS), up four points for each franchise since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June 2021.
Increased interest in the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) stands at 14% (-1) in British Columbia. The proportion is lower for the Vancouver Canadians of Northwest League baseball (6%, +2) and the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL) (4%, -1).
Interest in the Lions has risen by double digits across all age groups: 15% among British Columbians aged 18-to-34, 13% among those aged 55 and over and 10% among those aged 35 to 54.
The Whitecaps score higher among British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (17%) but drop to 11% among those aged 35-to-54 and to 9% among those aged 55 and over.
More than half of British Columbians (55%, -8) select the Canucks when asked which sports team more accurately represents the province. The Lions are second with 16% (+6), followed by the Whitecaps (7%, +3), the Giants (2%, =) and the Canadians (1%, =).
Just over a third of British Columbians (34%, -3) own apparel or merchandise from the Canucks. Only two other teams are in double digits: the Lions (14%, +1) and the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB) (13%, +2).
Fewer British Columbians possess apparel or merchandise from the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) (8%, -1), the Whitecaps (also 8%, +1), the Canadians (4%, -1), the Seattle Mariners of MLB (also 4%, -1) or the Giants (3%, -2).
“Almost one-in-four residents of the Fraser Valley (23%) own apparel or merchandise from the Lions,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “More than one-in-five residents of Northern BC (21%) possess something that features the Blue Jays logo.”
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 29 to August 1, 2023, among 800 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca