More than three-in-four Canadians—and four-in-five hockey fans—would ban heads shots in the professional game.
Vancouver, BC [May 17, 2024] – By a 2-to-1 margin, Canadians are on side with the notion of outlawing fighting in professional hockey, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 61% of Canadians (+1 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2021) support banning fighting in professional hockey, while 30% (+1) are opposed and 9% (-3) are not sure.
Among Canadians who describe themselves as “hockey fans, who truly enjoy watching the game”, support for a ban on fighting in professional hockey reaches 50% (+4).
“Three-in-four Canadians of South Asian descent (75%) are willing to end fighting in professional hockey,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Majorities of Canadians whose heritage is East Asian (64%), European (61%) or Indigenous (54%) share the same view.”
The notion of banning head shots in professional hockey remains popular, albeit at a lower level than in 2021. Three-in-four Canadians (76%, -6) and four-in-five “true fans” (81%, -8) voice support for this directive.
More than three-in-five Canadians (63%) and two thirds of “true fans” (67%) believe the game of hockey would be better off without head shots. Fewer Canadians and “true fans” (44% and 39% respectively) think the effect will be positive if fights are outlawed from hockey.
More than a quarter of Canadians (27%, =) believe professional hockey has become a more violent sport over the past five years. More than a third of Quebecers (37%) and Ontarians (35%) agree with this assessment. The proportions are lower in Atlantic Canada (33%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (32%), British Columbia (29%) and Alberta (20%)
Some Canadians have developed a more negative attitude towards hockey in the past couple of years. One-in-four (25%, +5) would encourage their kids to avoid playing the sport as a result of recent violent incidents, and the same proportion (25%, =) would watch fewer hockey games than they currently do. A slightly smaller number of Canadians (24%, +4) would refrain from buying products from companies that sponsor professional hockey.
More than half of Canadians (57%, +5) believe the National Hockey League (NHL) is doing a “very good” or “good” job in looking after the safety of its players—a proportion that rises to 86% among “true fans”.
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 6 to May 8, 2024, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and 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