Do you know the fastest growing sports in Canada? There’s no doubt that hockey is Canada’s most popular sport. Our nation has hundreds of professional hockey teams and seven National Hockey League franchises. Every year, the Official Sport of the Winter brings millions together to watch the Stanley Cup finals on television and in person. In 2021, 15.6 million Canadians tuned in throughout the season.
However, hockey isn’t the only sport in Canada. There are five other sports that have been making quite the name for themselves lately.
Here’s a list of the top 5 Fastest Growing Sports in Canada:
Cricket
Cricket was the top sport in Canada until hockey came along and pushed it to second rank. Cricket has been making a comeback lately, especially among young people and women. Unlike hockey, cricket does not require expensive equipment and it doesn’t (usually) get violent, which makes it a more inclusive sport.
Soccer
Although hockey is the most popular sport when it comes to viewers and fans, soccer has the most participants. Again, people are attracted to this competitive and strategic game because it’s relatively affordable and more accessible to youth. While hockey costs about $1,200 per year to play, soccer costs less than $700 for equipment, lessons, league, and ground fees.
Lacrosse
While hockey is dubbed the Sport of the Winter, lacrosse is the Sport of the Summer in Canada. Lacrosse gained millions of new fans in Canada and around the world after the Olympics officially recognized it as a sport in 2021. There will surely be more lacrosse participants in the next few years as the sport gains a larger audience.
Basketball Fastest Growing Sport in Canada
The Toronto Raptors winning the 2019 championship created more interest in the sport than ever. Now that the NBA and ABA have merged, Canada is the second most represented nation in the NBA. There are 25 Canadian players on the 2021-22 rosters who are paving the way for a surge in basketball fans nationwide. Today, over 350,000 people between the ages of three and 17 play basketball in Canada, many of whom see their favourite rapper, Drake, sitting courtside at NBA games. This could lead to a rise in professional basketball athletes as these kids grow up.
Baseball Fastest Growing Sport in Canada
Baseball will likely remain America’s Pastime, but that doesn’t mean Canadians don’t also love the sport. The Toronto Blue Jays are members of the MLB and one of the more valuable franchises with a $1.7 billion net worth. Major cities throughout Canada, like Vancouver and Montreal, prove to be viable markets for sports teams. As such, we might see new teams from these areas joining the MLB. On a smaller scale, minor league baseball interest has increased with participation in 75 cities and towns. These numbers continue to increase by about 14% year after year.
It’s unlikely that any of these athletic games will unseat hockey as the most popular sport in Canada. However, it shows that Canada is a multi-talented country with many sports and athletes that deserve recognition.
