Why Is Hockey the Most Popular Sport in Canada?

It's sometimes hard to determine exactly why something is popular. However, the long history of hockey in Canada, as well as the nature of the Canadian climate and the culture and tradition of hockey through the generations are all part of the answer to why hockey is the most popular sport in Canada.

Canadian History and Hockey

The love of hockey has been handed down through the generations in Canada. There are, in fact, paintings that date back as far as 1800 that clearly depict people playing a stick-and-ball game while on ice masses located in Nova Scotia.

Hockey as Canada's National Sport

Hockey has such a long history in Canada that many Canadians claim that the sport was invented there. The true origin of the game suggests it was probably developed as a stick-and-ball game adapted by European immigrants in Canada to make the play of the game conducive to being playable on ice.

What you may know of about hockey has been heavily influenced by the Canadians. They are widely viewed as a primary reason the game is as popular as it is today throughout the entire northern hemisphere. In fact, hockey is considered one of the four major sports in all the temperate zones in the northern hemisphere. In Canada hockey is actually registered as the national sport, much like baseball is “America’s Pastime.”

Tradition

Canadian culture, much like American culture, is very proud of its history and sense of tradition when it comes to the customs and practices of its people. Because of the history of hockey being so closely tied into Canadian culture, many Canadians refer to hockey as a tradition rather than a pastime.

To many, the sport of hockey has been taught, or “handed down” to them by their father, or grandfather, who learned it from his father or grandfather. This gives many people a sense of pride when they participate.

Canadian Climates and the Popularity of Hockey

Another reason why hockey is the most popular sport in Canada is because most of the games played on a professional level in the country have had to be adjusted and adapt to the outdoor climates. Since hockey needs ice, and Canada produces lots of ice, hockey is a natural fit.

Many people enjoy being outside and being athletic, and hockey is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this in Canada. As such, many people in the country take to the sport in order to participate in a widespread regulated athletic program.

There are more amateur hockey league organizations in Canada than any other country in the world, and the long winters and generous ice cover provide plenty of opportunity for anyone who chooses to participate in the sport to become quite good at it.

Economics

Trying to calculate just how much revenue the sport of hockey has generated for the Canadian people may be nearly impossible to do. You would have to go back quite a ways in time in order to begin at the first regulated game or the creation of the first regulated Canadian hockey league.

One thing is certain. The organization of the sport of hockey has contributed immensely to the Canadian economy since the first regulated game, played at McGill University in Montreal in March of 1875. The economic accessibility of the sport is one of the main reasons why hockey is the most popular sport in Canada.