In your opinions what is more popular? NBA in Canada or NHL in the US?

[Maestro84]

Both leagues are probably not in the top 3 of most watched sports for most citizens in those two countries, despite solid fan bases. Obviously, ball is riding high in Canada right now cuz of the Raps championship but besides this season, they’ve always been a backseat team to the NHL and even the Blue Jays at times. It’s also not as followed as the NHL and European football imo.

Hockey is a clear number 4 (at best) in the US, behind the other big 4 sports leagues, which makes hockey not as important in the States in comparison to Canada and other Northern European nations.

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[Dr Pepper]

Probably varies by region. Basketball is more popular in Toronto than it is in Winnipeg, whereas hockey is probably more popular in Minnesota than it is in, say, Atlanta.

 

[Stylizer1]

It's not eben close. Hockey is way more popular in the states than basketball in Canada.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

If you're talking about just urban areas then basketball is more popular in Canada than hockey is in the US. Kyrie Irving walking around in Vancouver would be recognized by people while PK Subban walking around in Dallas would be mistaken for Yasiel Puig.

Hfboards is a good example as well. We have someone from Edmonton who is a Miami Heat fan. Miami Heat from f***ing Edmonton. Think about it.

 

[dahrougem2]

I would venture to say that basketball in Canada is more popular than hockey in the United States, outside of a few specific markets like Minneapolis, New York, Massachusetts, etc. The passionate hockey markets.

Basketball has been growing tremendously over the last 20 years in Canada. Not to say hockey hasn't in the United States, but I think the popularity for basketball in Canada is higher.

 

[Voight]

If you're talking about just urban areas then basketball is more popular in Canada than hockey is in the US. Kyrie Irving walking around in Vancouver would be recognized by people while PK Subban walking around in Dallas would be mistaken for Yasiel Puig.

Hfboards is a good example as well. We have someone from Edmonton who is a Miami Heat fan. Miami Heat from ****ing Edmonton. Think about it.

Thats also because the NBA markets their players better than the other 3 leagues, and their players typically have a bigger social media following than other athletes in NA. Plus of all sports they are the most tied in with pop culture.

 

[razor ray]

Probably varies by region. Basketball is more popular in Toronto than it is in Winnipeg, whereas hockey is probably more popular in Minnesota than it is in, say, Atlanta.

This. Kahwi stays and they win it again my vote changes to the NBA and Canada.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

BTW, is it a Canadian thing to refer to the US as "The States"?

 

[Voight]

You will obviously get more people to watch while putting on a winning product. Between the Carter years and the Ujiri/Lowry era I doubt many outside of Toronto cared to watch the Raptors or the NBA in general.

Whereas the US has obviously won the last 26 cups (albeit while having more teams) and had teams like LA and ANA grow in popularity and make the finals.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

BTW, is it a Canadian thing to refer to the US as "The States"?

Yea, very much so in my neck of the woods at least.

 

[PG Canuck]

This poll would’ve been a blowout if you did this before the Raps won. None of my friend group really cares much about basketball. Watch the odd game here and there, that’s about it.

Definitely depends on the region.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

This poll would’ve been a blowout if you did this before the Raps won. None of my friend group really cares much about basketball. Watch the odd game here and there, that’s about it.

Definitely depends on the region.

Your friend group not being representative of much notwithstanding, that alone is probably more than you can say about hockey in the states on the whole. It gets largely ignored by maybe most of the population and even the major markets thriving doesn't move the needle an incredible amount.

They're niche sports respectively but the Raptors have a better baseline level of interest. And when it comes to either at its highest its not even close.

 

[Reality Check]

This poll would’ve been a blowout if you did this before the Raps won. None of my friend group really cares much about basketball. Watch the odd game here and there, that’s about it.

Definitely depends on the region.

It certainly will revert back to a blowout now after Leonard bolted

 

[PG Canuck]

Your friend group not being representative of much notwithstanding, that alone is probably more than you can say about hockey in the states on the whole. It gets largely ignored by maybe most of the population and even the major markets thriving doesn't move the needle an incredible amount.

They're niche sports respectively but the Raptors have a better baseline level of interest. And when it comes to either at its highest its not even close.

To me it seems like fake interest. All of a sudden everyone is following the Raptors and invested but quite literally a year ago it wasn’t this way. Definitely wasn’t this way two/three years ago. The biggest interest in basketball is in Toronto - I’m not sure how much the rest of Canada truly cares other than hopping on what it is cool right now.

Exact same happened with the Jays in this country and now all those people are silent again.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

To me it seems like fake interest. All of a sudden everyone is following the Raptors and invested but quite literally a year ago it wasn’t this way. Definitely wasn’t this way two/three years ago. The biggest interest in basketball is in Toronto - I’m not sure how much the rest of Canada truly cares other than hopping on what it is cool right now.

Exact same happened with the Jays in this country and now all those people are silent again.

True, and that large amount of bandwagon interest is a lot more than you can say about hockey in the states.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

I would venture to say that basketball in Canada is more popular than hockey in the United States, outside of a few specific markets like Minneapolis, New York, Massachusetts, etc. The passionate hockey markets.

Basketball has been growing tremendously over the last 20 years in Canada. Not to say hockey hasn't in the United States, but I think the popularity for basketball in Canada is higher.

NY has a lot of people, but it's not really a passionate hockey market.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Hockey is a niche sport on par with other Olympic oddities like bobsled and curling in, geographically, most of the non-Northeastern and North Midwest United States. I'd guess most schools in Alberta have a blacktop and hoop?

 

[SupremeNachos]

Probably varies by region. Basketball is more popular in Toronto than it is in Winnipeg, whereas hockey is probably more popular in Minnesota than it is in, say, Atlanta.

That and because the Wolves suck.

 

[justafan22]

To me it seems like fake interest. All of a sudden everyone is following the Raptors and invested but quite literally a year ago it wasn’t this way. Definitely wasn’t this way two/three years ago. The biggest interest in basketball is in Toronto - I’m not sure how much the rest of Canada truly cares other than hopping on what it is cool right now.

Exact same happened with the Jays in this country and now all those people are silent again.

that's true.

Even after the Kawhi news, nobody cares about the Jays season.

It's still raptors talk

 

[John Price]

It certainly will revert back to a blowout now after Leonard bolted

RIP Canadian basketball 2018-2019

 

[Gash]

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[BKIslandersFan]

It's not eben close. Hockey is way more popular in the states than basketball in Canada.

Except Toronto, I would tend to agree.