WORLD CUP A HIT IN CANADA

By: Braedyn Wozniak, RP Show Intern

The CFL’s Grey Cup game last Sunday garnered less Canadian viewership than the National Men’s Soccer game Wednesday at the World Cup in Qatar. 

An interesting talking point, because as Rod Pedersen put it, the Grey Cup is “Canada’s Super Bowl.” Is it that the Grey Cup is lacking in viewership, or are Canadians are truly invested in the World Cup? 

‘Raw’ Mike Richards broke down the meaning for it on the Rod Pedersen Show Friday. 

“That event (World Cup), and that’s what it really was, it is something we haven’t seen since 1986,” said Richards. “In 1986 no one cared about soccer. No one knew about soccer.” 

In 1986, Canada was classified as a clear-cut hockey country. The CFL was a distant second, and no other sports compared. 

Now, with the power of the internet and having one of the most diverse populations in the world, Canada is fully invested in the FIFA World Cup. 

“We’re talking about (this World Cup), in terms of athletics … in the history of this country, one of the greatest moments that we have seen in modern times,” said Richards. 

“Whether it was the Vancouver Olympics with the golden goal, or even before that with the 1972 Summit Series, that’s how big this is.” 

Comparing Canadian Soccer to Canadian Hockey bis bold in any context, but the statement has merit. 

The growth of MLS soccer in North America has been outstanding, and teams like the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact have seen crowds and media coverage grow substantially. 

“If those (World Cup viewership) numbers weren’t that big, then there’s a problem … it’s Christmas. It is a moment, an event. I expect the same thing for Croatia.” 

Hockey is still the dominant sport for viewership in Canada, but there’s been a seismic shift. The NFL, Basketball and more recently soccer has passed the CFL in terms of public interest. 

That, and Canadians are just great at uniting on the world stage when the Maple Leaf is involved, regardless of the sport. 

 (The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV and WQEE Radio)

Photo: A.J. Jakubec