Canadians, who are the most popular NFL teams in your region?

[LightningStorm]

For all you Canadian NFL fans, who are the most popular teams in your region of the country? Some I can think of are the Seahawks in BC, Vikings in Manitoba, Bills in the GTA, and Patriots in the Maritimes. Also, with Canada having their own league in the CFL, is it common for people to have both an NFL and CFL team? It'll be interesting to hear who they cheer for since there's no Blue Jays or Raptors who could be viewed as "Canada's team."

As for some anecdotal examples I've seen, I live in Seattle, and have heard about there even being a large contingent of BC Seahawks season tickets holders. According to a 2021 article, the Seahawks claimed to have over 3,300 season ticket holders from Canada, and an average of 13,300 single game tickets sold per game were to Canadian buyers during the 2021 season. So while BC still sticks with Canada for baseball by cheering for the Jays more than the Mariners, for the NFL they are all in with the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, as a Vikings fan, I know that early in the Vikings existence they were jointed at the hip with Manitoba. If being the closest NFL team wasn't enough, Bud Grant going to the Vikings after winning 4 Grey Cups with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was more than enough to make Manitoba become Vikings territory. Plus Syd Davy (aka 100% Cheese Free), the most famous Vikings superfan, is from Winnipeg.

Click to read more...

 

[EpochLink]

Vancouver area is mostly Seahawks. I’m a Raiders fan since the late 80’s so I’m stuck with it for real.

 

[LightningStorm]

Vancouver area is mostly Seahawks. I’m a Raiders fan since the late 80’s so I’m stuck with it for real.

My first ever NFL game was Seahawks/Raiders in 1998 at the Kingdome. This was back when they were AFC West rivals. I was 8 at the time, and it was the last event I went to at the dome after also going there for several M's games too.

I'd imagine there's plenty of Raiders and 49ers fans in Vancouver too. 2 of the top 10 most popular teams who are both on the west coast.

 

[StreetHawk]

My first ever NFL game was Seahawks/Raiders in 1998 at the Kingdome. This was back when they were AFC West rivals. I was 8 at the time, and it was the last event I went to at the dome after also going there for several M's games too.

I'd imagine there's plenty of Raiders and 49ers fans in Vancouver too. 2 of the top 10 most popular teams who are both on the west coast.

If you started following nfl within the past 20 years since around Holmgren you are likely a Seahawks fan in Vancouver. So I’d say majority of their fanbase here would be 35 and under and mostly in their 20’s.

You’d have to be a raiders fan pre 2003 (around their last SB appearance) or something as I doubt they have much in the way of new fans since Al Davis went senile and they’ve been terrible over the past 2 decades. Majority of their fans would have to be 30’s and older.

SF, aside from the Singletary years and that 3 year dip between Harbaigh to Shanahan, they’ve been pretty consistent and not terrible. So they’ve maintained a consistent following and attracted new fans to the nfl. Probably the most spread out age way of the west coast fan bases.

Don’t think the chargers have much of a following in Vancouver.

 

[EpochLink]

My first ever NFL game was Seahawks/Raiders in 1998 at the Kingdome. This was back when they were AFC West rivals. I was 8 at the time, and it was the last event I went to at the dome after also going there for several M's games too.

I'd imagine there's plenty of Raiders and 49ers fans in Vancouver too. 2 of the top 10 most popular teams who are both on the west coast.

Actually I was born in Winnipeg, the Raiders were my team since the late 1980's. Around that time, Winnipeg is pretty much a Minnesota/Green Bay fanbase. Although, the Raiders played an exhibition game there couple years ago and there was quite a huge Raiders fan base.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Here in the Montreal area I would say it's the Patriots, Giants and Bills that are the 3 most popular. Jets would probably be a distant 4th.

The 4 main US TV stations we get are from Burlington/Plattsburgh and they pretty much always show the NY state teams or the Patriots. So it's pretty obvious how it happened.

Obviously historical teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, 49ers, Raiders, Bears, Packers, etc have some fans here too.

 

[EpochLink]

Here in the Montreal area I would say it's the Patriots, Giants and Bills that are the 3 most popular. Jets would probably be a distant 4th.

The 4 main US TV stations we get are from Burlington/Plattsburgh and they pretty much always show the NY state teams or the Patriots. So it's pretty obvious how it happened.

Obviously historical teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, 49ers, Raiders, Bears, Packers, etc have some fans here too.

You can put the Broncos in that pact, there do have a huge following since the Elway era.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Obviously historical teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, 49ers, Raiders, Bears, Packers, etc have some fans here too.

I'm curious, do you routinely see fanatical NFL fans in Canada?
What I mean, it's common to see cars in America covered in NFL team flags & stickers.. or go in to a house that's decked out in NFL decor. Do you see that much in Canada?
And same question regarding college football fans. You see many of the alumni there, where their entire wardrobe is Alabama or Ohio St (etc) gear?

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Definitely the Pats in Nova Scotia. Not sure any other team makes a dent, see random fans of other teams here and there.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

The Bills is probably the most common in the GTA but it's really a mixed bag of teams. I see many Steelers/Packers/Patriots/Packers/Eagles fans.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

I'm curious, do you routinely see fanatical NFL fans in Canada?
What I mean, it's common to see cars in America covered in NFL team flags & stickers.. or go in to a house that's decked out in NFL decor. Do you see that much in Canada?

I would say the most common display of being fanatical is you see people wearing a hat with a team logo or a tuque with a team logo.

 

[Voight]

The Bills is probably the most common in the GTA but it's really a mixed bag of teams. I see many Steelers/Packers/Patriots/Packers/Eagles fans.

Cowboys are very popular in the GTA.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Here in the Montreal area I would say it's the Patriots, Giants and Bills that are the 3 most popular. Jets would probably be a distant 4th.

The 4 main US TV stations we get are from Burlington/Plattsburgh and they pretty much always show the NY state teams or the Patriots. So it's pretty obvious how it happened.

Obviously historical teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, 49ers, Raiders, Bears, Packers, etc have some fans here too.

Patriots for sure. At least, from 2000-2019. I started following the Pats in 1996-ish because it was the only team always on TV here.

I'd say the Chiefs developped a following in Quebec because of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.

 

[StreetHawk]

Unless you get more than basic cable you will probably follow the teams that are shown on tv. In the East, plenty will have followed NE in the past 2 decades.

In the west coast it’s mostly been Seattle for the past decade or two with Holmgren and Carroll.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

In Winnipeg and southern Manitoba, the Vikings are the #1 team.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Probably Patriots in Nova Scotia. I've seen a few Packers fans as well. Some others here and there.

 

[Takuto Maruki]

In Winnipeg and southern Manitoba, the Vikings are the #1 team.

Can confirm.

 

[EpochLink]

In Winnipeg and southern Manitoba, the Vikings are the #1 team.

As someone who grew up in Winnipeg, I was never a Vikings fan for some reason.
Grew up a big Raiders fan.

 

[MM917]

Living in Alberta I think overall there is a big mix of fans of all sorts of teams. With no geographic tie-in people randomly choose teams for all sorts of reason so no major team that stands out.

That said I would probably go with Seahawks- geography and TV reasons, Packers- Historical and Patriots- especially with casual and younger fans based on their recent success as the 3 most popular but they would be be nowhere near the majority of NFL fans.

 

[BostonBob]

Here in the Montreal area I would say it's the Patriots, Giants and Bills that are the 3 most popular. Jets would probably be a distant 4th.

The 4 main US TV stations we get are from Burlington/Plattsburgh and they pretty much always show the NY state teams or the Patriots. So it's pretty obvious how it happened.

Obviously historical teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Cowboys, 49ers, Raiders, Bears, Packers, etc have some fans here too.

I guess I'm a bit older than you as I grew up in a small town called Ormstown ( located between Chateauguay and Valleyfield ) and I remember watching the Cowboys on WCAX ( CBS affiliate out of Vermont ) almost every Sunday during the NFL season. This was back ( OK OK - way way back ) in the glory days of Roger Staubach, Ed " Too Tall " Jones, Harvey Martin, Drew Pearson, Randy White and Tom Laundry. The Cowboys became my team back then and I still cheer for them today. I now live in Vancouver and most of the NFL stuff you see is either Seattle or the Raiders although I think a lot of the people wearing Raiders jerseys/caps don't even cheer for the team but do so because the logo ( like the Yankees ) is seen as cool.

 

[EpochLink]

I now live in Vancouver and most of the NFL stuff you see is either Seattle or the Raiders although I think a lot of the people wearing Raiders jerseys/caps don't even cheer for the team but do so because the logo ( like the Yankees ) is seen as cool.

I live in Vancouver and I am a die hard Raiders fan, was born in Winnipeg where it was mostly Vikings.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I live in Vancouver and I am a die hard Raiders fan, was born in Winnipeg where it was mostly Vikings.

I'm from Winnipeg, and while Vikings might be the most popular, I wouldn't say "mostly".

My immediate friends group has a Bucs fan (me), Giants, Eagles, Ravens, Bengals. In my fantasy football leagues there's also a 49ers fan, Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, and another Bucs fan that I know of(some arent really fans of any one team, just players). My fiancee is a Viks fan so I've kinda adopted them as my "2nd team". Our most prominent sports broadcaster (radio) in Wpg is an unabashed Chiefs fan.

Overall I'd say it's pretty all over the map in Winnipeg.

 

[EpochLink]

I'm from Winnipeg, and while Vikings might be the most popular, I wouldn't say "mostly".

My immediate friends group has a Bucs fan (me), Giants, Eagles, Ravens, Bengals. In my fantasy football leagues there's also a 49ers fan, Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, and another Bucs fan that I know of(some arent really fans of any one team, just players). My fiancee is a Viks fan so I've kinda adopted them as my "2nd team". Our most prominent sports broadcaster (radio) in Wpg is an unabashed Chiefs fan.

Overall I'd say it's pretty all over the map in Winnipeg.

True, I had friends growing up Broncos, Steelers, Eagles, Lions, Giants fans. My uncle grew up in Winnipeg being a massive and still is, Washington Commanders fan

 

[nilan30]

Northwestern Ontario is mostly Vikes, but then you see Packers, Patriots, Cowboys, Steelers, 49ers, Bears, Eagles etc. Mostly teams that have given fans with no prior connection a reason to be a fan at some point in the past

 

[tacogeoff]

As someone who grew up in Winnipeg, I was never a Vikings fan for some reason.
Grew up a big Raiders fan.

Was a Lions fan since i started watching. I will have to say in my friend's group and area in sw Manitoba the main teams are the Vikings, Packers, Pats and KC.