Who is the more popular athlete in Canada ?

[KevinRedkey]

I have never heard of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

McDavid is the correct answer, given the question and poll options.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Who in the heck are GSP and SGA? The NBA is a dying league. These two NBA players aren’t known up here. No NBA players are.

The NBA is the opposite of dieing up here. It has been growing faster than hockey for 30 years now.

It becomes quite apparent if you have kids. Basketball is very popular with the under 10 crowd, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. NBA is all over the media they consume and has ties in everything from music to movies.

Hockey is still popular. But make no mistake. Basketball is a 1B for young kids.

 

[Machinehead]

Totally disagree that it's GSP worldwide.

MMA is big where it's big, but it's nowhere near basketball globally.

Frankly, I still don't think it's as big as boxing worldwide.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The NBA is the opposite of dieing up here. It has been growing faster than hockey for 30 years now.

It becomes quite apparent if you have kids. Basketball is very popular with the under 10 crowd, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. NBA is all over the media they consume and has ties in everything from music to movies.

Hockey is still popular. But make no mistake. Basketball is a 1B for young kids.

I see Soccer behind hockey now , basketball comes in somewhere behind those.

 

[Voight]

Exactly! Basketball is fourth fiddle up here. Might even be 5th fiddle with the Whitecaps going so good.
Hockey
CFL
Lacrosse
Whitecsps
Curling
NBA

Of course we don’t know who these two NBA players are in this poll.

Its funny cause the doomsayers seem to think basketball is now the #1 sport in Canada and hockey is on its way down

 

[I am not exposed]

Have you heard of Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robinson, Jerry West?

Just the first one. Last two sound like film producers from the 1950s.

 

[Voight]

Totally disagree that it's GSP worldwide.

MMA is big where it's big, but it's nowhere near basketball globally.

Frankly, I still don't think it's as big as boxing worldwide.

IMO its passed boxing. For one, the latter peaked in the 80s and 90s. There are some good boxers right now but none have the popularity Mayweather, De la Hoya, Tyson, Ali, Foreman etc had.

 

[JMCx4]

Ann-Renée Desbiens, for the U16 female crowd.

 

[I am not exposed]

Summer McIntosh has to be up there after her achievements last year in the Olympics.

 

[Son of Nogatco]

SGA. Seems like a decent proportion of hockey fans can’t stand McDavid. In large part due to his on and off ice demeanor, in combination with the well-established “Crabs in a bucket” mentality prevalent among the 7 Canadian fan bases.

SGA’s play style and personality isn’t polarizing in the same way, nor does the NBA lend itself to an NHL-style culture of rivalry and hateration between Canadian population centers

 

[TLEH]

I think SGA is way more popular than people think and they're just voting on what they know. NBA has grown by leaps and bounds in Canada.

I still voted McDavid though. Crosby would be the better candidate.

 

[SenzZen]

I know who they all are, so it's a tie.

 

[Golden_Jet]

SGA. Seems like a decent proportion of hockey fans can’t stand McDavid. In large part due to his on and off ice demeanor, in combination with the well-established “Crabs in a bucket” mentality prevalent among the 7 Canadian fan bases.

SGA’s play style and personality isn’t polarizing in the same way, nor does the NBA lend itself to an NHL-style culture of rivalry and hateration between Canadian population centers

Can’t see it being SGA, as a lot have never heard of the guy. I had to google it, like a lot of others did, to see what sport. SGA is probably last.

 

[JianYang]

I think it's Crosby easily.

Of course he's one of the greatest players to play the game but also the "Golden Goal" and his TV ads have gained traction over the years making him a common face for the average Canadian.

I think you have to be a hockey to know Crosby, and if you know Crosby, then you should know mcdavid too.

Aside from gretzky, I can't think of anyone who transcended the sport into the mainstream.

 

[JianYang]

Its funny cause the doomsayers seem to think basketball is now the #1 sport in Canada and hockey is on its way down

Hockey has come down in this nation to a certain extent with changing demographics and other sports seeing some significant talent influx.

But it's position as a hockey power is here to stay for the long run. People talk about the insane costs of playing this sport, but that's a global issue, not just a Canada issue. USA did recently pass Canada for most registered players but that was inevitable.

 

[Foppberg]

Never heard of SGA in my life. No idea who he is or what sport.

 

[Canovin]

CM97 if we are going with abbreviation

 

[Artaud]

Among french canadians, there is no debate. GSP is a household name and only people who care about hockey (which is a majority, but not everyone) know McDavid.

SGA is a total unknown. Davies is a better distant third in the conversation with Canada now in the world cup.

 

[Voight]

Hockey has come down in this nation to a certain extent with changing demographics and other sports seeing some significant talent influx.

But it's position as a hockey power is here to stay for the long run. People talk about the insane costs of playing this sport, but that's a global issue, not just a Canada issue. USA did recently pass Canada for most registered players but that was inevitable.

Agreed, they have 10x the population.

 

[amnesiac]

Among french canadians, there is no debate. GSP is a household name and only people who care about hockey (which is a majority, but not everyone) know McDavid.

SGA is a total unknown. Davies is a better distant third in the conversation with Canada now in the world cup.

runner up MVP last year, and may win it this year (between him a Jokic again). How is he an unknown? if you know the NBA, you know who SGA is.

 

[jetsforever]

Internationally is GSP really ahead of Davies?

 

[Crow]

Internationally is GSP really ahead of Davies?

Who is Davies?

 

[Artaud]

runner up MVP last year, and may win it this year (between him a Jokic again). How is he an unknown? if you know the NBA, you know who SGA is.

I'm speaking from the point of view of the average person. The average french canadian doesn't follow the NBA. It's probably 5th in popularity in Montreal, after the NHL, NFL, MLS and even the MLB (among older folks who followed the Expos).

 

[Golden_Jet]

if you know the NBA, you know who SGA is.

You answered your own question, without knowing it. Many of us drew a blank with that name.

 

[JFedol]

Just the first one. Last two sound like film producers from the 1950s.

That's on you 100%