Survey results indicate many Canadians don’t want NFL here at expense of CFL

A new national survey indicates many Canadians don't want the NFL here at the CFL's expense but may also reinforce the biggest challenge facing the Canadian league.

A new national survey indicates many Canadians don’t want the NFL here at the CFL‘s expense but may also reinforce the biggest challenge facing the Canadian league.

The survey of 1,512 Canadians was conducted Nov. 19-21 by Reginald Bibby, a sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, in partnership with Maru Public Opinion. Bibby has been tracking national sports trends since 1990.

In the survey, 34 per cent of respondents said they either didn’t want the NFL in Canada or wanted it only if the CFL also survived. But while 11 per cent said they’d welcome the NFL’s arrival even at the expense of the CFL, a majority (55 per cent) didn’t care much either way.

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That could illustrate the general malaise that currently plagues the CFL.

On a positive note, the CFL continues to have a slightly higher following in Canada than the NFL (21 per cent compared to 20 per cent). But in recent years, and 2021 in particular, some concerns have emerged.

“The fact 21 per cent of Canadians say they follow the CFL — on par with the NFL — but almost 50 per cent have thoughts about the NFL possibly coming to Canada suggests considerable interest in the issue,” Bibby said. “It’s higher than the 30 per cent or so in 1995.

“If we asked how people felt about the possible demise of the CBC, I suspect a large number would likewise say they ‘don’t care much either way.’ What is disconcerting is that interest in the CFL, while still impressive given the league receives virtually no publicity via U.S. media, has been decreasing slightly in recent years. That needs to be addressed.”