Ted Rogers School partners with Sportsnet for study on Canadian sport fans

The Ted Rogers School of Management announced today the launch of a new independent, three-year research study on Canadian Sport Fans, in partnership with Sportsnet and in collaboration with the Future of Sport Lab (FSL).

The first-of-its-kind academic study, the Canadian Sport Fan Index will provide key insights on the attitudes, behaviours and trends of sport fans across Canada. The research will focus on the post-COVID era examining how fans are engaging with professional sports teams and leagues as they deal with limited access to live events, compressed and altered schedules and other changes.

The study will intersect sport fandom across gender, race and ethnicity in all provinces and territories. The study will also examine the future of the Canadian sport fan and fan engagement, through the lens of sport technology and innovation. Initial findings of the Canadian Fan Index will be shared in Spring 2021.

“The past year has seen a fundamental shift in how we engage with sport as fans and as consumers,” said Dr. Cheri Bradish, lead on the study, and also Director, Sport Business Initiatives at the Ted Rogers School and Founder of the FSL. “As the Canadian sport industry looks to rebound from an incredibly disrupted landscape, we knew there was a need to create an independent fan index to better understand Canadian sport fans, and the impact of COVID-19 on attitudes and behaviours.”

The Canadian Sport Fan Index will be coordinated by a team from Ryerson University as well as supported with a roster of leading sport marketing faculty experts and specialists from across Canada including: Dr. Nicholas Burton (Brock University), Dr. Jess Dixon (University of Windsor), Dr. David Finch (Mt. Royal University), Dr. David Legg (Mt. Royal University), Dr. Richard Norman (Ryerson University), Dr. Frank Pons (Laval University) and Dr. André Richelieu (UQAM).

In addition, a team of thought leaders from across the Canadian sport industry will also inform the study insights. Advisors include Anthony Attard (Sportsnet), Mike Bratusa (Wasserman), Jacie deHoop, (The Gist), Aalum Jaffer (Victory), Shannon Hosford (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment), Scott Moore (Uninterrupted Canada) and Andrea Shaw (TTG Canada).

“Sportsnet is proud to partner with Dr. Cheri Bradish and the Ted Rogers School at Ryerson University, along with the roster of experts on the Canadian Sport Fan Index team,” said Anthony Attard, Vice-President, Sports & NHL Sales. “The data and insights from this study will not only help evolve our business, but by leveraging the results of this study, we will be able to understand and engage with our audience on a deeper level and provide the content that matters most to sports fans in our country.”