Cross Canada Checkup... World Cup Fever in Canada?

[strobe_z]

I'm listening to Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Radio1 talk to people about Canada and the World Cup... It's interesting how the question seems to pop up every four years. "Why isn't Canada at the WC?"

This week: Sunday June 13, 2010

On Cross Country Checkup: soccer fever

The World Cup has grabbed the attention of soccer fans around the globe. And this time, even hockey-mad Canadians are starting to take notice.

What do you think? Are Canadians catching World Cup fever?

Join guest host Jian Ghomeshi, Sunday on Cross Country Checkup

[Richard]

Pity it's Ghomeshi, the man irritates the hell out of me. I just turn off the radio when he's on.

[Juby]

I'm not a big fan of him either but I remember reading a great article where he tore into gene simmons after he announced he (of kiss fame no less) was here to 'fix' the canadian music industrly, which as ghomeshi pointed out is probably our best point in the arts (either that or comedy). Anyways on topic, I have seen A TON of car flags, like 10-20% of traffic.

[strobe_z]

Nice of him to end his show with the lady from Sicamoose, BC who knows nothing at all about soccer but is glad there's a "Canadian" playing for Portugal... I can sorta understand if some players are cut throat enough to turn their backs on their country for the sake of their pro careers... but I simply don't understand how people can be pleased about that. Thank god there's no "Canada at the World Cup.... Calgary's own..." this time around. The only "Team Canada at the WC" piece I've seen was about a CBC camera crew...

[Bertuzzi44]

Well if my facebook news feed is any indication, World Cup fever has hit hard...

All those profile pictures of "me wearing a team Canada jersey" or of Sidney Crosby celebrating his winning goal against the US have all of a sudden turned to flags of England, Portugal, Korea, etc...

:-/

[red card]

I would have to say the WC fever has been kicked up a notch or two this time around - my 2 cents include seeing cars with flags 2 weeks before the WC which I have never seen before; way more companies are actually doing WC marketing campaigns in Canada as part of their overall global effort; CBC has basically elevated WC coverage to Olympic status (likewise for ESPN); and at work, about 50% more people joined the Pool.

[Time_for_2014]

I agree... even here in Montreal, the average person is interested by the WC. And guess what??? they're asking the famous question : Why isn't Canada there?

I think we're getting there slowly. The more we play (Nationalk team, MLS, Canadians abroad) the better we'll get...

I'm already thinking about 2014!

[CanadianSoccerFan]

I would have to say the WC fever has been kicked up a notch or two this time around - my 2 cents include seeing cars with flags 2 weeks before the WC which I have never seen before; way more companies are actually doing WC marketing campaigns in Canada as part of their overall global effort; CBC has basically elevated WC coverage to Olympic status (likewise for ESPN); and at work, about 50% more people joined the Pool.

I'm interested to see what CBC's ratings are this time. I know ESPN is doing very well. Their overall ratings so far are already nearly double the last world cup with the USA/England game getting 13 million viewers (another 4 million on spanish univision). That's better than a world series or NBA finals game.

[red card]

ratings have been great with US/ENG at 2.7m with repeat showings included, GER/AUS had 2.2m with repeats. Stream numbers and the very early morning match numbers were very good also.

http://www.truthandrumours.net/2010/06/14/sources-say-stroumboulopoulos-could-be-heading-to-fan590/

[tmcmurph]

One thing I like is CBC having it on their site in HD. It is real good compared to the regular one. More Canadians are interested this time around although 2006 was the first time I had seen non-soccer people interested it seems to have grown quite a bit this time. The biggest complaint is one I share, those stupid horns. One of the best things about soccer are the chants and songs from the crowd. Now all you can hear is the stupid buzzing from the horns. Save it for South Africa's games! That has more complaints from a wider spectrum of viewers than anything else.

[TFC07]

ratings have been great with US/ENG at 2.7m with repeat showings included, GER/AUS had 2.2m with repeats. Stream numbers and the very early morning match numbers were very good also.

http://www.truthandrumours.net/2010/06/14/sources-say-stroumboulopoulos-could-be-heading-to-fan590/

Wow, these are great numbers. I believe this record breaking numbers for soccer in Canada.

Kudos to CBC for doing a fine job of covering World Cup so far.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The strong ratings and increased mainstream interest could be really good for the national team in getting corporate sponsors to shell out bigger dollars for the next WCQ campaign. The financial upside for a company to invest in the team keeps getting higher.

[Cheeta]

One thing I like is CBC having it on their site in HD. It is real good compared to the regular one. More Canadians are interested this time around although 2006 was the first time I had seen non-soccer people interested it seems to have grown quite a bit this time. The biggest complaint is one I share, those stupid horns. One of the best things about soccer are the chants and songs from the crowd. Now all you can hear is the stupid buzzing from the horns. Save it for South Africa's games! That has more complaints from a wider spectrum of viewers than anything else.

Heard exactly the same thing from some casuals every day since the finals started. Don't know how it is in-stadium but the horns are an atmosphere killer on the television.

Can't believe the attention the WC is getting from my co-workers. And this is by in large a group of monkeys who can best be described as belonging to the various NASCAR mouth breathing clans.

Funny how infectious an event the WC has become.

[El Hombre]

^ I would actually take the vuvuzelas anyday over constant super slo-motion replays of players yelling or grimacing. If it's an action shot then fine, but if not there is no goddamn need for it.

[Juby]

edit: and I'm not going after anyone here in paticular, I'm thinking more of the people on TV droning on about such a stupid non issue and newspaper articles making journalists sound like a fussy 4 year old sitting near a speaker

I feel like I'm the only person who barely notices the vuvuzelas, I don't think my ears are the best but to me it just sounds like a bunch of regular horns, I know their apparently so and so on the decibel level or some crap but it literally just sounds like alot of games to me, just maybe a few more of em. My ears have never done anything remotely close to cringe or hurt (and I know the feeling, I've seen my fair share of hill billy talent contests and theirs nothing worse then a talentless singer and a terrible mic), to be fair though I'm also the type of person who isn't affect by noises when I'm trying to sleep ( you know the type of person, they sleep fine till they notice a noise, and because they don't realize they are just fixated and even though they were fine days previous, their neurotic mind, desperate for crisis, will refuse to sleep until they stop the noise, usually it's a clock or a drain).

In all honesty I haven't noticed the horns at all since like minute 2 of game 1, it's just background noise, live matches in the stands could be different but I really think the only reason it could bug people at home is because their letting it bother them, their fixated and listening for the sound as much as their being forced and letting it ruin their mood when they inevitably hear it. I really just don't get it, i've literally noticed it less then my leaky faucet (which I hear when I turn everything off and then forget about, like literally, immidiately). In fact, an old creepy brazillian fan was just making out with a replica jules rimet trophy and winking at the camera and THAT has made more of negative response with me then any vuvuzela.

[Guest Ed]

^. "The vuvuzelas don't bother me" would have been sufficient, unless of course you are starting a Ginsberg/Kerouac type thing here.

[tmcmurph]

^. "The vuvuzelas don't bother me" would have been sufficient, unless of course you are starting a Ginsberg/Kerouac type thing here.

You kill me Ed.

I love the chants and songs. It's part of the soccer experience for me. Not just the "go team go" simplistic stuff. It is fun to play "name that tune" and the horns remind me of the mindless North American sports audiences being prompted by a jumbotron to "make noise". Generic white noise is too simplistic for soccer.

I can see it for their own country's games but for all of them? Boring and unimaginative fans.

[Juby]

^. "The vuvuzelas don't bother me" would have been sufficient, unless of course you are starting a Ginsberg/Kerouac type thing here.

heh, well I've had to listen to people go on about something I don't even notice for hours and it's what, day4 or 5? I'd say a scathing 5 minute tease is a deserved rebuttle.

edit: and maybe I'm right, maybe it's more in peoples head then actually all over their ears.

[gigi riva]

We are slowly becoming a Soccer Nation The only problem is with all these people cheering on there adopted nations it can get a little uncomfortable, But it is kind of cool at the same time. I cannot wait for Canada to qualify, in 2014, Hopefully, The CBC coverage has been top notch, My only complaint is the Soccer Nation , thing, but at the same time the Host is Cute.

[Cheeta]

^ I would actually take the vuvuzelas anyday over constant super slo-motion replays of players yelling or grimacing. If it's an action shot then fine, but if not there is no goddamn need for it.

Echo that. It is being more than a little over done.

That being said however, I LOVE the action shots on the fouls. Nothing like high quality HD shots of players ankles contorting into forms they have no business being shaped into to get a jolly and sinister laugh out of your truly. Or the shock wave rippling through a players body as an opponents knee or elbow makes what is quite clearly illegal contact, followed momentarily by the expressions of pain from the victom.

Ah, good times. Good times.

[Whither Canada]

That being said however, I LOVE the action shots on the fouls. Nothing like high quality HD shots of players ankles contorting into forms they have no business being shaped into to get a jolly and sinister laugh out of your truly. Or the shock wave rippling through a players body as an opponents knee or elbow makes what is quite clearly illegal contact, followed momentarily by the expressions of pain from the victom.

Another side benefit (aside from watching pain being inflicted) is being able to ask the hockey fans I'm watching with whether they still think everybody fakes being hurt.

[cfof]

Well if my facebook news feed is any indication, World Cup fever has hit hard...

All those profile pictures of "me wearing a team Canada jersey" or of Sidney Crosby celebrating his winning goal against the US have all of a sudden turned to flags of England, Portugal, Korea, etc...

:-/

Good God, you are so right on this one. It's absolutely infuriating. These jerks ought to be forced to support these European countries' pathetic hockey teams too – and not Canada's – if that's the way they want to go.

I'm sorry, you've been in this country how long? Oh, I see, your entire glory-chasing life, save for a trip "back" to Italy or Portugal or wherever for two freakin' weeks with your parents when you were sixteen. Oh, and Daniel Fernandes' dumb, pine-riding ass makes your heart flutter with pride. I see.

Well, it'd still be great to have one more butt in the stands when Canada come to town for their World Cup qualifier next week. You say you didn't know about it? Geez, alright, but I thought a soccer-fanatic like you would have your ticket already. What's that? You have a thing that night? More to the point, you now say you don't have a thing and you aren't going to go and support your country's team because, and I quote, "It's Canada"?

GO KILL YOURSELF.

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

Nice of him to end his show with the lady from Sicamoose, BC who knows nothing at all about soccer but is glad there's a "Canadian" playing for Portugal... I can sorta understand if some players are cut throat enough to turn their backs on their country for the sake of their pro careers... but I simply don't understand how people can be pleased about that. Thank god there's no "Canada at the World Cup.... Calgary's own..." this time around. The only "Team Canada at the WC" piece I've seen was about a CBC camera crew...

I understand this completely. I disagree with it vehemently but this is no different TO THEM than their stanley cup finals every bloody year where they have to find SOME Canadian link to excuse the fact people are watching regardless their team is not involved in any way. Drives me round the bend.

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

We are slowly becoming a Soccer Nation The only problem is with all these people cheering on there adopted nations it can get a little uncomfortable, But it is kind of cool at the same time. I cannot wait for Canada to qualify, in 2014, Hopefully,

Great point. With all these new fans just choosing sides what gets lost in this is most do so without acknowledging the fact that, wait, this "team" is a nation and you already have one. This new team is their "second" team(Which is fine).

[Fort York Redcoat1555362293]

Good God, you are so right on this one. It's absolutely infuriating. These jerks ought to be forced to support these European countries' pathetic hockey teams too – and not Canada's – if that's the way they want to go.

I'm sorry, you've been in this country how long? Oh, I see, your entire glory-chasing life, save for a trip "back" to Italy or Portugal or wherever for two freakin' weeks with your parents when you were sixteen. Oh, and Daniel Fernandes' dumb, pine-riding ass makes your heart flutter with pride. I see.

Well, it'd still be great to have one more butt in the stands when Canada come to town for their World Cup qualifier next week. You say you didn't know about it? Geez, alright, but I thought a soccer-fanatic like you would have your ticket already. What's that? You have a thing that night? More to the point, you now say you don't have a thing and you aren't going to go and support your country's team because, and I quote, "It's Canada"?

GO KILL YOURSELF.

Love the passionate statement but this is what we've got to start with. There's this funny aspect where minorities in Canada need to become a Canada convert but it must be said that it's usually less diificult than making a Canadian with no ties to "the old country" a supporter.