SPORTSNET/IPSOS REID POLL FINDS 62 PER CENT OF CANADIANS SUPPORT VANCOUVER WINNING THE STANLEY CUP

Two-thirds of Canadians are cheering for the Canucks to win the Cup

TORONTO (May 31, 2011) – A new Ipsos Reid/Rogers Sportsnet poll found 62 per cent of Canadians are hoping the Vancouver Canucks will be the first Canadian team since 1993 to bring the Stanley Cup home.

Support in British Columbia is naturally the strongest with nearly three quarters of the population (83 per cent) are cheering for the Canucks. The Canucks also appear to be carrying the flag for most of the country. Below is support, region to region, for the Canucks:

Alberta – 60 per cent

Saskatchewan/Manitoba – 66 per cent

Ontario – 63 per cent

Quebec – 51 per cent

Atlantic Canada – 57 per cent

Although only one in ten Canadians (11 per cent) are cheering for a Boston Bruins victory, the largest Bruins fan support in Canada is coming from Alberta (17 per cent) and Quebec (18 per cent), whereas only seven percent of British Columbians say they are cheering for Boston. Just over a quarter of Canadians polled (27 per cent) have no opinion on either team.

** Please note, this release is based on the findings of an Ipsos Reid study fielded May 30th to 31st, 2011. This online survey of 1,002 Canadian adults was conducted via the Ipsos Online Panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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