Whether it’s through linear or connected TV, or even radio, there are more options than ever for Canadians to consume sports content, but a recent report from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo indicates Canadian sports fans are not only eager to travel to see a game, they’re spending on average $4,294 per year on sports trips.

The Sports Travel Road Game Report found that 42% of Canadian sports fans were more likely to travel and see a game on the road rather than attending a game at home or in their closest sports city. In addition, the average fan says they take approximately three sports trips per year, with 800% of those saying they would repeat the frequency, or plan more the following year. 

This points to additional opportunities for advertisers to target sports fans with OOH or location-based digital ads to reach them on the road as well as home. 

“The amount sports fans are willing to spend may seem surprising to non-sports fans until you realize it’s not just about the match,” Melanie Fish, head of PR for Expedia Group Brands, said in a release.

Toronto, New York, and Montreal topped the list for most-traveled-to cities. As far as what sports Canadians were most likely to to travel for over the next 12 months, hockey was the most popular choice cited by respondents, at 47%, followed by a three-way tie between baseball, soccer, and basketball (all at 21%). 

The respondents also weighed in on how they determined where to stay or what activities to do. Sixty-four per cent said they “felt inspired by athlete and team social media accounts and would add a featured activity or hotel to their itinerary.” Interestingly, the fans most likely to be swayed by the POV of athletes on social media were soccer fans (80%), esports fans (78%) and hockey fans (64%). Of all the demos, the survey found that both Gen Z was most inclined to find trip inspiration from athletes, with 79% saying they would be influenced by sports stars.

The survey included 1,000 Canadian sports fans and was conducted online from September 13-21, 2023, by OnePoll on behalf of Expedia Group.