The Olympics, both Summer and Winter, generally perform well in Canada with the majority of Canadians tuning in at some point, on some platform. While Winter brings many favourite Canadian sports like hockey, curling and skating, Canada is sending a strong team to the Paris Olympics with many athletes performing in the top spots during qualifying rounds. And even though the typical Olympic audience is over the age of 45, there are several new events launching at this year’s Games, such as breakdancing, that are intended to attract younger Canadians.
According to MTM Spring 2024 data, Canadians under 35 are the least likely to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics. Nearly two in five Canadians over the age of 35 plan on watching the Paris Olympics, while only one in five under the age of 35 plan on doing so. Quebec and the North are the regions with the highest likelihood of watching the Olympics (almost half), and Ontario and British Columbia are the least likely to do so. More than half of Canadians who will be watching the Olympics (55%) are planning to watch the opening and/or closing ceremonies. In addition, a sixth of those who are unsure about watching the Olympics still intend on keeping track of the medal count.
Research director and president Kaan Yigit of Solutions Research Group (SRG), says, historically, his company has found that about half – 45% to 55% – of the Canadian population has some interest in the Olympics, and although interest has slipped over the years, that’s still a substantial proportion of the population.
“We expect TV to be a big engagement point as usual, especially for the traditional Olympics audience that is now 45-plus in age. Younger demographics do not use TV significantly, or on an appointment basis generally. This is true for the Olympics as most athletes are not very well-known to them, unless they are already involved in the sport themselves. They will however snack on highlights on social media to the extent that those are available.”
The big difference between past Summer Olympics versus this one, says Yigit, simply is the much bigger share that social media occupies in engaging audiences.
As to what and how Canadians will be following when it comes to the Olympics, Vividata found that nearly two in three Canadian adults (who intend to follow the 2024 Games) follow live sporting events, either on TV or online, on a weekly basis. The majority (76%) of weekly followers watch live sports on TV, however over half now follow live games online through websites, social media, or apps.
The top five events Canadians plan to follow are: gymnastics (56%), swimming/artistic swimming/diving (56%), athletics (54%), soccer (48%) and tennis (37%).
Of those who intend to follow the 2024 Summer Olympics, Vividata says 36% will be keeping tabs on at least half of the events of the previous Summer Olympic Games. Those avid followers of the Olympics are more likely to be women, particularly those over 35. They are also up to two-times more likely than the average Canadian adult to follow the sports featured in the Games at a professional level, such as soccer, tennis, and golf.
