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Soccer or Football? Northstar Gaming Poll Finds Most Canadians Unexpectedly Divided When Referring to the Game as Soccer or Football but the Friendly Debate Remains Uncapped
Three in five Canadians (60%) refer to the sport as soccer while less than a quarter (21%) refer to it as football or use both names interchangeably (18%).
Among Canadians who call the game soccer, the majority do so to distinguish the sport from North American football (71%), while a quarter use the name because their family and friends (24%) do.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 20, 2024) - NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: BET) - It's a wonderful time of year to be a fan of the beautiful game with marquee international tournaments taking place across different continents, including the Canadian squad kicking off their tournament tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET.
As national teams from around the world compete for glory on the pitch, Canada's biggest soccer fans will gather and cheer on their favourite teams for the next month.
Inspired by Canada's diverse fanbase, NorthStar Bets commissioned a national survey of 1,500 Canadians to identify how cultural differences impact the name they give to the sport and explore the passion behind why they call it soccer or football.
Key survey findings:
Nearly two in five Canadians (38%) refer to the game as football because the game primarily uses feet.
Three in five Canadians (60%) refer to the sport as soccer and not football.
Canadians over 60 are two-thirds (68%) more likely to refer to the game as soccer and the least likely (16%) to call the game football compared to other generations.
Those in Quebec are the least likely (13%) to refer to the game as football.
Among Canadians who call the game soccer, most do so to distinguish it from North American football (71%) while a quarter do so because family and friends (24%) refer to it as such.
Only a third (32%) of Canadians are aware of the historical and cultural reasons behind the different terms ''soccer'' and ''football'' with only 10 per cent very aware.
"The Beautiful Debate is a groundbreaking campaign celebrating the vibrant diversity of Canada's fanbase, which includes cultural backgrounds from around the world. This campaign highlights the nuances surrounding the name of the sport, igniting a profound sense of pride and loyalty among family, friends and fans," said Dante Anderson, VP Marketing, NorthStar Gaming. "The origins and history of soccer versus football span decades with a unique duality that both divides and unites. Our goal is to encourage fans to express their passion for the sport by fostering a spirited, friendly debate and invite Ontarians to cast their vote."
In addition to encouraging Ontario's biggest fans to cast their vote, NorthStar Bets is taking The Beautiful Debate one step further by allowing them to customize their betting experience to the "language" they prefer. On NorthStar Bets, users can now use a new "toggle" feature that will allow players to choose Soccer or Football (.CA only) for their gaming experience.
All NorthStar Bets players will also have access to robust wagering markets, alongside educational and insightful analysis related to matches taking place in global tournaments.
The first of its kind from NorthStar Bets, the brand will offer soccer fans, tournament viewers or passersby a unique engagement billboard located in downtown Toronto at the corner of College St. and Bathurst St. on Monday, June 24th, between 1-9 p.m. where Torontonians will be able to cast their vote live and watch as the scoreboard tallies up the results of The Beautiful Debate.
The survey, conducted in June 2024, was in partnership with market research firm Maru/Blue from Maru Group and gathered insights from over 1,500 Canadians over the age of 19, with representation from every province.
About NorthStar
NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc. ("NorthStar") (TSXV: BET) (OTCQB: NSBBF) proudly owns and operates NorthStar Bets, a made-in-Ontario casino and sportsbook gaming platform that provides players with a uniquely local, premier user experience. The NorthStar Bets sportsbook provides real-time news, stats, analysis and scores directly in the betting environment along with the most popular online casino games. NorthStar's subsidiary, Slapshot Media Inc., provides managed services to Northstarbets.com, an iGaming site owned and operated by the Abenaki Council of Wolinak.
A Canadian company, NorthStar is uniquely positioned to become a convergence leader in the intersection of sports media and sports wagering thanks to its partnerships and agreements with leading media companies. NorthStar is committed to operating at the highest level of responsible gaming standards.
No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
