The survey, conducted by Leger on behalf of the Association for Canadian Studies, reveals that just 30.6% of Canadians now prioritize hockey as their top sport of interest annually. This trend is indicative of a changing sports landscape, with younger generations and new immigrants gravitating towards other athletic pursuits, primarily basketball and soccer.

Despite this shift, hockey remains firmly in the lead among sports enthusiasts, with no other sport reaching double-digit levels of preference nationwide. Here's a breakdown of the sports that Canadians follow most closely, beyond hockey:

• Football: 8%
• Soccer: 7%
• Baseball: 6%
• Other sports, including tennis, car racing, cricket, and curling, have smaller followings.

Regionally, hockey still holds sway as the primary sport of choice:

• Alberta: 44.7%
• Quebec: 37.9%
• Atlantic Canada: 37.7%
• Ontario: 24.3%
• British Columbia: 24.3%