Half of Londoners are NHL, OHL fans: exclusive CityNews poll

When it comes to hockey, London, Ont. residents support OHL just as much as NHL, according to a new Forum Research poll exclusively for CityNews.

The poll was conducted between Oct. 8 to 10 and has a margin of error of 4 per cent from random sampling of 782 London adults 18 years of age and older.

Just less than half, 47 per cent, of those asked said they were NHL fans, but among those fans 90 per cent said they were also fans of the city’s OHL team the London Knights.

“It is clear from these findings that hockey is knit as tightly into London’s social fabric as anywhere in Canada,” Forum Research president, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff said in a statement. “The fact that six-in-ten adults, fans or not, watched a single game, just proves this.”

Anaheim Ducks winger Corey Perry came out on top when it came to favourite Knight player still in the NHL with 30 per cent. Coming up a close second was Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nazem Kadri with 17 percent.

When it came to all-time Knights, hall of famer Darryl Sittler and Brendan Shanahan were tied with 30 per cent support each.

And hockey isn’t just a spectator sport for many in London. Of those who said they were NHL fans, 36 per cent said they also took to the ice themselves either in beer leagues or unorganized street or pond hockey.

It’s not just the adults out there taking in Canada’s game. Forty per cent of households in London say they have a child who plays organized hockey.

London Hockey News Release (2014 10 11) Forum Research

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