Transcript Slide 1

2010 Canadian Post Olympic Survey
Jack Jedwab
Association for Canadian Studies
March 9th, 2010
Opinion on Canada’s Olympic
Performance in Comparison
 The 2010 winter Olympic Games are now part of the record books, There was much
initial concern during the first week of the games that Canadians were headed towards a
dismal medal performance. By the end of the Games however the concern seemed to
have diminished as Canada came home with 26 medals, 14 of them gold medals thus
establishing a new record for a winter olympic games. Following the two previous
Olympic Games (summer 2004 and Winter 2006) the firm Decima Research conducted
surveys for the Department of Canadian Heritage to gauge Canadians’ satisfaction with
the country’s performance in the Games, their views on funding for Olympic sports and
amateur athletes and their perspective on Canada’s place internationally when it comes
to sports achievement. In 2008, the Association for Canadian Studies commissioned
Leger Marketing to put similar questions to the population. In the aftermath of the 2010
Olympic Games, the ACS yet again put similar questions to the population around thir
performance in the 2010 games. As Canada tends to perform better in the Winter
Olympics than in the Summer Games, comparisons may make more sense between 2004
and 2008 and 2006 and 2010. Nonetheless that which follows will consider where
relevant we have considered all three Games
Methodology
 The Association for Canadian Studies commissioned the firm
Leger Marketing to conduct this survey and the questions
were fielded between September 10 and 12, 2010. Some 1500
people were surveyed via web panel with a margin of error of
3.9 points 19 times out of 20.
Questions
 Winning is Everything?
 It’s not if you win or lose but how you
play the game
81% say that adult pressure to win I taking the joy out of sport
for children-Decima July 2008 survey for dept of can heritage
Most Canadians (58%) strongly disagree that the
only reason to play sports is to win
The majority of Canadians disagree (69%) that to good at
sport you have to be born with natural talent
Most Canadians say it’s how well you
perform and not if you win or lose
At the Olympics it’s about whether you win or lose and not how
well you perform
2010
Strongly agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
18-24 years of age
7,3%
25,8%
40,4%
19,7%
25-34 years of age
7,3%
24,0%
36,2%
31,3%
35-44 years of age
4,4%
28,8%
25,4%
35,3%
45-54 years of age
9,8%
19,6%
25,5%
43,1%
55-64 years of age
8,4%
21,1%
25,6%
42,7%
65-74 years of age
10,1%
19,8%
29,1%
40,1%
75 years of age or older
25,6%
12,8%
28,2%
30,8%
8,3%
22,9%
29,6%
36,1%
Total
Satisfaction with Olympic Performance
Reaches New Height
 95% were satisfied with Canada’s performance in the
2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
 72% of Canadians were satisfied with Canada’s
performance at the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing
 87% were satisfied with Canada’s performance in the
2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
 59% were satisfied with Canada’s performance in the
summer games in Athens
Percentage very satisfied with 2010
performance takes huge leap
How satisfied are you with Canada's overall performance at the Olympic
Games?
Somewhat satisfied
Very satisfied
2004
36,2%
12,4%
2006
38,8%
48,6%
2008
25.0%
46.7%
2010
20.6%
74.9%
Two in three Canadians feel greater sense of pride
when Canadians win Olympic medals
When Canadian athletes win medals at the Olympics I
feel a stronger sense of pride in Canada
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Total
2008
36
38
74
2010
53
33
86
English
French
Other
2008
78
67
73
2010
88
78
90
Winter Olympics motivate Canadians
to participate more in sport
Total Agree-The Olympic and Para
Olympic Games motivates me to
participate more in sport
2008
2010
Canada
25
41
18 to 24
47
52
25 to 34
31
39
35 to 44
23
49
45 to 54
21
40
55 to 64
17
32
65 years or older
16
33
Canadians view of ourselves as leading sports
nation rises in winter
 In the 2006 winter Olympics more than three in four
Canadians surveyed described Canada as a leading sports
nation
 In 2008 some one in three Canadians held this view
 In 2010 a record 82.5% of Canadians held the view that
Canada is a leading sports nation
 In 2008 23% of francophones held this view as did 33% of
anglophones and 30% of allophones. In 2010 the figures
rose to 76%, 87% and 78% for francophones, anglophones
and allophones respectively
Own the Podium Vindicated: Canadians agree with more
funds and high medal targets
 The results of polls conducted after the games in 2004 and 2006,
showed that about 61% of Canadians were in favor of increasing
funding to our athletes. The 2008 results show an 11 point increase in
the total percentage that 72% in agreement with increased funding a
percentage unchanged in 2010
 In 2004 54% of Canadians agreed that federal funding should be
targeting those sports with the greatest potential for medal success. In
2006, 70% of Canadians agreed with the statement but a low emerged
in 2008 with 33% of Canadians holding this view. In 2010 the
percentage dropped further to 23%
 39.5% of Canadians agree that “Canada’s Olympic organizers set
unrealistic medal goals for Canada at the Vancouver games”
 77% agree that regardless of the medal total, it is good that Canada’s
Olympic organizers set a very high goal
 36% disagree that investing more money in Canada’s athletes will not
result in winning a lot more medals
Performance and Funding-The Win-Win
Argument
 If we do poorly in the Olympics do we need more funds to
do better? (i.e. if we do poorly do we attribute to lack of
funds)
 If we do well is it because of the funding? And if so do we
agree that more funding will make us do better?
Even if the goals are unrealistic it is
good to set them high
2010
Regardless of the medal
total, it is good that
Canada’s Olympic
organizers set a very
high goal
Canada’s Olympic organizers set unrealistic medal goals for
Canada at the Vancouver games
Strongly agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
28,0%
26,7%
35,0%
69,4%
Somewhat agree
28,0%
47,6%
53,0%
20,4%
Somewhat disagree
33,9%
20,9%
8,6%
3,1%
Strongly disagree
7,7%
1,4%
1,7%
5,9%
I don't know / I prefer not
answering
2,4%
3,5%
1,7%
1,2%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Total
Those who think it’s how well you perform less likely to
believe more money gets more medals
2010
Investing more money
in Canada’s
athletes will not
result in winning a
lot more medals
At the Olympics it’s about whether you win or lose
and not how well you perform
Strongly
agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
21,1%
7,4%
5,6%
6,2%
Somewhat agree
28,1%
28,1%
23,2%
15,1%
Somewhat disagree
17,2%
37,2%
47,7%
31,4%
Strongly disagree
28,1%
24,6%
20,3%
41,8%
5,5%
2,6%
3,3%
5,5%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
I don't know / I prefer
not answering
Total
Even if they agree it’s about performance and not winning
or losing all favor increased funding for our athletes
At the Olympics it’s about whether you win or lose
and not how well you perform
The federal
government should
increase the
current level of
financial support
for Canada’s
amateur athletes
Strongly
agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
37,0%
30,5%
24,9%
37,2%
Somewhat agree
28,3%
42,2%
47,9%
41,3%
Somewhat disagree
14,2%
17,8%
18,0%
12,0%
Strongly disagree
18,1%
6,6%
4,2%
4,2%
2,4%
2,9%
4,9%
5,3%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
I don't know / I prefer
not answering
Total
Those most proud of performance
think that aiming high is a good thing
When Canadian athletes win medals at the Olympics I feel a
stronger sense of pride in Canada
Regardless of the medal
total, it is good that
Canada’s Olympic
organizers set a very
high goal
Strongly
agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
48,1%
24,1%
21,2%
15,2%
Somewhat agree
35,8%
52,8%
41,3%
26,6%
Somewhat disagree
9,6%
15,7%
29,8%
26,6%
Strongly disagree
2,2%
2,8%
1,9%
17,7%
I don't know / I prefer not
answering
4,2%
4,6%
5,8%
13,9%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Total
Pride and Money
2010
The federal government
should increase the
current level of
financial support for
Canada’s amateur
athletes
When Canadian athletes win medals at the Olympics I feel
a stronger sense of pride in Canada
Strongly
agree
Somewhat
agree
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
Strongly agree
43,3%
18,4%
21,2%
11,7%
Somewhat agree
41,4%
46,5%
46,2%
19,5%
Somewhat disagree
10,0%
20,8%
20,2%
26,0%
Strongly disagree
2,8%
7,0%
4,8%
36,4%
I don't know / I prefer not
answering
2,5%
7,2%
7,7%
6,5%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
100,0%
Total